Hamen stared at Jolthar, his eyes reflecting a storm of emotions. He sighed heavily, the weight of recent events pressing down on his shoulders like an invisible burden.
Though he recognised that he was no match for the young man—not in combat, not in power—a question nagged at him. How did Jolthar know about his pursuit of his wife? He hadn't shared this with anyone, keeping the pain of her departure locked within his heart.
He was sure nobody knew about his wife's disappearance.
What Hamen didn't realise was that Jolthar's comment stemmed from a misunderstanding. Jolthar wasn't aware that Hamen's wife had been taken away by the deity Inadrys. He had only assumed, based on fragments of conversation and rumour, that she had engaged in an affair with the mysterious deity. The true nature of her disappearance—whether a willing departure or divine abduction—remained unknown to him.
