Veyra stepped into the room without knocking, the faint, measured sound of her boots against the polished floor cutting through the quiet like a thin line drawn across still water.
Ardis Kyrelle looked up immediately, straightening in her chair as if pulled by an invisible thread, her hand setting the pen down with deliberate care before sliding a few loose papers into neater order.
For a brief moment, the space between them stayed suspended—neither heavy nor tense, but there was something that told her that this visit wasn't a normal one between an aunt and niece.
Both women knew it, and neither wasted time pretending otherwise.
The door eased shut behind Veyra with the soft finality of something that would not be opened again until she allowed it.
With a small motion of her hand, three distinct layers of privacy seals shimmered faintly into view for a heartbeat before vanishing, their magic settling over the room like a thin, invisible dome.
