They still hadn't recovered from Valen's story.
For a long moment, everyone remained where they were, lost in their own thoughts as silence stretched across the farm. The air itself felt heavy, weighed down by the sadness hidden behind Valen's careless smile.
Tessa finally sat up straighter and motioned for Valen to come closer.
"Wait… why are you calling me like that? This feels suspicious." Valen narrowed his eyes at her cautiously, though curiosity still flickered in them.
Tessa only gestured again.
Without another word, Valen shamelessly walked over and dropped onto her lap, resting his head there comfortably while her fingers slipped into his soft blue hair. The strands fell like waves over her thighs, cool and silky beneath her touch.
"Everything will be okay," Tessa murmured softly as she stroked his hair. "We're family now, so try to relax."
But the moment the words left her mouth, she felt two sharp glares aimed directly at her.
Of course.
Zane and Zephyr.
