Chapter 167: Sparring
She pulled the blanket tighter around herself. "You left. We thought you were gone for good. Then you come back, and you don’t talk to anyone. You disappear again. And when you do talk, it’s like you’re not all the way here."
"I’m not—" He paused. "I’m here."
"You sure?"
Merlin’s gaze dropped to the floor between them. The old hardwood creaked just slightly under his heel.
’I didn’t ask for any of this.’
A soft ping echoed in the back of his mind.
[System Notification: Physical Adaptation 27% — Skill Lock in place. Estimated time to next Unlock: Unknown.]
He blinked it away.
"What’s going on with you?" she asked. Her tone didn’t rise. Didn’t snap. It was just quiet. Honest.
He swallowed. "It’s hard to explain."
"Try me."
He looked up. Her expression wasn’t soft. It wasn’t angry either. Just... focused. Present.