Thea remained silent, her eyes fixed on the rippling water of the pond. She took the potion without a word, but made no move to drink it. The weight of her troubles pressed heavily upon her, and not even the assurance of her sister could lift it.
Lily, not one to give up easily, tried to engage Thea with different questions, asking about the family, their father's plans, even the state of the garden. But Thea's responses were listless, her voice barely above a whisper. It was as if a part of her had retreated into a place where Lily could not reach.
Finally, Lily gave up trying to cheer her elder sister and let out a resigned sigh. "I'm going away for two months," she said, her voice filled with a mix of reluctance and determination. "I won't be back for a while."
Thea, who had seemed almost oblivious to her surroundings until then, turned to look at Lily. "Where are you going?" she asked, her voice laced with a faint trace of concern.
