After dinner, I settle onto the plush couch. Shine and Zyke sit across from me on the other, a tableau of domesticity that feels as fragile as glass. Zyke's eyes are fixed on the middle distance, ignoring me with the entirety of his being as he sips his wine.
He isn't just ignoring me; he's performing the act of my non-existence.
The living room is warm, bright, almost aggressively cozy—much like Shine's smile.
I lean back, feigning casual ease. "Sister-in-law, how was your day?"
Shine's smile softens, genuine. "Today I visited my village to see my parents."
I return the smile. "How are they?"
"They're well, thank you."
His voice holds the quiet pride of humble roots. He is the only beautiful, uncomplicated thing Zyke has ever chosen.
Shine belongs to a small, quiet village; his roots are simple, earth-bound, unlike the gilded cage of the Kael legacy.
"Next time you go," I say, leaning forward with earnest interest, "take me with you. I'd love to see it."
