The wheels of the carriage turned in a gentle rhythm, rocking ever so slightly with each dip in the rough path.
Outside, the dark silhouettes of trees passed by silently in the cold night while inside, the enclosed space was comfortably warm, bordering on drowsy.
Xion sat with one leg tucked under the other, wrapped in a thin cloak that still carried Darius's scent.
The farther they traveled from the capital, the colder it grew.
It was not quite cold enough to burrow under thick duvets or hold onto the warm fire crystals. Yet it was cold enough to make a cozy corner feel like a soothing lullaby.
And Xion might've given in to sleep already, if not for his nerves on high alert.
He leaned against the window, his breath fogging the glass slightly.
Darius was sitting across from him, dressed in the same sapphire robe. His braid was still resting over his left shoulder.
It made something shift in Xion's heart.
What if… he silently wondered. What if I stayed?
