Centuries ago, when Soleil turned 20...
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I looked up at the sky and watched as the phoenixes danced among the clouds, their golden wings painting streaks of fire across the sunset. My fingers curled into the damp grass beneath me, the chill of the evening seeping through my thin clothes.
I never understood why I was born without a spirit. Everyone else could fly—could burn—while I remained earthbound, watching from below like some pitiful, flightless creature.
The grass beneath me rustled as Solarys settled beside me. His golden feathers shimmered as they retreated to reveal his human form.
"You're staring again," he murmured, following my gaze to the phoenixes wheeling overhead.
"They're beautiful," I admitted, the words bitter on my tongue.
Solarys studied m
