"Okay, Vera. I'll tell you everything," Syn said, his voice low, raw, his hazel eyes meeting the storm in Vera's purple gaze.
He stood in Pako's room, the comics forgotten on the navy-blue blanket, the air heavy with betrayal, Pako's tear-streaked face and Aster's tense silence pressing against him.
"You better," Vera snapped, her voice loud, sharp, her purple wavy hair swaying as she stepped closer, her captain's coat a dark silhouette. "I'm tired of waiting, Syn. No more games, no more excuses. The truth, now."
Syn rubbed his neck, his hazel eyes flickering with hesitation. "It might sound… silly, hearing it out loud. And it's got nothing to do with how I met Ila, I swear."
Vera's purple eyes narrowed, her arms crossing, her voice cutting. "Doesn't matter. I don't care how silly it sounds. Why did you leave us, Syn? I want the truth, just tell me."
