Zayden was left alone for a while after Enzo's visit. No one dared to come see him. Not when he had shut the doors and drawn the curtains closed, isolating himself from the rest of the palace as though he could shut his heart away just as easily.
Unfortunately, his memories knew no walls. His hallucinations knew no locked doors, no windows, and no boundaries.
Whether he closed his eyes or kept them open, Ren's figure continued to haunt him.
Sometimes, it was those pitiful crimson eyes staring at him with hurt and disbelief.
Sometimes, it was Ren's laugh—a sound so rare that hearing it had always felt like a reward. A treasure only a handful of people were fortunate enough to witness. Every time it happened, Zayden's heart would skip a beat.
And sometimes… Sometimes it was far worse.
