Chapter 49: Are you bored?
Jusin and Griesla lingered for a moment longer in the doorway of Alex’s new room, their presence framed by the soft glow of light spilling in from the hallway behind them.
Jusin shifted his weight, the floorboards creaking gently beneath his boots as he cast a long glance around the room
his gaze landed on Alex. "Let’s leave you to settle in," he said at last, his voice low and gravelly, but carrying a warmth that grounded the words like a steady hearth.
Beside him, Griesla stood quietly, her hands still folded at her waist, her thin frame bathed in the golden hue of fading afternoon light.
Griesla offered a faint, fleeting smile, more a ghost of an expression than anything full, her pale face framed by the soft folds of her simple gown.
The ruby at her throat caught a final glint of light as she turned, trailing behind Jusin without a word.
Together, they stepped back into the hallway, their figures soon swallowed by shadow.
The quiet creak of the staircase followed, each step they took growing softer, more distant, until the sound faded altogether, leaving a hush behind.
Now alone, Alex stood in the center of the room, the weight of silence pressing gently on his shoulders.
He let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding, then dropped his pack with a dull thud onto the wooden floor.
It slumped to the side, half-unzipped, the fabric worn and stained by travel.