Depart
The first light of dawn peeked through the curtains, casting a soft glow over the room. She stirred, waking to the familiar warmth beside her, but the uneasy feeling from the night before hadn't faded. El-kharis lay beside her, his body still, his gaze fixed on her as if he'd been watching her for hours. His presence, though solid and real, was tinged with a sadness she couldn't ignore.
"Will you come to see me?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper, afraid of the answer.
El-kharis's dark eyes met hers, a soft flicker of pain passing through them. "I'll try," he said, the words full of uncertainty. They both knew what that meant. There were forces beyond their control now. The danger looming ahead, the revenge that would take place, and the roles they each had to play. The world was pulling them apart in ways neither of them could stop.