The elevator doors closed with a hush, but the silence that followed was not the same as before.
As we rose, I expected the long, drawn-out ascent from the depths of the archive. But instead, the elevator jolted once, and probably before I could even count five - it opened.
We were already back.
I blinked, disoriented. Had we really gone that deep? The descent had taken so long. Now the return felt almost unreal.
Cain and Abe were waiting in the corridor, their postures taut. They didn't say anything. Abe looked at me with a concern, while Cain stood like a tomb-guarding statue, grave regret carved into his silence. The Zhen staff promptly left as soon as I was 'handed over'.
Cassian was already outside my office. When he saw me, he stood straighter, smile forming like clockwork. But there was a pause - barely a beat - where his eyes studied my face too closely.
"Miss Roen," he said, voice smooth as ever. "Welcome back. Was the archive enlightening?"
