Niko and Aria stood before Elian's door, their expressions grim and hearts heavy with the weight of the secret they carried. The dark hallway stretched out behind them, and the flickering candlelight cast long shadows on the walls. They had come as always to check up on Elian, but now, at the threshold, they hesitated.
Aria looked up at Niko, her voice barely a whisper, "What should we do?" Her question trembled with uncertainty. "Do we tell him?"
Niko sighed, the weight of decision pressing down on him like a heavy rock. It wasn't a question he could easily answer. The secret they carried, about the merchant who is now known to be the crown prince, was dangerous. Revealing it now, to a man as fragile as Elian, could destroy him. Yet, keeping it from him felt equally cruel.
"Not yet," Niko finally murmured, his voice heavy. He shook his head, his decision firm but conflicted. "We can't tell him yet. He's still recovering... Let him have this peace for as long as it lasts."
