Chapter 74: Aayla
Charon sat in his seat, stunned. His food remained in front of him, his appetite gone with a single sentence.
’She gave her life? So she died so he wouldn’t have to. Is it because she intervened? Did she break some kind of rule so he could survive?’
Emerius didn’t elaborate. He simply stared down at the pit of the fruit he had been eating, his thumb rubbing the base of his silverware. The silence continued, not uncomfortable but instead, heavy. Full of memories and thoughts that Charon could never see.
"I’m sorry."
They were the only words he thought could fit, filled with a sincerity he truly meant.
"I never had siblings, but I had other orphans who could be considered my brothers and sisters. Over time, I saw them grow up and leave, or be expelled for breaking the rules. Every time it hurt."
His eyes softened.
"I’ll never know what you went through, but I know your pain."
Emerius looked up at him. His expression didn’t change, but something in his eyes lightened a fraction.
"I was twelve at the time."
Charon’s breath caught.
"Twelve? That must’ve been only a few years ago!"