Chương 30: Memories.

The night air was thick with a palpable tension, the stillness of the room punctuated only by the soft sounds of their breathing as Esteria rested against El-Kharis's chest. His cool, steady heartbeat was a soothing rhythm beneath her ear, and his fingers lazily combed through her dark hair, each gentle stroke lulling her into a sense of calm she hadn't realized she craved. Despite the intimacy of the moment, a nagging unease gnawed at the edges of her consciousness, a whisper from the past that she couldn't quite shake.

"How was your training today?" El-Kharis asked, his voice a deep murmur that rumbled through his chest, vibrating against her cheek.

"It was... challenging," Esteria replied, her voice quiet, almost detached. Her mind was elsewhere, adrift in memories she had long tried to bury. "But I managed."