It didn't take long before Harper and Camilia finally returned.
The night air clung to them, heavy and restless, as they walked into the courtyard. They didn't speak at first. Their steps carried the frustration they'd been holding since leaving Nestonia, each of them caught in thought.
Inside, Jayden was seated on the edge of a sofa, his head lowered slightly, like a man who hadn't stopped thinking since they last saw him. When he lifted his eyes and saw them, there was no surprise. He almost looked as though he had been waiting, tensioned but calm.
Harper immediately broke the silence first. "You left without telling us." Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried sharpness. "Jayden, you just disappeared."
Camilia crossed her arms, her face stern.
"Do you know how reckless that was? If something happened to you in Nestonia, we wouldn't have even known where to look. We had to chase after you, and even then..." She cut herself short, shaking her head.
