Her hands pause briefly over the workbench.
"Yes."
"Why?" The word comes out smaller than intended.
Roseth turns toward me slowly, brows pulling together as though the answer should already be obvious.
“Because you matter to me.”
The honesty in her voice leaves me defenseless.
Before I can respond, movement appears near the forge entrance.
Ysoria.
She stands quietly in the doorway, silver hair shifting softly in the morning wind.
Roseth notices my expression and straightens. “I will give you a moment.”
Her fingers brush lightly against my shoulder as she passes.
The warmth lingers after she leaves.
Ysoria waits until the forge door closes before stepping inside fully.
“You survived,” she says.
“You sound surprised.” I exhale.
“I sound practical.” She stares at me for a long while. “The resonance spread farther than expected.”
The cold settles immediately through my chest.
“How far?”
“Far enough that stories will travel quickly.” Her gaze sharpens slightly. “Especially stories about a bellsmith capable of shaping harmonic counter-frequency resonance.”
Roseth.
Fear twists hard beneath my ribs.
“Kantor will hear eventually,” Ysoria continues quietly. “Others will come searching once they understand what she can do.”
I look to the forge door instinctively, to Rose. Toward the life waiting outside this room.
For years survival meant running first and feeling later. Never care deeply enough for loss to destroy you.
But Bellmere changed something in me. She changed something in me.
The thought of leaving now feels worse than any danger chasing me.
Ysoria notices the realization settling across my face.
“You no longer want to run,” she says softly.
“No.” I respond and the answer comes without hesitation.
I mean it completely.
