Silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken thoughts. Aleks let out a slow breath, his fingers curling against the mirror's edge. The shifting contours of his face were beginning to settle, but he could still feel the wrongness clinging to his skin. He swallowed hard, forcing down the discomfort before finally speaking.
"I don't know where to begin." His voice was quieter than before, the exhaustion in it raw and unguarded.
The other man shifted, arms still crossed, his stance unwavering. "I warned you." He said. "This path is nothing but pain and suffering. Power may be the reward, but the price is high."
A faint scoff left Aleks' lips. "And you would know?"
