Zev walked toward Thalia, his steps purposeful but silent as he closed the distance between them. He kept his gaze fixed on her, studying the way her shoulders slumped slightly, how her usually alert eyes were now clouded with something that made her seem far away. It was unusual, unsettling even, to see her like this. Thalia always had a quiet strength about her, a fire that even he couldn’t ignore, but now she looked almost… defeated.
"Thalia," Zev called out, his voice sharp but not as cold as usual.
Thalia jolted slightly, snapping out of her thoughts as she looked up to see Zev standing before her. Her heart skipped a beat, the sudden presence of him pulling her back to reality. His piercing eyes locked onto hers, and for a moment, neither of them spoke.
"What are you doing, wander
