"Why are they after you?"
The fire in the hearth crackled softly, spreading a comforting heat across the room, but Alyssane felt as if her hands had gone numb. She knew the answer, but that wasn't something she was ready to share. Not now.
Perhaps never.
"I… I don't know," Alyssane responded quietly, keeping her tone as even as possible. Her voice, though soft, felt like it echoed in the silent room.
The Emperor's expression darkened, just a shade, but enough for Alyssane to notice. It was as if a shadow had crossed his face, brief but worrying.
"Would you know something, Kazmun?" He asked, in a strangely distant tone, almost as if the question wasn't even a question.
A heavy silence fell between them, the air thick with unspoken tension. Kazmun, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke, his voice dark and cold, cutting through the silence.
"Why now, Argus?" Kazmun asked instead, "Why do you suddenly care?"
