By the time I made my way back through Solitude's streets, the festival was little more than dying torchlight and the last echo of music fading against the walls. My legs felt like lead, my lungs tight from the chase and that… thing.
But none of that mattered once I reached Radiant Raiment. The lantern outside was still lit, glowing warm against the cold night, almost like it was waiting for me. I pushed open the door quietly, careful not to wake the sisters—though who was I kidding, they were probably still awake.
The shop was dim, only a single candle burning near the counter. And sitting there, arms crossed, was Endarie.
Her eyes cut through the gloom sharper than any blade.
"You're late," she said, voice flat but carrying that bite she always had.
I rubbed the back of my neck. "Yeah… festival ran long."
She arched a brow. "Don't lie. Taarie came back alone. She didn't look happy."
That hit me harder than I thought it would. I swallowed, trying to find words, but nothing came.
Endarie didn't wait. She stood, stepping closer, her glare unrelenting. "You hurt her feelings. Do you have any idea how rare that is? Taarie doesn't let people close enough for that. And yet here you are, managing it after a single evening."
I opened my mouth, shut it again. The image of Taarie's back as she walked away—her words sharp, her voice tight—rose in my head. I wanted to explain. I wanted to tell her it wasn't that I didn't care, that I wasn't ignoring her… but how could I? How do you explain that some shadow-thing tied to Daedric Princes was stalking us in the middle of a festival?
"I didn't mean to," I finally muttered.
"Intentions don't change what happened." Endarie's tone softened slightly, though her eyes still held me pinned. "She's in her room now, pretending she doesn't care. But she does. I know my sister better than anyone."
I shifted, the weight of my armor and sword suddenly heavier than ever. "What do you want me to do?"
Endarie let out a slow breath, finally turning away to snuff out the candle. "Rest. Eat something if you haven't already. Then tomorrow… fix it. Don't make her regret letting you stay here."
Her words lingered in the dark as she walked past me toward her own room. But just before she disappeared into the hallway, she stopped and glanced back.
"And Chad," she added, her voice lower this time, "whatever you're carrying around, try not to drag her into it. She deserves better than that."
The door closed softly behind her, leaving me alone in the shop.
I stood there for a long time, staring at the faint glow of embers in the hearth. My chest tightened.
She was right. Taarie didn't deserve to get pulled into my mess. None of them did.
And yet… that smile of hers kept coming back to me. That rare smile I'd seen more often lately. A smile I wasn't sure I could just walk away from, no matter how dangerous it was.
With a heavy sigh, I finally dragged myself upstairs, the silence of Radiant Raiment wrapping around me like a blanket I didn't deserve.