I stood on the maglev platform, watching Emi's train disappear into the distance. Her face fading behind tinted glass, palm pressed against the window. The last rays of sunset painted the tracks in shades of orange and gold, and for a moment, I felt... lighter.
What the hell was that?
I couldn't even deny it to myself. I'd enjoyed today. Actually enjoyed it. Not as Satori playing a role, not as Kaelen executing a plan, but as... whoever I was becoming in this strange new world.
My phone buzzed with Emi's message. I read it and felt a genuine smile form on my face as I typed my response.
You're worth waiting for too. Sleep well, Emi.
And she was worth waiting for, in the most practical sense. Her healing Aspect would be invaluable to my plans. A logical acquisition.
So why did logical feel like a fucking cop-out right now?
