The silence stretched between them, but unlike the hollow quiet of her empty chambers or the oppressive stillness of formal dinners, this felt different.
It was comfortable, somehow. Magnus sat at a respectful distance on the stone sill, close enough that she could sense his presence but far enough to maintain propriety.
Neither of them spoke. There seemed to be an unspoken agreement that words would only complicate whatever this moment was.
They both had their burdens, their disappointments, their secrets weighing them down. But here, in this forgotten corner of the castle, they could simply exist without the need for explanations or facades.
Carina found herself studying the stars through the window, tracing constellations her tutors had taught her years ago. The Hunter's Belt. The Swan's Wing. The Lover's Crown.
She quickly moved her gaze from that one. Beside her, Magnus seemed equally lost in thought, his eyes fixed on some distant point in the gardens below.
