Chapter 76: A Missing Presence
Lyraeus’ POV:
I woke before dawn, the first light of morning barely a whisper on the horizon. I stretched, feeling the tension of the previous day’s stress still coiled in my muscles. I left the room and found Ryker already standing outside the courtyard, his gaze fixed on the distant treeline.
“Morning,” I greeted, though my mind was elsewhere. “Have you seen Aria?”
Ryker shook his head. “She hasn’t come out yet. She usually likes to catch the first light of the sun.”
A knot of worry tightened in my chest. “I’ll go check on her.”
I hurried through the castle halls, my steps echoing in the quiet. When I reached Aria’s door, I knocked softly, then louder when there was no response. The silence was unsettling. I pushed the door open and stepped inside,
