Aveloria closed her eyes and breathed out slowly. "Can I stay with you tonight?" she asked after a moment. "I feel suffocated in this room. I need space from here."
He pulled back enough to see her face and gave a small, warm smile.
"Of course," he said. "I'd love that."
"No one can find out about what I just told you, Galen," Aveloria added.
"Sure."
He turned toward her wardrobe to help her pack a few things. She stood up and grabbed a cloak from the chair, folding it over her arms. The atmosphere felt lighter now, safer. She didn't feel as alone as she had an hour ago.
But the knock on the door erased all of that.
Aveloria and Galen exchanged a quick look. She set the cloak aside and walked to the door. She opened it slowly.
Marek stood on the other side.
His expression was unreadable. His eyes scanned her face, then shifted past her briefly, catching sight of Galen in the background. A tension settled immediately in the space between them.
