บท 54: Little spice

The dark silhouette of El-Kharis's former home grew smaller and smaller beneath them as they soared through the night sky. The wind whipped past them, carrying with it the lingering scent of ash and cold stone. Esteria could feel the tension radiating off El-Kharis, though he remained silent, his gaze fixed straight ahead as if locked in his own thoughts.

Esteria glanced down at the house once more. It felt like a grave marker, a place full of memories he wished to bury but couldn't quite forget. She understood that. Pain like that never truly vanished—it just found new ways to linger.

They flew in silence for what felt like hours, though it was likely only minutes. When they landed back in the safety of his palace, the difference was stark. The air here was lighter, and yet, as they walked through the grand halls, Esteria could sense the weight still pressing down on him.