58. A Brief Respite

Rune

From my office window, I gaze down at the garden below, my eyes catching sight of Reyna and Amina walking side by side among the blooming foliage.

The sound of their laughter fills the air with such a sweet and pleasant tone that not even the fragrance of roses can match it. I haven’t heard Reyna laugh like that in weeks, maybe even months.

Her laughter was a welcome relief from the tension that had been building for weeks. My chest tightens with unspoken joy; it’s as though a weight has been lifted that I hadn’t even realised I was carrying.

With a sigh, I lean back in my chair and my hand instinctively reaches for the small communication device on my desk. I can’t contain this happiness; I need to share it, especially with those who would find as much comfort in it as I do.

Dialling the familiar numbers, I wait for the telltale click that signals a connection. The faces of the two men I trust above all else appear on my screen and I smile.

“Cassian, Malachi,” I begin, my voic