The Silence That Waited for Her
The city did not welcome Aurelia with voices.
Only sunlight.
Only water falling from forgotten towers.
Only flowers blooming where no hands had tended them for centuries.
Every street shimmered as if the dawn itself had been carved into stone, yet not a single soul answered her footsteps.
And still…
the city did not feel abandoned.
It felt patient.
As if it had kept its gates closed for ages, waiting for the one explorer who would finally hear the silence calling her name.
Somewhere above, on a distant bridge, a shadow remained still.
Watching.
Not lost.
Not surprised.
Waiting.