The words unraveled something inside her — something tightly wound and long suppressed. River’s heart betrayed her, leaping in her chest like a live wire. Emotion surged like a tidal wave, and she clutched him tighter, burying her face into his chest as his warmth soaked through her.
He didn’t flinch.
Didn’t let go.
Together they stood on the edge of the world, two broken souls stitched together by fate — betrayed by blood, haunted by truth, but still standing.
Still fighting.
--
They stood together in silence, wrapped in the moonlight, the chill of the night softened by their shared warmth. The wind whispered through the balcony, carrying the scent of pine and fire, and River felt the rise and fall of Heiko’s chest under her cheek — steady now, calmer than before.
For a few moments
