Marron did not sleep.
She lay on her back and watched the ceiling darken, lighten, darken again as clouds slid past the window. The rain had not returned, but the air held that expectant stillness that came just before dawn, when the city seemed to hold its breath.
The System's interface lingered at the edge of her awareness like a thought she refused to finish.
Optional Path Detected
Unselected
It didn't ping her again to remind her.
At her side, Lucy hovered, glow soft and steady. She drifted closer when Marron shifted, as if responding to the disturbance in her breathing. One tendril brushed Marron's wrist, warm and grounding.
"I'm still here," Marron whispered, unsure who she was reassuring.
Lucy pulsed once, content.
