“You’ve been keeping your distance from her,” Jess remarked softly, her eyes flickering towards Luca as she unrolled a parchment across the table. The late morning sunlight rushed in through the tall windows of the library, casting golden patterns across the huge shelves. She kept her tone neutral, but curiosity filled her voice.
Luca, standing by the window, his hands tucked behind his back, turned to meet her gaze. His expression softened, a small smile tugging at the corner of his pink lips. “I thought you didn’t notice.”
Jess set her quill down, leaning into her chair. “It was hard to notice. Athena’s presence used to be your shadow whenever you went around the kingdom. Now things are different.”
Luca crossed the room to sit beside her, his movements deliberate, as though choosing t
