"I'm sorry," I said quietly. "About the Leader."
The words came out slower than I expected. Even to my own ears, they sounded heavier than they should have. The air between us seemed to settle for a moment after I spoke, like the conversation itself understood the weight of what was being mentioned.
Even though my time with them hadn't been that long, I had still spent a decent part of my life around those people. Long enough to get used to their presence. Long enough to remember their voices, their habits, as well as the way things used to be when the group was still whole.
Hearing that someone from among them had died felt strange.
It felt… wrong.
Apologizing was the only thing that came to mind.
For one thing, I hadn't been there.
The thought lingered longer than I wanted it to.
