I didn’t bury the old version of myself with some grand, symbolic gesture. No fire. No tears. No whispered goodbye to the stars.
I just walked away.
And something stayed in that clearing. Something that had kept me chained for far too long.
Cassian didn’t say a word as we moved through the woods, his pace steady, deliberate. He didn’t look back to check if I was still behind him. He didn’t need to.
I was there.
But I wasn’t the same.
Not anymore.
We returned to our temporary camp near dusk. The forest was quiet in that strange, coiled way, like it knew what had shifted and didn’t want to interrupt. The firepit was cold. Our gear untouched. But I didn’t reach for anything.
Cassian stopped in the middle of the clearing, turned, and faced me.
I didn’t break stride.
He raised a brow.
