The chamber remained silent long after the Shadow Prince vanished, a silence so dense it felt alive. It pressed against Elara’s ears, heavy and suffocating, as if the air itself feared moving. The cold he left behind clung to the stones, seeping into her bones, settling beneath her skin like frost that refused to melt.
Elara stayed seated on the cold floor, not collapsed, but grounded, steadying her breath as she forced her pulse to slow. Her hands trembled despite her efforts to still them. She could still feel the echo of his presence, a faint brush at the edge of her mind, like a shadow testing the door of her thoughts.
Theron knelt beside her, one hand hovering near her shoulder. He looked torn between pulling her into his arms and not daring to touch her at all. His eyes still glowe
