ZEVIAR
I watched her walk away with Mira until they slipped past the garden gate, and even then, I didn’t move. I stayed rooted in place until Zayn’s impatient voice cut through the silence.
“She needs you to let her have this. The minute, the walk, whatever she needs.”
“I know.”
“Then stop standing there like you’re going to chase her down.”
I turned away from the garden and faced the council chamber instead. Just inside the door, Darius was waiting. His expression was carefully blank, the kind of mask he wore only when he was holding something back.
“They’ve reconvened,” he said. “Aldric’s asked for you. Says they need to set terms before the day’s out, given the timeline, and given…” He hesitated, “–given what’s already in motion.”
“Give me a minute.”
He nodded and stepped back,
