Lucius's POV
After leaving Kiara in her room, I retreated to my quarters for the night. It had been an emotionally heavy evening, one that lingered like mist in the corridors of my mind. I couldn't bring myself to sleep beside her as I usually did. She needed space, time to reconcile her memories with the life now surrounding her. I had to respect that, though it left my chest feeling hollow.
I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the flickering flame of the lantern. The silence was deafening, and the night stretched on, stubborn and unyielding. Sleep was elusive, but eventually, exhaustion pulled me under.
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The morning sun was weak when it filtered through my windows. I rose, brushed off the remnants of restless dreams, and prepared for the day. Duty called, as it always did.
