The door closed behind Aidan with a quiet, measured click, sealing the room into stillness.
The chamber had been prepared long before his arrival.
Dark wood panels absorbed the low light, the faint glow of a single lantern resting above a round table set precisely between two chairs.
A thin stream of steam rose from the teapot in the middle, curling up in slow, delicate spirals before fading into the dark.
Mazin was already sitting down.
He didn't notice Aidan come in right away.
He kept his eyes on the teapot as he carefully lifted it and poured the tea into a porcelain cup.
The quiet was filled with the soft sound of liquid hitting ceramic, which was slow and careful.
Aidan remained where he stood.
He did not move further into the room, nor did he sit. His gaze settled on Mazin, unwavering, the restraint in his posture doing little to conceal the tension beneath it.
"You moved without telling me."
