A hand, firm and steady, settled on Alpheo's shoulder, the weight of it shaking him gently back to the present.He turned slightly to find Egil standing beside him, the man's scarred face bearing the faintest of smiles.
"You've been silent for a good while, Alph" Egil murmured, his voice low but not unkind, like a brother rousing another from a deep, necessary dream.
Alpheo blinked once, then twice, the faces of his men, the sweep of the sky, the distant murmur of the crowd — all rushing back to him at once, sharp and vibrant.He took in a deep breath, filling his lungs with the crisp, clean air that smelled faintly of the sea and the blossoming gardens surrounding the keep.
