Seth finished his meal in silence, but his mind was racing.
Each delicious bite seemed less to satisfy his hunger and more to fuel the endless thoughts swirling in his head. The faint tingle left by Lina's touch on his shoulder refused to fade.
He sighed and leaned back against his chair, eyes fixed on the empty plate before him. The gentle clinking of cups from the kitchen echoed in the calm air. It was such a mundane sound… soothing, almost. Yet his heart kept beating a little too fast.
"This is nothing," he murmured to himself. "She's just messing with you, like always."
But he wasn't so sure.
Lina returned shortly after, a steaming cup in her hands. She placed it in front of him without a word, then sat down again, picking up her book. Seth stared at the drink for a moment, the subtle aroma of herbs slowly rising to his nose.
He took a sip. The mild bitterness was comforting, but Lina's presence made the atmosphere far too heavy to truly relax.
