Aether... honestly hadn't expected her lie to be true.
He had assumed the Archpriestess merely created the character of Stella to manipulate or charm him... just another illusion. But now... hearing it from her lips, every word soaked in suffering and truth... how she fought, how she suffered, how she tried with every breath to save Raven... and how Mother—no matter how twisted her intentions—stepped in and blessed her to keep her alive...
It changed everything.
Aether hummed, a deep, thoughtful sound escaping his throat as his eyes lingered on her face. "So once you got the power... everything changed?" he asked curiously, his fingers curling tightly around her hips, pressing her closer against him.
