Edward woke up to an unusual silence.
Instead of the usual sight of Seraphine before him, there was nothing, just an eerie stillness filling in the empty side of his bed.
He pushed himself upright and frowned slightly.
It was unusual.
Seraphine never failed to wake him, sometimes far too eagerly. His first thought was to check on his connection with the Shadow Striker, but the bond between him and his summon was still active, which meant the girl was most likely still asleep, tangled up in her dreams.
Edward dressed without hurry, pulling on simple clothes, and stepped into the corridor.
The wood groaned beneath his boots as he descended the stairs. The scent of smouldering candlewax and faint ash reached him before the sight of Aeris sitting at the dining table.
"Morning," she said quietly.
"Morning," Edward returned, sliding into the chair beside her.
For several minutes, they sat in silence, the air between them calm but weighted.
