Vale's fingers hovered just above the flame, soaking in what little warmth it offered. The ruin was cold, far colder than it should've been. It wasn't the kind of chill born of mere weather, but something older, something buried. It felt as if a long-dead god still exhaled frost through the cracks in the stone, its breath lingering in every corner of the crumbling chamber.
He stared into the fire, but his gaze kept drifting, drawn to the girl seated across from him.
Jade.
She hadn't said a word since she'd introduced herself. Just sat there, perfectly still, save for the occasional glance in his direction. Like a statue that occasionally remembered it was alive.
