When they arrived at the kingdom of Virelia, the queen was already waiting at the dock—alongside Luis and a few of Sylas's brothers.
The king stepped off the ship first.
Then Sylas followed.
Her eyes widened the second she saw him—like she'd expected the king to bring him dead, not alive.
Like she thought the King of Selvaran had killed him.
"I'm glad you came back alive, Sylas," she said, voice tight.
But her eyes… they told a different story.
That fake sweetness was back in her voice.
It sounded like she cared.
Like she hadn't helped bury the only person who ever loved him.
Sylas didn't need to hear her speak.
He'd already seen it.
That flicker in her eyes—too quick to be grief.
Relief.
Fake.
Warmth in her voice that didn't touch her soul.
He didn't say a word.
Didn't slow down.
He walked past her with Ana by his side, never looking back, never acknowledging any of them.
As far as he was concerned, they weren't worth the breath.
