The morning air in Valendell was crisp and alive with motion. Stalls were being set up, vendors calling to one another, and the golden sunlight stretched across the marble streets like molten glass.
On the way to the city's main square, Edward told Aeris everything—his journey beyond Valendell, the small elven village hidden at the forest's edge, the deceitful shopkeeper, the ambush, and everything else he and Elarien had uncovered.
Aeris listened without a word, her steps light and measured beside him. Occasionally, she'd glance his way, but her face remained unreadable.
When he mentioned the Crimson Oath, her expression darkened ever so slightly.
By the time he finished, they had nearly reached the heart of the city—the grand fountain at the main square where crystalline water shimmered beneath beams of morning light.
A long silence lingered between them. Then Aeris spoke.
"So that means you'll leave again?"
Edward exhaled softly. "Most likely."
