The tea had cooled enough not to scald, and I forced myself to sip. The warmth unfurled slowly down my throat, settling like an ember in the hollow place inside me. I stared into the dark liquid, searching for words that wouldn’t come.“Thank you,” I whispered at last. My voice sounded strange, small. I lifted my eyes briefly to hers. “For… the tea. And the pastries.”Her brows softened almost imperceptibly, the barest flicker.“You are welcome,” she said.I set the cup down carefully before my trembling hands betrayed me further. The honey-glazed pastry waited untouched on its plate, fragrant and golden, but the idea of sweetness felt foreign, unreachable. Still, I broke off a small piece and placed it on my tongue, more from duty than desire.Mistress Orion watched me in silence. Not as Cain had - cold and appraising - but with an intensity that made me want to shrink and stand taller all at once.The words slipped out before I could catch them. “Why are you doing this?”She tilted
Last Updated : 2025-10-06
