Once Eli left Riven's estate, he let out a deep, heavy sigh that seemed to carry the weight of the world with it. His small shoulders sagged under the burden of guilt that gnawed at him relentlessly. He had done as he was told. He had passed on the hint to Riven, subtly steering him toward a decision he otherwise might not have made.
He had kept his words light, casual even, but inside, his heart was heavy. It felt like he had betrayed Riven, even though he kept telling himself it was for a good reason.
What could he have done? He kept asking himself.
He trudged forward mechanically, his soft steps barely making a sound on the dirt path as he moved away from the estate. His mind wandered back to earlier that day, to the encounter he wished he could erase.
Julius had appeared out of nowhere again, like a bad omen.
