"Lyosha?"
A gentle shake brought Alexei out of his peculiar dream. A few drops of sweat still clung to his temples, sliding down as he hurriedly sat up.
The yellow glow from the paper lamp on the ceiling stung his eyes.
Squinting, he stared at the face that slowly became clear.
"Elijah?" his low voice sounded hoarse, suppressing the unease.
"Have a bad dream?" Elijah asked, gently patting Alexei's shoulder.
He'd only been gone a few hours, yet Alexei had managed to draw the Deity's attention.
Even Elder Un Seok-Jin wouldn't speak in his favor if the one he worshiped was against the boy.
Like a child finally meeting his elder, Alexei didn't hesitate to throw his arms around Elijah, embracing him tightly.
"Yeah, a really scary dream," he mumbled against Elijah's shoulder. "Who is Isobel exactly?"
Last time he mentioned that name, Elijah had changed the subject.
A faint breath, almost like a sigh, fell on Alexei's ears. "We'll talk about her later, Lyosha."
