She didn’t turn around, but she spoke. “You followed me.” A beat of silence. “I always would,” he said simply. Mae looked up at the sky, blinking back the feeling in her throat. “It’s beautiful. What we made.” Ashar moved beside her, not close enough to touch. Just near. “You made it,” he said quietly. “I just brought the spark.” She looked down at her hands, still glistening faintly with traces of energy. “I didn’t ask for this.”
He nodded. “Neither did I.”
Another silence stretched between them. Not heavy. Just, truthful. Then, softly, “do you hate me for it?” she asked. Ashar’s voice was low, but sure. “No. I’ve feared this moment my entire life, and somehow, it feels like peace.” Mae turned to him then. He wasn’t looking at her. He was watching the sky. But his hand rested between th
