*Above Northern Italy – Helicopter Cabin, Sunrise*
The sun cracked the edge of the Alps like a promise.
Claire leaned her forehead against the cool window, watching fields of gold and green slide beneath them. Small towns dotted the landscape like forgotten prayers.
The world felt impossibly wide again.
Edward sat beside her, jacket folded neatly across his lap, shirt sleeves rolled to the forearms. His tie was gone. So was the tension in his jaw.
Claire exhaled. “I can't believe it's over."
He looked at her. “You didn't just escape. You dismantled an empire with a sentence."
“Not alone," she said.
“No," he admitted. “But you made the decision. That's what mattered."
They sat in silence for a moment, the rotors thudding overhead like a heartbeat.
Claire reached into her pocket an
