Nick stood still, savoring the sunlight after the chill of the night. Under the glow of the [Welcoming of the Sun], he felt a peculiar emotion as the rays touched him. There was no manic energy, but the warmth flowing through his veins was distinctly unique. He could hear Elia’s hurried footsteps, uneven and quick, like someone who hadn’t completely made up her mind about coming here but had decided at the last second to push forward anyway. When she finally came into sight, he noticed she looked very disheveled. Her ears were pinned flat against her head, and her tail was tucked tight against her side. Her breath came fast, though not from exertion—more from nerves. She didn’t greet him. She didn’t even try to put on a facade of normalcy. She couldn’t know I was listening at her house, but it doesn’t take a genius to realize that something changed after the inspection. She never showed up for the lessons again, and even outside the temple, she has been absent. Nick crossed his arms and waited, but as the seconds stretched and she continued to just stand there, biting her lip and making for a sorry sight, he sighed. “Alright,” he muttered and sat down on the grass, stretching his legs out and gesturing for her to join him. “Let’s not make this awkward. Have a seat.” Elia paused before finally settling beside him, pulling her knees up to her chest, fixing her gaze on the dirt between them. Nick watched her for a few seconds before speaking. “You know, I don’t have a lot of time,” he said, breaking the (...)