Kaelith woke to silence. The sheets beside him were empty, still faintly warm, but Hale was already gone.
No note. No sound. No scent lingering in the air.
He sat up slowly, brushing hair from his eyes. He hadn't even heard the door open.
Still, everything had been done his robes were laid out, water warmed, and his daily accessories perfectly arranged with Hale's usual quiet precision.
Kaelith let out a slow breath, standing with reluctant grace. He dressed in silence, each layer reminding him of Hale's absence.
When he finally stepped into the palace corridors, light streaming in through the stained-glass arches, his eyes flicked over every servant he passed.
None of them was him.
No familiar frame. No steady gaze. No Hale.
Kaelith's chest tightened, though his expression remained unreadable as ever.
