[Lavinia's POV—Outside the Emperor's Office—Continuation]
Osric and I just stood there.
The distance between us was barely a few steps, yet somehow… it felt as though our hearts had been pushed to opposite ends of the world.
His voice broke the silence first, low and unsteady. "Lavi… why does it feel like those words weren't from Solena at all, but from you?"
I froze. The air around us seemed still. He had heard it—the truth hidden beneath my tone.
But I refused to answer. I forced my voice into something sharp and final.
"Take a leave, Osric."
He blinked, taken aback. "What?"
I met his eyes squarely, refusing to waver. "Since your coming-of-age ceremony, you've followed me everywhere, every step, every breath… without so much as a single leave. So I shall grant you one now. Take a leave—from being my protector—for some days."
The words cut between us like a blade.
