Ashen stayed beside Lumina until her breathing grew soft and watched her drift off to sleep.
The pale moonlight spilled across her face, casting a gentle glow over her peaceful expression. His chest tightened as he brushed a stray strand of silver hair from her cheek. For a moment, he considered staying.
But the message in his mind burned like a brand. The letter that had arrived on the day with a spear still haunted him.
Slowly, he eased her arm off his chest. Her fingers instinctively tightened around him, and he froze, his heart pounding.
When she finally relaxed, he gently pried her hand away. He stayed there for a breath, watching her again, then rose to his feet and moved toward the door.
He looked back once, before stepping out into the hallway. What he didn't know was that another pair of eyes had seen him leave the chambers.
