Avanya's gaze flickered to Eryx, catching the distant sadness in his expression. His normally smug demeanor had faded, leaving something raw and unguarded hidden beneath layers of arrogance. For the first time, she saw him not as the infuriatingly cocky brother who had barged into her life, but as someone carrying a weight far heavier than he let on.
"It's not your fault, you know?" she said softly, her voice breaking through the heavy silence between them.
Eryx's eyes snapped up to meet hers, startled, as though he hadn't expected her to say those words.
"What happened," she continued, her voice steady despite the storm of emotions churning inside her, "it's not your fault."
