I froze, caught in the act of watching Ronan. For a moment, I considered turning around and retreating to my room, but something in his voice—a weariness I wasn't used to hearing—kept my feet planted firmly on the garden path.
"I didn't mean to disturb you," I said, hugging my thin robe tighter around myself. The night air had a bite to it, carrying the first whispers of autumn.
Ronan finally opened his eyes and turned his head to look at me. Even in the dim moonlight, I could see the strain on his face. He looked... diminished somehow. My chest tightened with an unwelcome concern.
"Join me?" he asked, patting the grass beside him. "The stars are particularly bright tonight."
Against my better judgment, I walked over and settled beside him, careful to maintain a respectable distance. The grass was cool beneath me, slightly damp with evening dew. Above us, the night sky stretched endlessly, a canvas of twinkling lights against velvet darkness.
