"Have you calmed down yet?" Kaia whispered, her voice a ghost of a breath against Yona's ear.
"I-I..." Yona struggled to steady herself, her pulse hammering in her throat. She swallowed hard, forcing her voice to sharpen. "Yes."
Kaia's hands slowly retreated. Yona wanted to squeeze her eyes shut, to block out whatever awaited her—but they refused to close. Lifeless, hollow, her gaze lifted. Resigned. Ready.
She braced for horror. For carnage. For something so unbearable it would carve itself into her soul.
Instead… moonlight bathed the darkened room. A floor beneath her feet. A ceiling above. And ahead—a glass-paneled wall stretching from floor to ceiling, revealing the sprawling cityscape beyond. The telltale sign—they were high up.
Her stomach twisted. She knew this place. The Nexus Building. The very room where, after years, she had met Solomon again.
Her breath hitched, but no expression crossed her face. Swollen eyes—puffy from endless weeping—were all that remained of her earlier breakdown.
Kaia stepped past her, heading toward the window. Hands shoved into her pockets, she gazed out at the glowing city below. The neon lights flickered over her figure, reflecting off the glass.
Yona's eyes flicked downward. A trail of blood speckled the floor, leading right to Kaia's feet. Her pockets—darkened, soaked.
It didn't heal?[1]
The thought barely settled before her body moved on its own. She stepped forward, coming to a stop beside Kaia. Neither of them spoke. Neither of them spared the other a glance.
Yona lifted a hand, fingertips brushing against the cold glass.
Silence.
***
[Luminous Harbour]
The air was thick, heavy with humidity, as if the sky itself was holding its breath before a storm. Down in the harbor, sailors scrambled to protect their ships, weaving enchantments over the hulls to brace against the oncoming wrath of nature.
But up on the cliff, Kai stood motionless, watching the restless sea. The waves rose and fell in unpredictable chaos, mirroring the turbulent wind that howled around him.
Then, without warning, a door—no, something like a door—manifested beside him. His sharp gaze snapped toward it just as it creaked open.
A gust of wind tore through the cliffside, whipping at golden hair as a figure stumbled out.
Kai moved before thinking, catching her by the arms before she could collapse. "Get on your feet." he said, voice calm but firm. His eyes flicked over her—her clothes, torn and frayed, as if she had crawled through hell itself.
Yona steadied herself, pressing a hand to her head. Her entire being screamed exhaustion—wrecked, hollowed out, as if she had just witnessed something beyond comprehension.
Kai shrugged off his coat and draped it over her shoulders without a word. The wind tugged violently at his loosened tie, his shirt clinging to his frame, silver hair whipping in the air. But he said nothing else, turning his back once more to the sea.
Then, softly—so softly he almost missed it—
"Kai."
He didn't turn. His fists clenched at his sides, but he remained silent. Yet Yona knew he was listening.
"You knew, didn't you?" Her voice wavered, but not from the wind. "That I was a Halcyon?"
A long pause. Then finally, he answered.
"I had my suspicions." His head tilted slightly, but only for a moment before he faced forward again. "I wasn't certain about your identity, but..."
"But what?"
"Why does it even matter?"
The words cut deep, sharp enough to make her breath hitch.
"You don't know," Yona whispered, jaw tightening. "How much this matters to me."
Kai's tone remained unreadable, detached. "And how?" It wasn't laced with mockery, just curiosity—like he was asking for facts, nothing more.
"Accept what you are," he said simply. "You can't change your identity, but it's not like you can't change yourself."
Yona's breath trembled as she exhaled.
"For me, it doesn't matter who you are."
Her fingers loosened, shoulders sagging beneath his coat. She let out a soft, bitter chuckle. "I never expected you to say something like this."
Her gaze darkened. "Don't give me false hope, Kai. We both know you're not this kind of person. You're only acting this way because I'm a Halcyon, aren't you?"
Her eyes searched for his answer, waiting.
But Kai didn't respond.
And Yona didn't wait. Without another word, she turned briskly and walked away, disappearing into the mist.
***
[Silentvale, Western City (Syzygy)]
Kaia strode into the graveyard, her black coat billowing slightly in the stormy breeze. The air was thick with humidity, the scent of damp earth clinging to her skin. In her left hand, she clutched a bouquet—vibrant, almost painfully out of place against the sea of cold gray tombstones.
The graveyard was nearly empty. The signs of earlier mourners lingered—trampled grass, faint footprints in the softened dirt. A woman sobbed on a nearby bench, her shoulders shaking, a man beside her murmuring quiet reassurances.
Kaia's gaze flickered to them. She didn't recognize the man, but something inside her twisted in certainty. She knew who he was.
Her mother's muffled cries filled the silence. Face buried in her hands, fingers gripping at her grief.
Kaia didn't approach them. She couldn't.
Instead, she turned, her steps unhurried yet heavy, until she stood before the gravestone.
Thalia Verelith.
The name was carved boldly, yet to Kaia, it felt like a whisper. A cruel reminder.
She knelt, placing the bouquet carefully on the grave. For a moment, she simply stared, her expression unreadable. A conversation played out in her mind, words left unspoken.
Then, she moved to leave.
She barely took a step before a hand clamped down on her shoulder, yanking her back.
A sharp crack rang out as a slap struck her face—hard, unhesitating.
Kaia's head snapped to the side, her cheek stinging, the cold wind biting against the fresh burn. Then came the punch.
Her vision blurred for a split second as her jaw took the full force of Kyros' fist. He didn't hold back—not even a little. The impact sent a jolt through her skull, but her feet remained firm.
Kaia turned her head slowly, her gaze locking onto him.
Kyros' face was a storm of fury. "Where the hell were you?!" he roared, seizing her collar, his grip tight enough to bruise.
Kaia didn't flinch. Didn't so much as blink.
His fist raised again—
But this time, it never landed.
A slender hand caught his wrist mid-swing.
"Please don't."
Liora's voice was sharp but trembling, her eyes wet yet resolute. "Please, Kyros… not my daughter. She has a reason. She must have a reason. Kaia would never miss something this important."
She leaned closer, pleading, her hands trembling. "She's all I have left…"
Kyros' jaw clenched. His whole body quivered with barely restrained rage, with grief that had nowhere to go. His fingers twitched, itching to throw another punch—itching to let his pain out somehow.
Before he could speak, Kaia did.
"Don't stop him."
Her voice was cold, sharp as ice, but there was a crack in it—just enough to betray her.
"I deserve it."
Silence.
Then, softer, almost fragile—
"I'm sorry."
Kaia didn't cry. Not a single tear fell.
But in that moment, she looked more broken than anyone else.
[1] The moment Yona dug her fingers into Kaia's hand, causing it to bleed. The injury was not yet healed.