The citadel had fallen quiet.
The courtyard training had ended hours ago. Sariel had gone somewhere to nap—or annoy someone. Velvet was reading old assassination novels in the sun. Ciela meditated. Levia bathed. Erika sulked. Asmodeus had seen it all in passing, but none held his attention.
Politics didn't interest him, nor did the letter from Grigor... even Sariel pressing against him earlier hold any weight.
He was thinking about the girl who hadn't spoken to him once in three days.
Riel.
She'd vanished after training. Again. She always vanished these days.
She never made a scene. No crying, no shouting, no pouting like Erika. She just... faded. Her figure blended with the crowd, as if to avoid his glance.
It bothered him more than it should've.
