Ryley wasted no time.
The moment Starla finished speaking, he turned and hurried toward the Main Chamber, his steps quick enough to border on reckless.
His mind was a mess of unfinished thoughts and growing unease, his chest feeling painfully tight from everything he had just heard.
A sudden campaign to the Passing Realm?
Why hadn't Clyde told him?
And why now, of all times?
By the time he reached the Main Chamber, his breathing had already turned uneven.
But the moment he stepped inside, everything in him faltered.
Clyde stood alone at the balcony.
His back faced the room, broad shoulders framed by the pale light pouring in from outside.
Looking... lonely.
The sight hit Ryley far harder than it should have.
He remembered Starla mentioning their children were supposed to be here too, but they were nowhere in sight. Yet the thought barely lingered.
The moment his eyes landed on Clyde, the storm inside him quieted into something heavier, softer, more painful.
