Page 305 of Axis of Fire

The moment I read them.

“And every hope

is nothing but coincidence.

While a fleeting glance

can feel like fate itself.

We think it rules the universe—

yet all along,

it has rested in our hands.”

I couldn't bring myself to say a single word.

My eyes kept drifting back to the poem.

“What do you see?” Airis asked quietly.

I'll admit it—

The installation had captivated me so completely that I'd momentarily forgotten he was even standing beside me.

I read the poem aloud.

And I swear...

The moment the words left my lips, Airis tensed.

I turned toward him.

He had gone completely still.

There was something unfamiliar in his expression.

Something dangerously close to surprise.

“What kind of reaction is that?” I asked, lifting a brow.

He didn't answer.

The silence immediately put me on edge.

“What did you see?”

A brief pause.

Then, without looking away, he answered,

“The same words.”

I frowned.

“You said that almost never happens.”

Was this another one of his carefully planned tricks to get closer to me?