The floating city had fallen quiet in the days following Lucien's trial.
Though the stars still glimmered and the magic still pulsed through the skybridges, a calm had settled—strange, tentative, like a realm holding its breath.
Lucien found himself walking the bridge of glass and crystal alone, his fingers trailing along the light that rose with every step. He paused at the edge, looking over the endless clouds below, the vast unknown that once felt like a cage.
Now, it felt like possibility.
Footsteps approached from behind, familiar in rhythm and weight. Eiran stopped beside him, silent for a moment before he spoke.
"You've been quiet."
Lucien didn't look at him. "There's a lot to think about."
Eiran's voice was low, tender. "Regretting something?"
Lucien gave a soft laugh. "Not kissing you sooner, maybe."
That startled a chuckle out of Eiran. "You really are changing."
"I have to." Lucien turned, meeting his gaze. "This power they offered me—it's not just a crown or a title. It's a choice. A path. One I'm terrified of walking alone."
Eiran reached for his hand. "You won't be alone."
Lucien squeezed his fingers. "I want more than peace treaties and broken prophecies. I want a life, Eiran. I want mornings where I can wake up beside you, where I don't have to fight for air or pretend I don't care."
Eiran stepped closer, brushing their foreheads together. "Then build it with me."
They stood like that for a while, two hearts breathing as one, the stars spinning above them.
---
Meanwhile, Sorrel had retreated to the lower sanctum of the city, poring over ancient texts the Celestial Court had granted access to.
She traced her fingers along forgotten glyphs, absorbing spells and histories that had long been sealed away.
When Lucien entered, she didn't look up. "You should be with him."
"I will," he said, settling across from her. "But first, I need to know what we're facing."
Sorrel finally glanced at him. "You mean the fracture."
Lucien nodded. "The Court gave me power. But they didn't erase Ravencroft's legacy. His enemies are still out there."
She sighed. "And they'll come for you the moment they realize you're not playing his game."
"Let them," Lucien said, voice like tempered steel. "I'm not afraid of enemies. I'm afraid of becoming one."
Sorrel softened. "You're not him, Lucien. I've watched you struggle. That's what makes you human."
He offered a tired smile. "Sometimes I wish I didn't have to struggle so much."
She chuckled. "Then it wouldn't be worth it."
---
That evening, a soft celebration was held in their honor.
Not a coronation—Lucien had declined the crown for now—but a moment to honor the decision, the shift in the stars.
The sky was filled with lanterns, floating like dreams released from forgotten mouths.
Eiran stood beside Lucien as music drifted through the air, ethereal and haunting.
"You used to be scared of dancing," Eiran said.
Lucien raised an eyebrow. "I'm still scared of it. Especially when I know you'll show me up."
Eiran smiled, taking his hand. "Then let me lead."
They danced under the weightless sky, their movements slow, tender, as if afraid the moment would burst from too much beauty.
People watched, but Lucien didn't care. For once, he let the world see him—unmasked, unguarded, and wholly in love.
When the music faded, Eiran leaned in. "What now?"
Lucien whispered, "Now, we find the pieces of the world Ravencroft broke… and mend them together."
Eiran nodded. "Together."
And in that quiet promise, the next chapter of their journey began.
___
To be continued...