The silence stretched on.
Malvoria had never thought silence could be this loud.
The plates were still on the table, the air smelled faintly of spices, and across from her—
Elysia was very obviously pretending to be asleep.
Malvoria narrowed her eyes.
She wasn't an idiot.
Elysia's breathing was too even, her fingers too tense, and every once in a while, her eyelashes twitched.
Malvoria knew what actual sleep looked like—this was not it. She tapped her fingers against the table.
Why wasn't this awkward?
It should be awkward.
She was not the type of person to just… sit in a room after dinner, staring at someone who was pretending to be asleep.
And yet, here she was.
Still sitting. Still staring. Still not leaving.
What am I doing?
Her fingers twitched against the wooden surface.
She needed to do something.
Anything.
Her mind whirled through possibilities.
She could wake Elysia up.
She could leave.
She could—
No.
