Serena looked at the stars in the sky. The plates had long been cleared away by the castle staff, leaving just the two of them on the old stone bench in the garden courtyard. The night air was cool, brushing past her skin in gentle gusts.
"Why?" she asked, resting her cheek in her palm, elbow propped against the wooden armrest.
"More space to breathe," he said, eyes following a constellation she couldn't name. "That dining area is more for formalities."
A comfortable silence settled over them. Serena crossed and uncrossed her legs, then decided to ask her question.
"The commander mentioned that you were a Shadewright…"
Darius turned to her at last, the flicker of a frown ghosting over his features. His expression was unreadable. He looked up at the sky and sighed.
"He would be right," he said.
Darius twiddled with his thumbs. It had been so long since he sat in front of a canvas holding a brush to paint. It was a shame, really.
