The night sky above Kaen's countryside home was painted in silver and indigo, scattered with stars. The air was crisp, touched with frost, and the distant pines whispered with wind. Most of the group had already gone to bed after a warm dinner and a long day of training on Rourke's sprawling land.
But Kaen wasn't one to sleep early.
He sat alone on the porch steps, his crimson eyes reflecting the moonlight. A half-eaten bowl of ice cream sat beside him, already melting. He was staring at the stars—not with wonder, but as if remembering them.
A creak of wood behind him.
"I thought you didn't eat sweets," came Lirien's voice, cool and sharp, but curious.
Kaen didn't turn. "There are exceptions," he said simply, scooping a small bite. "Want some?"
She stepped into the moonlight, arms crossed over her coat. "I don't eat sugar before battle."
"This isn't battle," Kaen replied, finally glancing at her. "Just silence. And stars."
Lirien hesitated, then sat beside him, leaving a polite gap. She said nothing for a while, simply watching him.
"You're hard to read," she said finally.
Kaen's smile was faint. "That's the idea."
"But not empty," she added. "People think you're cold, dangerous, arrogant… but I don't think that's all."
He looked at her, expression unreadable. "Then what do you think I am?"
Lirien met his gaze, her red eyes fierce. "Someone who's seen too much. Someone who's... hiding something terrible."
Kaen's silence stretched long. Then, with a small nod, he whispered, "You're not wrong."
The wind carried the scent of snow.
"I used to think I didn't need anyone," Lirien muttered, almost to herself. "But watching you with them… Zian, Mira, even Kyel—it's strange. You're the center of it all. And I keep wondering why I'm drawn in."
Kaen stood slowly, his figure cast in shadow. "Maybe some part of you already knows."
Lirien didn't move. "Don't vanish again. I'll find you."
Kaen smiled, stepping into the dark. "You already are."
And then he was gone, leaving only the sound of wind and a forgotten bowl of ice cream on the porch.