The afternoon sunlight filtered softly through the ornate curtains of the high temple, casting faint golden hues across the chamber where High Priestess Jenna sat behind her low table.
The delicate aroma of steeping tea filled the room, but the serenity of the setting failed to reach its occupants.
Jenna's slender fingers rested on the edge of her teacup, her expression as calm and composed as always, yet the tension in her shoulders betrayed her inner turmoil.
She had grown quieter these past few days—colder, more distant—and though she hid it well from others, Evaya had spent enough time by her side to notice.
The high priestess wasn't herself anymore.
Ever since they allowed Kana to leave and return home, Jenna's once-carefree demeanor had dulled.
Her usual playful teasing, the bold flirting that always made Evaya grind her teeth in irritation, had lessened significantly.
