It was long past midnight, but Evelyn couldn't sleep.
The quiet of her new room—tucked safely behind reinforced sigils and spells—offered no comfort. She sat by the window instead, chin resting on her knees, watching moonlight pool like liquid silver across the courtyard below.
A knock echoed softly against her door.
Not a guard. Not a summons.
When she opened it, Alexander stood there, not in uniform or cloak—but in a dark shirt and quiet eyes. No armor, no sharp edges.
Just him.
"Couldn't sleep?" she asked softly.
He shook his head. "No."
She stepped aside. He didn't ask if he could enter, and she didn't need to tell him he could.
The room felt smaller with him in it. Warmer too.
"I was thinking," he said after a long pause, "about what I said before. About leaving."
Evelyn looked at him, breath caught.
"I meant it," he said. "I would have gone, if it gave you peace."
She blinked, unsure how to respond.
"But then I realized… it wouldn't have given me peace."
He moved closer. "I tried to stay away from this—what I felt. I told myself I came here for something else. That if I kept my distance, it would pass."
Her heart thudded hard.
"It hasn't."
He stopped just in front of her, gaze fixed on hers.
"I don't want to step back anymore, Evelyn. But if you need time... if you want space, I'll give you that too. I just needed you to know."
She reached up slowly, her fingers brushing against his shirt, then resting just over his heart.
"I don't want space," she whispered. "Not from you."
Silence fell—but it wasn't heavy this time. It was charged. Gentle.
Hopeful.
And then—
A knock shattered it.
They both tensed.
When Evelyn opened the door, Caelan stood on the other side.
He looked between them once—sharp, observant—and smiled faintly. "Apologies. I was hoping we could talk."
"About what?" Evelyn asked, cautious.
But Alexander's body shifted subtly beside her, not blocking her, not aggressive—but alert. A silent protector.
Caelan noticed.
He held up a scroll. "A lead on the page that was stolen. And… a theory. One I didn't want to say aloud in front of Aldren."
Evelyn glanced at Alexander, then stepped aside once more. "Come in."
But she didn't let go of Alexander's hand.
And Caelan?
He saw it.
He smiled again.
And this time, it didn't reach his eyes.