Ryan stood in the empty cottage, staring at the wall.
The message was still there, glowing faintly in the grey light of dawn: "She's safe. She's home. Now it's your turn."
Your turn for what? He didn't know. He didn't care. All he knew was that Mira was gone, and he was alone.
Elena appeared in the doorway. Her face was pale, her eyes red. "She's really gone."
"She's not gone. She's in the old world. She's safe."
"You don't know that."
Ryan turned. "I know she's strong. I know she's connected to the echoes. I know she's exactly where she's supposed to be."
Elena walked to him. "Then why do you look like you've lost everything?"
He didn't answer.
---
Nelson found him on the porch an hour later.
The sun was rising, painting the fields in shades of gold and green. Ryan sat on the s
