While Alaric was away, it felt like she was suspended in the air, haunted by terrifying messages. Alaric’s name was her only source of calm.

They didn’t speak further, but neither did they end the call.

A faint *click* was heard, followed by shallow breathing as she lit a cigarette.

In Emerald’s mind, she envisioned the man—tall, leaning against a wall, slightly hunched over, with a cigarette between his lips. She could almost see his long, skilled fingers sparking the flame and his tilted neck as he exhaled smoke, exuding power and intensity.

She remembered that night in their sleeping bags, a quiet, tender moment they shared.

After a brief...