Practice to be ready...

When the song ended, she looked up, her eyes meeting his. "Couldn't sleep?" she asked softly.

Adrian stepped forward, his lips curving into a faint smile. "Too much on my mind."

She nodded, setting the harp aside. "Join me?"

He sat next to her, the cool stone below them feeling very different from the warmth she brought. They didn't speak for a while, the silence stretching between them like a bridge.

Finally, Alannah broke the silence. "Do you ever wonder if we'll make it through this?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Every day," Adrian admitted. "But we will. Because we have to."

She looked at him, a small smile playing on her lips. "You always know what to say."

Adrian chuckled softly. "Not always. But I mean it. Zarpha has you—and you're stronger than you realize."

Her smile widened, and for a moment, the weight of the world seemed to lift.