29 Alaric’s POV After Emilia had come to my study last night with her drenched phone in hand, I’d known I’d have to get her a replacement. She hadn’t asked for it directly, and part of me respected that; she wasn’t one to demand things. But that phone was her connection to the world outside these walls, and in a way, I knew she relied on it. I’d told myself it was just a practical decision, a way to keep her occupied and, hopefully, content. So, this morning, I arranged for a new one to be delivered. I picked a model similar to the one she had, simple enough but even more upgraded, and left it with Allesio to hand over to her. That was over three hours ago. And I know that Allesio had given her the phone by now. I ran my hands through my hair, focusing on my schedule for the month. It

