Xylon disappeared the next morning.
No explanation. No goodbye. Just silence—and a sudden absence.
Eva didn't ask where he'd gone. She already knew.
Back to the Abyss.
He always returned to it eventually. And this time, she didn't have the strength to chase after him.
Not in the state she was in.
Her body had reached its limit, and her mind wasn't far behind.
Physically, she could barely move.
She spent the first few days in bed, her limbs heavy, her head pounding, her chest tight with something that wouldn't leave.
Grief? Shame? Longing? She didn't know. Only that it hurt.
Akuna stayed close to her .
She took care of her and everything else.
She kept the farm running smoothly, giving Eva space to find her footing without pushing her too hard.
Some evenings, Akuna sat beside Eva on the porch, passing her a cup of warm tea without saying a word.
Eva would watch the sun dip behind the weathered fences, the cool breeze gently stirring the tall grass around the farm.
