Evening Encounter

The stillness in the barracks felt suffocating.

The once lively atmosphere, filled with the laughter and camaraderie of my friends, had become a stark void of unease and unspoken words.

I lay in my bunk, my body throbbing from the injuries I sustained in the attack.

The physical agony was manageable; it was the emotional chasm that left me feeling desolate.

My gaze drifted across the room, fixing on Ember engrossed in a book.

"Ember," I called softly, wincing as I propped myself up. "What's happening?"

Ember glanced up, confusion clouding her eyes. "What do you mean?"

"What's happening between us?" I inquired, attempting to suppress tears. "Among all of us. Things have shifted since the attack. I sense it, and you sense it too."

Ember studied me for a moment, then signed and approached my bed.

"Seraphina," she whispered. "There's nothing happening. Stop overthinking." She reassured me before leaving the room.

A lump formed in my throat as I lay there.

Did I make a mistake? Hav