>>Enya
Weeks had passed since the monster incident. Days were quieter now, the kind of quiet that didn't feel like the sharp edge of loneliness anymore, but rather the gentle hush of peace. It was strange, how things could change like that. Just a few weeks ago, Ahin and I had barely exchanged more than guarded words and stolen glances.
Since Einar and I lived in the isolated wing of the mansion—tucked away from the rest of the house, away from the scrutiny and judgment—having Rika with us had brought something different to the halls. Laughter, for one. The sound of her tiny feet pattering across the stone, her giggles echoing in the vast rooms, her delighted shrieks when Einar would draw her into some harmless magical illusion. She filled the silence with life.
