Katelyn was engrossed in replying to Sage's messages when the sudden ring of her phone broke the silence. His name flashed brightly on the screen. She answered the call, bringing the device to her ear as she stood on the balcony, one arm instinctively crossed over her chest.
"Why did you call?" Katelyn asked, keeping her voice low.
"I heard about a council meeting being called," Sage's voice came through. "Is everything alright there? Has something serious happened?"
"Yes, things have... settled down," she murmured. "You've gotten the news quite late, though. The entire affair has been quite a shock." She leaned slightly against the railing. "Brother Nick looks terribly upset, Sage. Utterly devastated, actually." A deep sigh escaped her. "He and June always seemed like the perfect couple. They were practically a matched set. To think everything could unravel so quickly... I still can't quite believe it."
