Kira sat by the bed, her hands trembling on the sheets. Eiden was still sleeping, pale, motionless.
Miria approached slowly.
- How are you… ?
Kira let out a mirthless laugh.
— Honestly… no.
She lowered her head.
— Nothing is right.
Miria sat down next to her and took her in her arms. At that moment, Kira burst into tears.
— I feel so guilty...
"It's not your fault," Miria whispered. He did what he thought was right.
"Exactly…" Kira sobbed. I wasn't fair to him.
Miria looked at her.
- Why do you say that ?
Kira gave a bitter smile, wiping away her tears.
— I think I've avoided this subject for too long... but now it's no use.
She took Miria's hand and looked into her eyes.
"You know... Eiden and I used to be very close. We were even friends with Morena.
Miria's eyes widened.
—Are you kidding? With… this asparagus?
- Yes. Against all odds.
Kira took a breath.
— But when Morena began to approach power, she changed. Not us. She.
—So what broke everything?
Kira gritted her teeth.
— One evening, she invited me out… an evening with her friends. She told me it was to make amends. And… I was stupid enough to accept.
Miria tensed.
— They proposed a game. Truth or Dare. Morena lost…and she was asked to drink. She refused. And she asked me to drink in her place.
—And you did it...
"Because I trusted him, Miria. Blind trust.
His voice cracked.
— The glass was drugged.
The tears returned.
— After that... I couldn't walk straight anymore... they made fun of me... humiliated me... then locked me in a room...
His throat tightened.
—And someone came in...
She put her hand to her mouth, unable to continue.
Miria gently placed her hand on his back.
—When I woke up… it was Eiden.
Miria remained frozen.
— I… I don't believe it…
—And yet... he wasn't himself. He had been drugged too.
Kira took a deep breath.
— I went to the council of elders to denounce him. But before entering... I overheard an argument between him and Morena.
—What did you learn?
—That it all came from her. She had trapped us both. Eiden wanted to denounce her... she threatened to destroy him. To create conflict between clans.
Pain in his voice.
—That's why He kept silent.
Miria whispered:
—I'm sorry...
— The worst thing... is that he always thought he was guilty.
A silence.
—And you… what did you do?
— I was scared. For him. In my opinion. For everyone. So I gave up. We found an arrangement. I became his wife.
A sad smile.
— Then Ikan was born... and when he was six, we moved away.
Miria whispered:
—But neither of you has ever forgotten the other.
Kira looked away.
—Miria...
— No… Kira.
Miria stood up slowly.
—You still love him. And that's precisely what hurts you… because you love him even though you were hurt.
She placed a hand on his shoulder.
—But you're hurting yourself. To you, to him… and even to Ikan.
Kira sobbed silently.
Miria stood up slowly.
—Think about it...
Kira lowered her head, unable to answer.
She left the room, leaving Kira alone, next to the sleeping Eiden.