"Per," he whispered, the surprise still lingering in his voice.
A faint smile appeared on her face. "Did I scare you?"
"No, no. I was just surprised to see you here." he admitted, letting out a small breath. "What are you doing here?"
Per's gaze dropped to the table before she looked back at him. The faint smile remained, though there was a hint of hesitation in her eyes. "I have a message for you," she said softly.
"From Cl-"
He stopped mid-sentence when Per lifted a finger to her lips. She glanced around briefly before giving him a small nod.
"She left for a mission," she finally said. She paused, studying his expression. "She'll be away for a few months... possibly longer."
The warmth in Zach's face disappeared almost instantly. The surprise of seeing Per was replaced by worry as her words sank in. He looked down, his fingers tightening slightly around the edge of the table, before meeting her gaze again.
"Will she be safe?" he asked quietly.
For a moment, Per said nothing. Then, she gave him a gentle, reassuring smile. "She's with Roy," she replied. "She'll be safe."
Zach managed to force a smile, but the worry in his eyes betrayed what he truly felt.
"I have to go now," Per said, rising from her seat. "I'll let you know if I receive any news from them."
She didn't wait for his reply. Instead, she gave him one last gentle smile before turning away and walking toward the library exit. Zach watched her leave, the silence of the library slowly returning as he was left alone with his thoughts.
****《•》****
Per returned home and went straight to one of the rooms. Without bothering to knock, she pushed the door open and stepped inside.
Ark, with only a towel draped over his head, turned at the sudden entrance. He watched as Per walked in and immediately collapsed onto his bed, lying face down.
"You entered the wrong room," he remarked, calmly drying his hair with the towel.
Per only turned her head slightly to the side. "I watched the light leave his face when I told him," she said, her voice heavy with exhaustion.
Ark grabbed a bathrobe and slipped it on. "Waiting alone is tolerable. Uncertainty alone is manageable. But together, they become a burden humans struggle to bear."
Per rolled onto her back, staring at the ceiling. "But I wish she had taken us with her. I want to help her in any way I can... and I want to find Eifrit too."
Ark reached for his glass of whiskey and settled into the cushioned chair nearby. "You're helping her by watching over Zach," he replied, taking a sip of his drink. "And she said we are her backup. That means we're part of the mission."
He leaned back in his chair, his expression turning thoughtful. "I've been thinking about the missing Fallens," he said. "Do you think Eifrit's disappearance could be connected to Clair?" His tone was serious, almost cautious.
YOU ARE READING
Divine & Wicked: The Strayed Memories (Book2)
Fantasy(Fantasy•Romance) COMPLETED Zach awoke a few days after his surgery, his mind foggy and his heart empty, as though his life had been reset. He moved through what he believed was his normal routine, unaware that fragments of a forgotten past were slo...
