The library was quiet, but it wasn't peaceful. The air was thick with the scent of old paper and beeswax, a smell that usually brought me comfort. Tonight, it only felt heavy, charged with the unspoken events of the evening. Richard stood by the tall, arched window, looking out at the moon-drenched gardens. He hadn't spoken a word since I entered, but his silence was more charged than any argument we'd ever had. He knew something had happened. He always did. It was in the stillness of his posture, the way he held himself as if listening for a sound only he could hear.
I didn't bother with preliminaries. There was no need for them between us. "Kael was here."
Richard didn't turn from the window. "I know." His voice was flat, devoid of surprise, as if he were simply confirming a fact he'd already deduced. "Darius was with you."
