Chapter 46 - 45 - The Queen in the Tavern
Riven nearly choked when Ashtoria suddenly appeared before him. He quickly grabbed his glass and downed the water in one gulp, then spoke in a hoarse, breathless voice, "Anna? You...? Why?"
His words were stilted, rushed—his mind struggling to catch up with what his eyes saw. Ashtoria looked at him blankly, a flicker of confusion in her gaze, but didn’t reply right away.
Riven took a deep breath, trying to steady the pounding of his heart. After a few seconds, he looked at her again—calmer this time—and asked in a clearer voice:
"Didn’t... we already part ways?"
The question lingered between them like a held breath. All around, the tavern remained lively with voices and laughter, but in the space they shared, it felt as though time had stilled.
Ashtoria stared at him unblinking. Her face was calm, cold even—but there was something faint behind her eyes, something she didn’t show to anyone else. Then, finally, she answered:
"Yes. We will part ways," she said softly. "That’s why... I wanted to see you one last time."
Something about those words made Riven’s chest tighten. He looked down for a second, then glanced up again with a faint, bittersweet smile. But before he could speak—
"Excuse me!" Mira called cheerfully, waving to a nearby server. "Can we get another plate of rice and meat, please? Make it extra juicy!"
Both Riven and Ashtoria turned toward her.
Mira looked at them with bright eyes, completely unfazed by the heavy air between the adults. She grinned and pointed at the empty chair beside her.