440 Humans

As Ember and Erlos approached the midpoint to the palace, an unusual silence enveloped their path. Erlos, attuned to the subtleties of his surroundings, detected a shift. His ears twitched, prompting him to lower his voice.

"Lady Ember..."

"Can you just call me Ember?" She interrupted him, reminiscent of our trip to the witch's clan.

Erlos hesitated, acknowledging the transformation in her status. "Your position has elevated significantly since those days, now being a lady of the palace and officially His Majesty's mate. It doesn't seem appropriate for me to..."

"Just when we're alone. I don't have friends anymore. Morph was the only one..." Her voice trailed off, a hint of sadness lingering in her eyes. She missed him.

"Ember," Erlos finally addressed her by name, "I'll call you Ember when we're alone, alright?"