For several seconds, neither Serene nor Ardyn reacted. It was as though the words had failed to reach their minds.
Serene's eyes widened.
"What did you say?" Her voice trembled.
The butler's smile grew even wider. "The Young Master is back, Madam."
Serene immediately stood up.
The chair behind her made a scraping sound as it moved backward.
"Thoren?" The name escaped her lips almost like a whisper.
The butler nodded repeatedly. "Yes, Madam. The Young Master has returned from the Abyss."
Serene's breathing stopped for a moment then her eyes quickly became moist. She covered her mouth with one hand as countless emotions surged through her heart at once.
Relief.
Joy.
Excitement.
She had imagined this moment countless times during the past month, but she had never expected it to arrive so suddenly.
Ardyn remained standing beside her and unlike Serene, he did not immediately speak.
He simply stared at the butler.
