Traz nods slow.
"Been to places where the suns burn blue and the ground floats under your boots."
Joren sucks in a breath, like Traz just told him magic was real.
"You think... we could go someday?" he whispers.
Something cracks wide open inside me.
Hope.
Raw and terrifying.
Traz’s voice goes low, serious.
"You stick close to your mama," he says. "You learn everything she’s gotta teach you. And one day... yeah. We’ll get you there."
Joren’s whole face lights up.
He grins—a real, unguarded grin—and my heart damn near shatters all over again.
I retreat into the shelter for a minute, under the excuse of cleaning up.
Really, I just need a breath.
Need to keep myself from running across the yard and collapsing into Traz’s arms like a fool.
Because it’s easy, watching him like this.
Too easy.
Makes me forget the years I spent fighting for air.
Makes me forget how bad it hurt when he didn’t come back.
But I can't forget.
I won’t.
Even if some stubborn, broken piece of me wants to.
When I step back out, Joren’s perched on Traz’s shoulders, laughing soft while Aria clambers up the side of the freighter.
Traz looks up, catches my eye.
He smiles.
Small.
Crooked.
Real.
The anger that’s been strangling me for so long loosens its grip just a little.
Not gone.
Not yet.
