"F-fuck—"
"Leave her—leave her—go—"
Boots stumbling. Running. Receding.
Their voices dissolve into shadow.
I try to lift my arm. It doesn't move.
My mouth opens, but no sound. No scream. Just the thrum of blood behind my eyes.
I can't feel my body.
I can't feel time.
The stars flicker above like they're blinking out.
Darkness seeps in around the edges. Soft. Like moss.
I think the trees are crying.
Or maybe I am.
And then—
"You're here, Sage. You're safe."
A voice, soft and steady, breaking through the static.
There's warmth behind me, solid and grounding—Kayden's body curved protectively along mine. His hand moves in slow circles across my back. I'm surrounded. Contained and held. Not trapped.
"You're with us. Whatever it was, whatever you've been through, it's not here anymore."
Asher's voice, low and calm, repeats the words like a mantra. Like he's done it before. For traumatized soldiers, maybe.
The nightmare clings like fog, but his voice cuts through it.
My past. That night. The one that ended my human life.
I'm shaking.
"I'm… I'm okay," I whisper. "It was just a dream."
"Sounded like a nightmare," Kayden murmurs, lips brushing the nape of my neck.
"If you want to talk…" Asher's eyes meet mine. Calm, open. His hand still covers mine, anchoring me.
"I don't want to talk," I say, my voice low but clear. "I want… the third thing."
The tension between us shifts. They remember our conversation.
I lean in, lips brushing Asher's. He stills, then kisses me back with a quiet, devastating tenderness. His thumb traces my cheek as if memorizing it.
He pulls back just enough to speak. "Are you sure? You've just woken up. Maybe this isn't the time."
"I'm sure," I say, stronger now. "I don't want you to be gentle. I want to be undone. I want you to quiet everything. Make me forget I exist."
Kayden tenses behind me, his breath sharp against my skin. Asher's eyes turn sharper, something primal sparking beneath the surface.
