The door creaked open, and Ilyrana stepped into the room, her eyes immediately settling on Luke. It only took her a heartbeat to notice the weariness etched into his features—the slight droop of his shoulders, the dullness in his eyes. She tilted her head slightly, her gaze softening.
"Was the work at the stables tiring today?" she asked, her voice quiet but filled with concern.
Luke looked up at her, managing a half-smile. He leaned back, stretching his shoulders.
"Well, it's... yeah, kind of," he admitted. "It's been a while since I've done this kind of work—living with an actual working schedule. I think my body needs to remember what it feels like."
He paused, then patted his leg gently, feeling the cast wrapped snugly around it.
