No bond.
No thread.
No cursed root growing inside me, no shadow stitched to the bottom of my spine. Nothing creeping through my thoughts when I wasn’t paying attention. Nothingof himinsideme.
I wanted to laugh.
Or sob.
Or both.
But my heart didn’t settle.
Because if it wasn’t him—if he hadn’t cracked the Ward or curled his dark magic around my edges—then…
“Then what does this mean?” I asked. My voice sounded fragile to my ears, like it might snap if I pushed too hard. “What’s happening with the Butterfly Ward?”
Nova didn’t let go of my hands. Instead, she shifted slightly, lifting one hand and resting two fingers gently against the center of my chest, just over my heart.
“It’s coming from here,” she said.
I stared at her, too startled to respond. “What do you mean?”
“The magic,” she said, tapping lightly again. “The unraveling. It’s not being pulled from the outside.”
I shook my head. “That doesn’t make sense.”
Her eyes softened. “Doesn’t it?”
I opened my mouth to argue, but the words died on my tongue.
“No,” I whispered. “No, that can’t be right.”
Nova sat back slightly but didn’t move far.
“Maeve, the Wards were built to reflect the strength of the people who live within them. You know that. The Butterfly Ward has always been about transformation, growth, and the threshold between stillness and flight. You’re specifically marked to it.”
“It waswhole,” I said, my voice rising. “It was strong even when the others faltered. Even when the curse crept through the cracks, I felt it hold.”
Nova nodded. “Yes. But it’s also the Ward tied closest to the heart. The emotional center. When you returned, it responded. Itwelcomedyou. But if you're faltering now, if something inside you is shaking, then so is it.”
“But Iwantthis,” I said. “I’m ready. I’m doing everything I can. I’m—”
Nova tilted her head gently. “Are you sure?”
I stared at her.
“I don’t think you’ve ever stopped to ask yourself if you’re allowed to be unsure,” she said. “You accepted the Academy choosing you so quickly that you forgot to askif you chose yourself.”
That landed like a stone in my chest.
“I have to be strong,” I said, but the words didn’t have weight. “Everyone’s looking to me. You. Elira. Keegan. The Academy—”
Nova leaned in again and tapped my heart once more. “And areyoulooking to you?”
I looked away.
The edges of my vision felt blurry. My lungs were full of too many questions and not enough air.
