The apartment was too quiet again.
Arkai stood by the window, his arms crossed, his wolf ears twitching every few seconds toward sounds that weren't there.
Oathran sat on the edge of the couch, elbows on his knees, his eyes fixed on the floor as though it might reveal something useful.
And Eastiel… Eastiel paced. Back and forth across the living room rug, his lion tail lashing behind him like an agitated metronome, his ears flat against his head.
"She's fine," Arkai said, though the words came out tighter than he intended.
"I know." Eastiel didn't stop pacing. "I just can't stay here and fucking wait."
His half-day work day had made him miss everything. He had come home at two in the afternoon only to find out that no one had told him that Cecilia had gone to meet Arzhen Vasiliev. Alone. At ten in the morning. While he was still at work, oblivious, answering emails like a fool.
