Ellie POV
The water was calm that morning, the sunlight spilling across its surface like liquid gold. Lance steered the boat, but his expression told me he was deep in thought. We had just passed into Moonstone territory.
The quiet should have been peaceful, but both of us were carrying too much weight for it to feel like anything other than heavy.
Lance broke the silence first. “He’s not himself, Ellie.”
I didn’t have to ask who he meant. Nolan’s shadow clung to every word we spoke these days.
“I know,” I said softly, wrapping my arms around myself. “It’s like… something broke in him when he banished her. He’s angry. Suspicious. It’s getting worse, not better.”
Lance’s jaw tightened. “I’ve seen it too. He’s pushing everyone too hard. And the thing is, we need him steady right now.
