The air outside was cold and still, the silence heavy before dawn. The palace lamps burned faintly. Around four in the morning, Aveloria descended the narrow stone path leading back from Galen's residence. She had spent two full days there, away from the world's noise. With Galen, she had found a strange, steady, calm, and almost safe peace.
Now, as her boots clicked softly against the cobblestones, she felt the creeping exhaustion set in. Her hair was loose, falling down her back. She hadn't bothered to braid it before leaving. The guards on duty straightened when they saw her, bowing slightly before looking away. No one spoke.
She was halfway to her chambers when a sound pierced the quiet.
A scream.
