Dravina’s POV
I woke to cold sheets.
The space beside me was empty, untouched, and the absence carved a hollow ache through my chest.
Where was Malrik?
He had only just returned from his trip I’d expected to wake wrapped in his warmth, his presence grounding me. Instead, the silence pressed in, thick and unsettling, as though the walls themselves knew something I did not.
Perhaps he had duties to attend to. Perhaps I was simply overthinking.
But my unease lingered.
I pushed myself upright, rubbing the heaviness from my eyes, my stomach coiling tight with nerves. A soft knock broke through the stillness, and the door opened to reveal Aveline, carrying a tray. She slipped into the room with quiet efficiency and placed the dinner down.
One plate.
Not two.
A flicker of disappointment
