The trial had been a waking nightmare. You couldn't shake the feeling, like cold fingers trailing down your spine, or the phantom whispers that lingered in your ears long after it was over. It clawed at your mind, leaving you raw and untethered, your hands trembling as you clenched them into fists to stop the shaking.

You drifted away from the group, your steps aimless but purposeful in their escape. You found a secluded spot, the twisted trees overhead casting long shadows. Leaning against a gnarled trunk, you wrapped your arms around yourself, trying to steady the tumult in your chest.

You didn’t notice Lilia at first. She didn’t speak, didn’t push. Her hand brushed yours lightly, an unspoken offer, and when you didn’t pull away, she took it gently, her thumb brushing over your knuckles in slow, comforting strokes. It was grounding in a way nothing else had been since the trial ended.

"You shouldn’t have wandered off," Agatha’s voice cut through the quiet, sharper than intended. She approached, her silhouette imposing as she crossed her arms. But her usual air of superiority faltered when she got closer, her eyes scanning you with something almost like worry.

You didn’t respond. Couldn’t. But your posture must have said enough. The tension in Agatha’s shoulders eased, her stern expression softening as she sighed.

Lilia shot her a glance, but Agatha ignored it, stepping closer until she was standing right in front of you.

Her touch, when it came, was hesitant, as though she wasn’t sure how to comfort you. And before you knew it, Agatha had tugged you forward, and Lilia wrapped an arm around your shoulders, drawing you into an awkward but achingly comforting embrace.

They cared—more than they let on, more than you had dared to hope. And in that moment, wrapped in their arms, you began to believe that maybe, just maybe, you weren’t as alone as you thought.