The silence after the vision felt… different.
Not empty.
Not calm.
But full.
Heavy with everything that had just happened—and everything that still hadn't been said.
Aliena remained in Sebastian's arms, her breathing slowly steadying, though her heart still raced beneath the surface. The echoes of what she had seen hadn't faded. They lingered, sharp and vivid.
The battlefield.
The fire.
Him—on his knees.
And her…
Not herself.
Her fingers tightened slightly against his shirt.
"…You knew," she said quietly.
It wasn't a question.
Sebastian didn't move.
For a moment, his grip on her tightened—just slightly—before loosening again, as though he was forcing himself to remain steady.
"…Part of it," he admitted.
The words came low.
Careful.
Honest.
Aliena closed her eyes briefly.
And yet—
She wasn't surprised.
Not really.
Not anymore.
A small breath escaped her lips as she pulled back just enough to look at him. Truly look at him.
At the man she had trusted.
