Megan sat alone outside the Midnight quarters, staring into the dying embers of a small fire.
He didn't hear the footsteps.
He only heard the voice.
"You've been avoiding me."
He looked up.
"Alora..."
She raised a hand gently.
"No."
"Don't."
"I didn't come here to make your guilt heavier."
Another silence.
Then...
"You don't have to pretend around me."
He finally turned toward her.
"I failed you."
A tear threatened to escape.
She swallowed it before it could.
"No."
"You simply never belonged to me."
Those words hurt her more than they hurt him.
She looked away quickly so he wouldn't notice the tears gathering.
When she spoke again...
Her voice trembled only once.
"I kept telling myself..."
"...if I prayed harder..."
"...if I trained harder..."
"...if I became stro
