e

ceful, but the quiet that drew you into its cold, vibrating hollowness

today. Not until I'd realized that I was accustomed to hearing her soft humming in the kitchen at midnigh

w...no

b. My name was written on it in the precise, careful handwriting I'd seen on c

and unfolded the neatl

oodbye. Just

left m

falling into the chair as if the

y persona before I inherited the Knight Empire. Aria was dedicated, effective, uno

l and lovely, too bad

my life as silently and pea

uation is d

ut knowing, I had fal

ever ex

-

together haun

topped

topped

y even lo

unfeeling. I never thought to look further, never thought to ask why h

r anything more

ook eve

ti

na

bo

vo

w she

-

s, but she was

unsure, but hopeful. I hadn't spoken to her that trul

ye

ont

en me more than I'd

but her eyes continually scanning-for what, I hadn't the slightest. Perhaps someth

o

took hands in the dark. That asked about your day. That reminded me of what her f

I never

y the time I knew what I

-

orbell

iffe

ded in indisc

wasn'

inked, clearly shocked to see me lo

orry-should I come

ead. "What d

arital status. It's making waves on the web. Appar

together. "Don't

winced.

. Not like it's nothing. No

ed slowly.

was exitin

nd

used.

price. Wherever she we

now knew

ed with nothing more

erything that I didn

hea

wasn't letting he

a big mess