Chapter 500: Footprints in Ash
Orion frowned the moment he noticed the look on Sophia's face.
It was subtle. But he knew her well enough to notice the changes.
Her shoulders had gone stiff.
Her hands were clenched tightly, and her gaze wasn't even on Mary or on the book.
It was on nothing.
Mary passed the book quietly to Lysander, who passed it to Ronan immediately.
Ronan turned—and held it out to Orion.
"Here."
But Orion didn't take it.
Ronan's hand lingered in the air, awkward and unmoving, the weight of the half-burnt thing resting in his palm while Orion stood frozen, staring at Sophia.
Ronan had no idea what was going on, so he gently placed the book in front of Orion instead, tapping it softly as he did so.
Orion finally tore his eyes away from Sophia and looked at the book.
It was charred at the edges.
