Ashen had just gotten back from the palace. The door to his office clicked open, and he stopped mid-step when he saw Lumina sitting quietly on the couch.
A soft light from the tall window fell across her pale face, a medical book resting in her lap.
He froze for a moment, torn between surprise and the anger he had been holding since morning.
"Why did you come here?" His voice came out low, almost cold.
Lumina lifted her head toward him, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "That's a bit rude. You don't usually question your wife that way."
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I thought I would find peace here, but it seems trouble follows me everywhere."
Her smile faded. She could hear the exhaustion in his tone, the wall he was trying to build between them. "You have refused to come home," she said softly. "So I figured I should come to you. We need to talk."
"So what exactly do you want to talk about?" he muttered, moving toward his desk.
