ARIANE:
The clearing was quiet now.
Kaelen stood before me like a man born again—his soul scorched clean, the scent of dark magic burned from his skin. But the ash still clung to his lashes, to the curve of his mouth. He didn’t know it yet, but I could see it—he was untethered. Floating.
It was then I knew I would not be the chain that held him here.
“Kaelen,” I breathed, stepping closer. “Do you remember when we were kids? You asked me once if I loved you.”
His breath caught.
I didn’t wait for his reply, I couldn't. Even now, as I'm preparing myself for the pain of what I'm about to do, I’m still fighting the urge to flinch like, at any moment, a bomb will go off in my face. I… couldn't hear whatever his answer would have been.
I needed to do this now, or I never would.
“I do lov
