Maybe one day, when the smoke clears, if I’m still breathing, I’ll be worthy to chase her light again.
But until then, I give her back her life.
And I leave with her my love, my soul, my heart.
Myzemër.
Chapter 53: CIRCLE OF STRENGTH
A soft knock awakensme.
I reach for him automatically, but the bed is cold and empty.
“Ms. Lana, your car is ready,” Hannah’s voice drifts through the door.
What car?
A crash of thunder rattles the windows, and I bolt upright.
My gaze snags on the music box flipped open on the nightstand. But it’s the object beside it that stops my heart.
Silver. Engraved. Heavier than it looks.
His lighter.
Dread curdles low in my stomach when I spot the small white card beneath it.
MyZemër,
Pivotal moments demarcate my life—some joyful, some heart-wrenching.
But they all have one thingin common.
You.
Never blame yourself for what happened to my family.
You’re the best thing that has happened to me.
Thrive. Be happy.
And know this.
I will always love you.
Yours forever,
Kian
P.S. My lighter is yours. Keep it with you always. A car will take you to Arcana & Bloom. It will all make sense.
Panic grips me. I grab my phone and call him.
“The number you’ve dialed has beendisconnected—”
Tears pool under my eyes.
He signed the note as Kian, the man I knew still lived inside him all along.
