Her eyelids slowly fluttered open once more.
Haaah...
Anneliese let out a long, shuddering breath. It sounded fragile, as if she were drawing oxygen into her lungs for the very first time after decades of being drowned at the bottom of a deep oceanic trench.
Before her, Lobrecht still stood like a statue in the exact same spot. He hadn't shifted a single millimeter since the Holy Maiden closed her eyes. His weathered face remained as calm as a mountain lake at dawn, a faint, trace of a smile lingering on his lips.
In the darker corner of the chamber, Roland and Rianor waited in silence.
Roland leaned against a pillar with his arms crossed, his gaze alert and scanning the room. Meanwhile, Rianor sat slumped in a wooden chair, his observation logbook splayed open on his lap.
Rustle. Anneliese straightened her posture. Her delicate fingers moved gracefully, wiping away the dry tear tracks clinging to the corners of her eyes.
