She smiles faintly—grateful but fierce. She turns back to the circle, authoritative now.
I retreat into the shadows of my throne, arms folded.
For the first time, I feel the real power settling into these walls: not fear, butrespect—hard-won and enduring.
We finish, agreements inked in holo-signatures, nods exchanged.
The sanctum empties slowly. Aria and I walk out together, side by side.
Once on the elevator, she exhales. “That could’ve gone worse.”
I grin. “You handled it better than any of I could have expected.”
Her smile falters as exhaustion flickers across her face. “It was necessary.”
I cup her cheek. “You’re necessary.”
Her breath catches. She steps closer—foreheads almost touching.
“My equal,” she whispers.
I kiss her softly. “Forever.”
The elevator pings open. Outside, the casino’s neon haze and bass lines loop in defiance. We step into the surge, two figures newly forged in fire and blood.
Together.
She’s not just my second.
She’s my future.
The private elevator hums between the sanctuary of the sanctum below and the haven above the Supernova. Here, in this penthouse loft, the hum is softer—carpeted steps instead of stone, the gentle hiss of atmospherics refined to a whisper. Aria stands at the panoramic window, light from the city bleeding in, reflecting off her silhouette like a promise and a warning.
“You okay?” I ask, closing the distance. My voice is gentle, but soaked in truth.
She doesn’t turn. Instead, the night sky folds around us. I see spires of neon, vibrating with endless promise. The distant sea is faint, nothing but a suggestion of movement. This is Goldwin—the kingdom we’ve wrecked and remade.
“I’m... a lot,” she finally says, voice low, shaped by memory. She turns. Her posture is open. She’s still wearing the ceremonial cloak—but now it rests on the floor where I offered it. She’s free of it—bare arms, bare heart.
I take her hand. Step close. “Then let me see all of it.”
She exhales, resolves stacking into vulnerability. “I’ve changed, Aebon. Not just my badge and my career. I’ve... I’m not the woman I was.”
Transparency hums between us.
My fingertips trace her jawline. “Neither am I. I’m a killer, a godfather, a prisoner of my nature. But I don’t want to be born into darkness anymore. With you, I want something... different.”
Her breath catches as she moves closer. “Different?” she murmurs.
“Yes.” I cradle her face, thumb brushing across her cheekbone. “I want to be someone who doesn’t always hurt to protect.” I swallow. This truth tastes like hope. “I fear I’m too broken.”
She sighs—heartfelt and tender. “I fear there’s no redemption for people like us. For me, I... I gave up on believing that justice could exist. I thought I found it in Aebon the prosecutor. Now I know—justice is fragile.”
We stand, confessions heavy with consequence. I draw her into my arms. She doesn’t resist—leaning in, searching my chest for solidity.
I press my lips to her hair. “We weren’t meant to be saved. We were meant to survive.”
Her breathing shifts against my chest. She pulls away only enough to meet my gaze. “Survive and live.”
