Niko cleared his throat, his earlier guilt replaced with a quiet admiration.
"You're tougher than I gave you credit for," he said, his voice uncharacteristically serious.
Orion smiled faintly. "I had to be."
"So," Orion continued, glancing at Elian. "What about you, brother? What was your life like before you met Prince Izan?"
Elian froze. The question lingered in the air like a weight, pressing down on him. He glanced at their intertwined hands before gently pulling away, his expression guarded. "It's... complicated," he said slowly. "My life before Izan was just about surviving the next day."
The words hung in the air, heavy and raw. Niko and Aria exchanged a glance, their expressions tight with understanding.
They knew the full truth of Elian's past, his years as a courtesan, and the pain that came with it. It wasn't something they liked to talk about, and seeing Elian's struggle to open up now only deepened their respect for him.
