Talia sits on Igneous’ jacket on the cool stone floor staring at the grave. Igneous sits silently beside her, his chest bare, one leg bent against him, the other sticking straight out as he stares serenely at the tomb. Talia is unsure how long they have been there, but the heaviness of her eyes indicates hours. Still, she fights to stay awake waiting for Igneous to speak. He never does.
“Why did you bring me here?” Talia asks finally, rubbing her arms against the chill in the corridor.
“This is the only peaceful place in the entire kingdom,” Igneous says, sounding tired. He lies back and covers his eyes with his arms. “This is the only place I feel...safe. I came here after the tussle with my father and, somehow, the reason for your being here came into a sharper focus.”
Talia looks at
