The twins sat in silent agony, staring out over the palace courtyard, their shared frustration crackling like a storm between them.
Days had slipped by like sand through their fingers since Eirik's kidnapping, and each one had only increased their sense of uselessness. Trapped by their father's orders and confined to the palace, they felt the unbearable weight of being bystanders in the search for their own brother.
Neither twin had spoken much. Their words felt hollow against the weight of what they carried; any attempt to share their pain only seemed to highlight their helplessness.
Eirik, their younger brother, had always been the heart of their family, the one who softened their mother's quiet strength, who bridged the fierce pride of their father.When he left for Zephyros, the palace seemed cold and unwelcoming, like an empty shell, devoid of laughter and warmth.
