Page 142 of Duskbound

"Loneliness requires knowing what you're missing." His voice was soft, almost distant. "And I didn't, not then."

A part of me wanted to push further, but something held me back as we prepared the bedding for sleep. I wasn't sure how much time had passed as we lay there, side by side, staring up at the endless expanse of stars. A strange tension hummed between us, but beneath it was something else—a feeling of safety I hadn't experienced since being taken from Sídhe. Maybe even before that.

"Is it strange?" Aether asked, his voice low. "Being here, in Riftdremar?"

I considered his question, watching as clouds drifted across the moon. "It's different from what I imagined. Seeing all this regrowth, all this life..." I paused, letting out a breath.

The words had barely left my mouth when guilt churned in my stomach. Here I was, finding comfort in this deserted paradise while his realm withered, while his people suffered in overcrowded streets.

"I just realized how insensitive that sounded."

"It's not," he said quietly. "Just because Umbrathia is dying doesn't mean the rest of the world should."

I turned my head to look at him, studying his profile in the starlight. "I feel like such a fool." The admission came easier than I expected. "When things began changing in Sídhe, when the realm started prospering, I never questioned it. Not like I should have."

"I don't know why you would." He paused, and I could hear him choosing his next words carefully. "At the bonfire, when I overheard you... it didn't exactly sound like your life there was that great to begin with."

"No, it wasn't." The memory of that night, of spilling my secrets to people I'd barely known, made something twist in my chest. "But it was nothing like what the Kalfar are experiencing. I was privileged compared to that."

Aether reached over, taking my hand in his. He turned it palm-up, studying the Riftborne branding in the firelight. "I'm sure this made it rather difficult."

"Well, it served its purpose." I smiled wearily. "But we wore gloves most of the time."

"We?" His eyes found mine, a curious glint crossing them.

"Osta and me." Warmth spread in my chest at the memory. "My best friend. Well, I guess she's more like a sister than anything else. We grew up in a group home. Then when we finally moved out, we got an apartment together. Stayed that way until she got a jobwith a noble family and I was stationed out West." I let out a small sigh. "You'd like her. Everyone does."

"I'm not sure I trust your judgment." He laughed softly.

I shot him a look. "Wise observation. I'm here with you, after all."

We both laughed, and a comfortable silence fell between us as we returned our gaze to the stars. The fire crackled beside us, sending sparks dancing into the night air.

"You know, I haven't seen the stars in years," he said after a while.

"Not in Sídhe, when you cross the rip?"

He paused. "We were never there for long, and I've never looked up."

I studied his face, the way his golden eyes reflected the starlight, an almost childlike wonder softening his sharp features.

"There's something I've been curious about," I said, breaking the silence.

He turned to look at me. "What's that?"

"The sirens called you ‘Realm Crasher,’" I said carefully, "and it made me remember that first night in the tower. You said something about crashing down into this realm." I paused, watching his expression. "I hadn't thought about it much until that day when they said it in the cave."

Aether looked up again, twisting his mouth. For a moment, I didn't think he would answer.

"I told you I only had one memory of my past life," he finally said. "But that's not entirely true. I remember falling. For a long time."

"Into the Void?" I asked, something tugging at the edges of my memory.

"The darkness was overwhelming. I thought for sure I'd die in there, but death never came for me."

I sat up, realization hitting me. "I dreamed that," I whispered, the memory suddenly clear.

"Exactly how many times have you dreamed about me?" That familiar smirk played at his lips, but something in his eyes remained serious.

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