CHAPTER 062: The Pill

Desiree has been silent for a long time, still processing the bomb I just dropped. She looks up at the fresco again, her eyes tracing the details with more interest.

Then she turns back to me. “I had no idea... I mean, this painting alone... Caspian, this is... it’s stunning.”

I shrug, trying to play it off, even though I can see she’s genuinely impressed. “He’s always been the artistic one in the family.”

“And you’ve just... had this here, in your bedroom, hidden away from the world?”

"It’s not hidden," I say. "Only special people get to see it."

Her eyes grow soft, making me want to pull her closer. "Well, I’m honored," she says. "I can’t believe I’m sleeping under an Indigo Phoenix original."

I chuckle softly. "Now you know."

She stares at the painting again. "How long did it take him to create this?"

"Several weeks. He stayed here to finish it." I watch her face as she continues to admire it. "Tell me, what’s the first thing that comes to mind when you look at it?"

She pauses for