Fiore’s voice softened again, almost hesitant. “Lance, what happened?”
He stood still, unmoving. His eyes were blank, devoid of any emotion, as if he had retreated somewhere far from the present moment. Fiore felt a shiver crawl down her spine—not from the cold, but from the hollow look on his face. It was unsettling.
She reached out without thinking, her hand finding his. His fingers were freezing, lifeless in her grasp. The touch seemed to bring him back, his gaze finally flicking down to where her hand held his. The smallest shift in his posture, like he had just realized she was there.
“What happened?” she asked again, her voice firmer this time.
“I couldn’t stop it,” he said, his voice quiet, like a confession to himself more than to her.
Fiore’s brow furrowed. “Stop what?”
“The
