Luna Vilka was still struggling to think straight when she arrived at her son's study. Her mind felt overwhelmed, and above all, she was weighed down by a heavy blanket of guilt.
The guards stepped aside, and she entered the office, stopping short when her gaze landed on Ralph.
"Oh. I was not expecting to see you here," she said with a weak smile as the door closed behind her.
Ralph's face lit up when he saw her, but his smile faltered as he stood up immediately. He had been seated, drumming his fingers impatiently on the table.
He crossed the space between them, one hand reaching for hers, caressing them gently, while his other hand cupped her face.
"Hey, my love," he murmured, his eyes searching hers with concern. "Tell me. What is wrong? Are you alright?"
Vilka wanted to feign that she was fine, but this was Ralph, her love and confidante. She had gotten used to leaning on him, to sharing her problems. She leaned into his chest with a heavy sigh.
