Orifiel had noticed it long before she spoke. The way Erelah lingered a second too long beside him. The way her voice softened whenever she said his name. He had tried to ignore it, telling himself it was stress, circumstance, the chaos of everything they had been through.
They stood near the edge of the empty parking lot, the hospital lights glowing pale behind them. The air felt thick, heavy with something unspoken. Orifiel shifted his weight, hands in his pockets, already uneasy without knowing why.
“Orifiel… there’s something I have to tell you,” Erelah said quietly.
His chest tightened. Here it is, he thought. Whatever this is, it’s not small. He forced a calm expression and nodded. “Yeah? What is it?”
Erelah swallowed hard. Her fingers twisted together, knuckles whitening. She av
