Ethan's POV
"I am thinking about when I'll finally be strong enough to venture out on my own... and perhaps find an opportunity to return to my homeland."
Her golden eyes warm and gentle at first narrowed into dangerous slits, the pupils shifting into vertical lines in an instant on hearing my answer.
The darkness around us thickened, pressing against me with a weight that was suffocating, unlike the familiar and comforting closeness it usually held.
Sensing the shift in her mood, I hurried to diffuse the tension.
"But…" I continued softly, letting a trace of sadness colour my voice, "I also don't want to leave Master. I don't know what to do."
The oppressive aura lifted as quickly as it had come.
Master's lips curved into a soft smile though there was something faintly unsettling lurking behind it.
