As such, Aksai pretended not to notice her thoughts. Instead, he picked up the teacup and took a slow sip.
The familiar taste of Zinnia's tea brought a small smile to his face. "You still make it the same way," he said gently.
Zinnia smiled faintly. "I never forgot how you liked it, my lord."
Aksai set the cup down and looked at her with calm eyes. "Tell me, Zinnia… what happened after I disappeared from Serenity Peak?"
Zinnia's expression stiffened.
The question seemed to pull her back into memories she had buried for years. She looked away for a moment before speaking, her voice quiet.
"A lot changed after that day, my lord" she began.
"After the Devil's Den incident… everything fell apart. The sects fought among themselves for a while, but later, Grand Martial Hall rose to power.
