—How do you mean it has disappeared?
The king held my gaze, calm.
—With the chaos after your brother's death… and what happened afterward —he added, referring to me jumping into the arena— everything was quite confusing.
He made a slight pause.
—Did it have any value?
I clenched my jaw slightly.
—Value… sentimental, I guess.
The king nodded.
—I'll have them look for it.
He stepped back slightly.
—But don't worry about that now. Go home.
I hesitated for a second.
—Alright, Your Majesty.
I bowed to take my leave.
I felt a hand on my shoulder.
It stopped me.
—I told you it's not necessary —he said with a faint smile.
I nodded.
I left the room.
And there she was.
Aria.
Waiting.
As soon as she saw me, she turned toward me with a soft smile and came closer.
—What did the king tell you?
I hesitated.
I didn't know how much I could trust her.
Or if I even should.
—That I should go home and rest.
It wasn't a lie.
But it wasn't the whole truth either.
—That's why he wanted to talk to you?
—He also wanted to give me his condolences.
Another half-truth.
Aria watched me for a few seconds more.
As if she were trying to read something else in my face.
—Mmm… alright.
She turned.
—He said I should escort you to the exit.
I nodded.
We started walking.
Corridors again.
Long. Silent. Immaculate.
But this time… different.
Heavier.
As if every step reminded me of what I had just accepted.
We didn't speak.
Only the sound of our footsteps.
Until we reached a door.
Small.
Discreet.
Nothing like the main entrance.
Aria stopped.
—Follow this and you'll reach the city streets. You'll be able to find your way, right?
—Yes… I think so.
I looked at the door.
"One thing… why are we leaving through here?"
Aria hesitated for a moment.
—The king asked that no one see you.
That tensed me.
—And do you know why?
—No.
She looked straight at me.
—But you do, don't you?
I held her gaze.
—No idea.
I lied.
And I think she knew.
But she didn't say anything.
She just smiled, though this time… a little different.
Softer.
More distant.
—Well, Ren. It was a pleasure meeting you.
She paused briefly.
—Maybe we'll see each other again.
—I'm sure we will.
And this time, I meant it.
—See you.
She opened the door.
The light from outside poured in.
I took a step.
And crossed it.
Back to the city.
But nothing was the same anymore.
That city… no longer belonged to me.
Or maybe I was the one who no longer fit in it.
The only thing that tied me to that place… was gone.
The moment I left the castle, the noise faded behind me.
Finally… silence.
Real silence.
The kind that doesn't let you hide.
I started walking without a clear direction.
Though deep down, I knew where I was going.
Home.
My home.
Our home.
My steps moved on their own while my mind fell apart.
Fragments.
Memories.
My brother training.
Laughing.
Talking to me as if nothing could ever break that.
And then…
Aether.
The king.
His words.
"I need you to kill him."
Everything mixed together.
Everything weighed on me.
Around me, the city was still alive.
People going in and out of shops.
Voices in taverns.
Laughter.
Life.
But to me…
It all felt muted.
Distant.
Unreal.
As if I were walking through something that no longer belonged to me.
And then…
I arrived.
The house.
Our house.
I opened the door slowly.
As if I feared finding something on the other side.
Or worse…
Finding nothing.
I stepped in.
Everything was the same.
The table.
The chairs.
The kitchen.
My room.
His room.
Everything in its place.
Perfect.
Untouched.
And yet…
Nothing was the same.
The air felt empty.
Cold.
That house, which had always been full of life…
Was now just that.
A house.
Four walls.
A roof.
Nothing more.
I took a step.
Then another.
And suddenly…
I couldn't take it anymore.
My legs gave out.
I fell to the floor.
And broke.
—No… —my voice came out shattered—. No… this isn't…
The words stumbled over each other.
Meaningless.
—Anything but this… please…
But there was no one.
No one to listen.
No one to answer.
No one to correct me, to laugh, to say anything.
Just me.
And silence.
I felt… empty.
Everything I had done until now… what for?
If the person I cared about most was gone.
I let myself fall onto the bed.
Closed the shutters.
And the world disappeared.
I don't know how much time passed.
Hours.
A full day?
I didn't move.
Didn't eat.
Didn't think about anything.
I just… cried.
Until exhaustion took over.
And I fell asleep.
—
A knock on the door.
I opened my eyes abruptly.
—Ren!
Silence.
—Ren! Are you there?
I turned in bed.
I didn't want to get up.
I didn't have the strength.
—Ren, if you're there, don't ignore me!
I let out an annoyed breath.
—So annoying…
I forced myself up.
Every step felt heavy.
As if my own body didn't want to move.
I reached the door and opened it slowly.
It was Luca.
—Ren! You're here! —he said, visibly relieved.
I didn't respond.
I just looked at him.
—We thought they had locked you up —he continued without stopping—. Some guards took you, and they looked really shady. We tried to say something, but nothing… they said it was the king's orders. Can you believe it?
He walked into the house without waiting.
Looked around.
—Where have you been?
I hesitated.
I couldn't tell him about the palace.
—They took me to an inn —I said at last—. I've been there… resting.
Luca frowned.
"That's weird."
He looked at me.
—We asked every inn. Every single one. And nobody saw any Ren.
A knot formed in my stomach.
—Well… I guess they didn't give my name.
Luca watched me for a few seconds more.
Then shrugged.
—Maybe.
He paused.
—But yeah, we've been looking for you.
—Really?
—Of course —he said, as if it were obvious—. Every day one of us came to your house. In case you showed up.
I froze.
—But… didn't you think I was locked up?
Luca gave a small laugh.
—Yeah. Pretty much.
He stepped closer.
—But that doesn't mean we weren't going to look for you, right?
I didn't know what to say.
Something… moved inside me.
Something that had been completely dead for days.
I had thought I'd lost everything.
But no.
Not completely.
I still had something.
Them.
The house.
What was left.
I looked at him.
And, without realizing…
I smiled.
A small smile.
Awkward.
But real.
—Sorry for worrying you.
—Hey, it's fine —he replied immediately—. The important thing is that you're okay.
He turned toward the door.
—We have to tell the others. They're going to be so happy.
I nodded.
But just as he was about to leave…
Something moved on the other side.
The door, slightly open.
A shadow.
A man.
Someone I had never seen before.
And who clearly…
Wasn't there by chance.