Aria's Pov
As I walked back to the dorm, the weight of everything that had just happened settled heavily on my shoulders. I could sense Kaine's presence following me from a distance, a mixture of comfort and unease. The long talk we'd had on the bench left me seeing him in a new light.
By the moon goddess, he rescued me and all the children that day. If he hadn't entered my village, I wouldn't be here now.
When I entered the common room, I found Tom and Jennie laughing together on the couch. The sight of them brought back the memory of tiny Tom cradled in Kaine's arms and a wave of gratitude washed over me, again. I tried to sneak past without disturbing them, but Tom's keen senses picked up on my presence.
"Aria, is everything alright?" he inquired, the worry evident on his face. "The King didn't give you a hard time because of Tiffany, did he?"