The crackle of the hearth filled the quiet room. Eron and Mael leaned against their sister, their small heads resting on her lap as they fiddled idly with their wooden soldiers. Sylis stroked their hair absently, her green eyes distant, as if the flames reminded her of something she wished she could forget.
Trafalgar sat nearby, his dark hair tied back in a low ponytail, the firelight glinting faintly in his deep navy-blue eyes. He leaned back slightly in his chair, studying the three of them. The silence stretched too long. Finally, he spoke.
"Sylis," he said evenly, "that dragon you saw in Euclid… was it the same one we encountered during the mission?"
Her eyes snapped toward him, startled by the question. For a moment she hesitated, her lips pressing tightly together. Then she shook her head, firm despite the tremor in her voice.
"No. It wasn't the same."
The room seemed to still at her words. Even the fire's crackle felt quieter.
