Varea stood in Lalnable's small house, rereading the signs he'd left behind for what might be the millionth time. He'd been gone for weeks, and ever since he visited her at her tower that last time, she'd grown lonely and afraid, afraid he wouldn't come back soon, if at all. Livid had confirmed her fears, although she'd suspected they were lies at first.
Despite the trail of ash and soot that followed her, a side effect of her extreme emotional state, she continued to take care of the little house by the bay. It was the only occasion on which she left the tower anymore, as she felt unwelcome anywhere and everywhere else. There was no visiting Lalna, Livid had taken him over. No taking care of Alice or Xephos, they'd both left to Notch knows where. No taking care of the bar, SipsCo had taken it over. It was just her, her tower surrounded in bare, burnt ground, and Lalnable's house.
She turned as she heard someone coming through the door, the dagger she now kept at her hip in her hand at once.