Crystal’s POV
The Waterfall
The sound of the waterfall had always been my peace.
Even now.
After war.
After loss.
After almost losing him—
It still felt the same.
I stood at the edge of the water, letting the mist settle against my skin, breathing in the scent of moss, stone, and something deeper—something that had always grounded me.
“Running away without me again?”
I smiled before I even turned.
“You followed me.”
Sean stepped out from the trees, his presence still as strong as ever—but softer now. Different. There was a weight lifted from him, even if neither of us had said it out loud yet.
“I always will,” he said.
That used to sound like a promise of protection.
Now—
It felt like a promise of partnership.
I turned back toward the waterfall, watching the water crash ag
