The stone path curved back toward the palace, pale gravel crunching softly beneath my shoes with each step. The hedges rustled in the afternoon breeze, carrying the faint, earthy scent of roses mingled with damp soil.
Somewhere beyond the trees, faint and distant, I could hear Maribel laughing at something Elisa had said to Liora, their voices blending with the gentle whisper of the wind.
Normal sounds.
Calm sounds.
It felt strange how quickly everything had settled after that conversation. The tension I had carried in my chest, the restless fluttering of my heart, all of it seemed to have dissipated in a single, fleeting moment of clarity. I pressed a hand lightly over my chest, half expecting my pulse to still thrum with nervous energy.
It wasn't.
Just steady. Warm.
I liked Elias, there was no point denying it anymore.
[Diagnosis: host has achieved emotional clarity. Side effects include mild embarrassment and excessive self-reflection.]
Be quiet.
[No.]
