"Arkai."
Cecilia's hiss cut through the moment.
It was not loud. Not angry. Just a single word.
Arkai's eyes faltered.
He looked up, away from Rinne, away from the accusation hanging in the air, and found Cecilia's gaze. Her eyes, steady and clear, held his.
She had made him swear honesty right before this conversation started. Not just truth, but sincerity. The willingness to be vulnerable, to open the dark corners of his past and let the light in.
And now he had almost threatened a boy with his dignity. As if asking Rinne to blindly believe in his honor was the same as earning that belief.
"Rinne."
Cecilia's voice softened as she addressed the boy. Her hand came to rest gently on his shoulder.
"It seems your father hasn't understood what he needs to explain to you. Mother will talk to him for a bit. Can you step out for a moment?"
Rinne turned, craning his neck to look up at her. His eyes were wide, desperate, already beginning to glisten.
No.
