As the days passed, Aria's routine changed in ways she never expected.
The training center no longer held her attention the same way. Reports from the continent felt distant, almost unreal. Things that once demanded urgency now seemed… secondary.
Not unimportant.
Just not as immediate as the time she was losing.
She reduced her responsibilities without hesitation. Delegated what she could. Trusted the systems she had built to continue without her constant presence.
At first, that felt strange.
She had spent so long making herself necessary.
Now she was stepping back.
But slowly, she began to see the truth in what Master Corinne had once said.
Leadership was not about being everywhere at once.
It was about building something that could stand even when you were not there.
And now… she needed that.
Because her place was here.
With Cassidy.
Their time together became quieter, but deeper.
