124 A little Brain Storming

Ronan

Returning to my room, I found it impossible to steady myself. My thoughts were a whirlwind of confusion and grief. I knew I needed to keep it together, especially being in a foreign country where eyes and ears were always present, but it was hard to shake the weight of everything I had learned. Erin—alive but possibly lost to the other side—was a thought too painful to fully process.

"Come on, let's grab something to eat outside," Joseph suggested, his voice steady but low. I knew he wasn’t hungry. He just wanted to get us out of the building, somewhere we could talk without the looming presence of surveillance.

"I miss their cuisine here, and the scenery is great, too," I said aloud, playing along for the benefit of anyone who might be listening. It was true, though—they had excellent barbecue, rich and smoky. But I barely cared about the food right now.

As we walked through the corridor, I couldn’t help but glance toward Arya’s room. Where was she? What was she thinking or pla