She swallowed hard, trying to understand how and why her pulse raced.
But before she could speak and even process what it meant, Vaerion turned to her fully. This time, his voice was lower and quieter. "There's more."
Asuriel's brows furrowed, and she studied his handsome features for answers. She noticed that there was something else in his expression.
Something… distant. His mind was separated as if he was standing in two places at once. The flames from the fireplace behind them crackled louder, and then, slowly, Vaerion spoke.
"I didn't think about my childhood or the past for a long time." His voice was even, measured. "There was no point – memories are useless. Relics of a time when I was young and soft."
Asuriel had never heard Vaerion speak about his past so directly. She had heard whispers about his older brother – how Vaerion had taken his rightful place by cutting him down, how their war had lasted years. But hearing it now, from his own lips…
It felt different.
