The gardens were quiet at dusk. Noor liked it that way — when the sky bled orange and the air smelled of dying flowers. She walked alone, fingers brushing over the roses, eyes heavy with thoughts she couldn't name.
So when she heard footsteps behind her, she didn't startle. She already knew.
"You really need to work on your entrances," she muttered, not turning around.
"And miss the drama of your annoyance?" Riven's voice came from behind, smug as always, but softer this time. Less venom, more curiosity.
She turned, slow and unimpressed.
"What do you want?"
He stepped into the fading light, shadows clinging to him like a second skin.
"Just checking on the queen." His eyes scanned her.
Noor crossed her arms. "Flattered. Really. Do all your check-ins come with this much shadow-lurking?"
Riven chuckled under his breath, barely audible. "Only for the difficult ones."
She raised a brow. "You mean the dangerous ones."
His gaze lingered for a moment too long. "Maybe I don't see the difference."
For a split second, the silence between them shifted — not heavy, not sharp, just… strange. Like the air before a storm.
Noor looked away first, eyes flicking toward the roses. "You're wasting your time."
"Wouldn't be the first time I've wasted something for someone I shouldn't care about," he said quietly, almost like it slipped.
Her eyes snapped back to his. "Don't do that."
"Do what?"
"Talk like there's meaning behind your words. You don't get to play the part of someone who gives a damn."
Riven's expression didn't flinch, he smirked.
"I don't give a damn," he said. "That's the problem."
Noor took a step back, not because of fear but because she could feel her chest tighten in a way she hated. The way he looked at her — like he saw something — felt too close to dangerous.
"You should leave."
He nodded slowly. "Yeah. I probably should."
But he didn't move.
Neither did she.
After a few moments , Riven spoke up softly, like he wasn't sure if he meant to say it aloud, he murmured:
"When you're done running from yourself, Noor… I'll still be here."
Her heart stuttered.
She didn't turn. Couldn't. If she looked at him now, something might crack — and she refused to give him that satisfaction.
"Is that supposed to comfort me?" she said coldly, voice barely holding together. "The demon who follows a monster thinks he's my safe place?"
Riven exhaled a dry laugh. "No. I'm not your safe place. But I might be the only one who understands why you don't have one."
That broke something in the air — not loud, not visible. Just... real.