Chapter 13｜Cracks and Choices
399 Words
The tension lingered, heavy like a storm ready to break.
Lucien glanced at Isolde, his tone softening.
“I get that you want to walk this alone, but nobody said it’d be easy.”
Riven cut in, sharp and cold.
“Don’t pretend we don’t care. The more you act tough, the more we worry when you’ll break.”
Isolde met their eyes, unwavering.
“I’m not asking you to carry me. I just don’t want to be treated like I’m fragile.”
Silence stretched between the three—a wall unseen but felt.
She went on, voice steady.
“We all have cracks. But cracks aren’t weaknesses—they’re marks of choice.”
“You can stand by me or walk away. But don’t decide how I’m supposed to walk my path.”
Lucien fell quiet, then nodded slowly.
Riven sighed, low and resigned.
“We can’t give you perfect protection, but at least, we won’t let you be alone.”
Isolde’s lips twitched into a bitter smile.
“Sometimes, loneliness is its own kind of strength.”
Their gazes locked—words unspoken filling the space.
They all knew the road ahead would be rough.
But for the first time, they weren’t walking it alone.
The tension hung between them, dense as air before a storm.
Lucien’s gaze flicked to Isolde, his voice lower now.
“I know you want to walk this alone. But it won’t be easy.”
Riven’s reply cut in, sharp.
“Don’t pretend we don’t care. The tougher you act, the more we wonder when you’ll break.”
Isolde’s eyes met theirs, steady.
“I’m not asking you to carry me. Just don’t treat me like I’ll shatter.”
Silence pressed close, unseen but heavy.
“We all have cracks,” she added, her tone even. “They’re not weakness—just marks we’ve chosen to live with.”
A beat passed.
“You can walk beside me or not. But don’t decide my steps for me.”
Lucien said nothing this time, only gave a slow nod.
Riven’s sigh was quiet, almost lost to the air.
Isolde’s lips lifted in something too faint to be called a smile.
“Sometimes, solitude is its own kind of strength.”
Their eyes held, words thinning into something unspoken.
They all knew the road ahead would be rough.
But none of them turned away.
- Writer
