Chapter 75
The space did not close after Kael disappeared.
It stayed open, stretched in a way that felt wrong, like something had passed through it and left a mark that would not fade. Ariana stood where she was, her eyes fixed on the place where he had been, waiting without realizing she was waiting.
For a few seconds, nothing came.
No panic.
No grief.
Just a strange, quiet stillness that did not feel real.
Then it started to settle in.
The absence did not hit her all at once. It spread slowly through her chest, filling the space where the bond had always been. It had never been something she needed to think about. It had always been there, steady and constant, something she could rely on without even noticing.
Now it was gone.
Ariana drew in a breath, but it felt shallow, like it did not reach far enough. Her hand lifted to her chest without thinking, pressing lightly at first, then harder, as if she could find something there if she tried.
