The next morning carried a quiet stillness that felt different from the tension of the previous night. Nothing was heavy, yet something had shifted between them, something unspoken but understood.
Rafael didn't explain much. He simply told her to get ready.
Aria didn't question him this time.
The drive was long and silent. The towering structures of Velmora slowly disappeared behind them, replaced by narrower roads, aging buildings, and a stillness that felt almost unfamiliar. Aria watched the passing scenery, occasionally glancing at Rafael, but he remained focused on the road, his expression unreadable.
"Where are we going?" she finally asked softly.
"Somewhere I haven't been in a long time," he replied.
There was something in his tone, something quieter, more distant that made her stop asking further questions.
When the car finally came to a halt, it wasn't in front of anything grand or guarded. There were no signs of power, no presence of authority.
