The hallway was still as Arielle leaned her back against the wall, her arms crossed.
The air between her and Damien felt heavier now, not from tension, but something older. Something that had never needed to be said out loud between them.
She didn't speak right away.
Damien waited, eyes steady.
Then finally, she exhaled.
"I'm going to meet them," she said.
Damien's brow twitched. "The others?"
She nodded once. "What's left of them."
His jaw tensed. "So they're alive?"
"Some are," she said. "Zeke and Lira didn't go into much detail yet, but they gave me a location. It's not far. A day out, maybe less."
Damien didn't blink. "And you're just going to walk back into the arms of a group you haven't seen in years?"
Arielle looked down at her boots for a moment. "It's not about walking into their arms. It's about giving them closure. Or… finding it for myself. Once I've confirmed they're doing okay, I'll be on my way back."
His tone sharpened. "Are they trustworthy?"
