Naia sat across from him, knees drawn up to her chest. The oil lamp between them flickered gently, casting uneven light on her bedroom walls.
Naia's expression was unreadable. She didn't speak, just watched him, really watched him, with an intensity that burned hotter than the oil lamp.
"I told you I'd give you answers," Kai said quietly, resting his forearms on his knees. "All of them."
Naia's eyes narrowed, but she nodded once. No interruption. No snide remarks. Just silence, waiting.
So he began.
"I died," Kai said flatly. "In another world."
Naia flinched but didn't stop him.
"What killed me was my own inaction and stupidity. I remember the feeling. Cold blood. My mother's disgust. And then… nothing."
He paused, eyes flicking to the rafters above.
