STARLIGHT UNBOUND by Deus Ex Machina - HTML preview

STARLIGHT UNBOUND

The first stars were beginning to appear, distant pinpricks of light against the deepening blue.

Why me? The question echoed in his mind. What do you want from me?

No answers came. A vast, suffocating quiet.

“Lucien?”

The sound of Lyra’s voice startled him, yanking him back to the present. He turned to find her approaching, her silhouette framed by the warm glow of the plaza ’s lanterns. She wore her usual loose-fitting jacket, sleeves shoved to her elbows.

“You good?” she asked, her tone light but edged with something careful.

He nodded, too quickly. “Yeah. Just... thinking.”

She stopped a few feet away as she studied him. “You’ve been doing a lot of that lately. ” The words weren’t an accusation, but they weren’t nothing, either.

A dry laugh escaped him as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Guess I’m trying to make sense of everything. ”

“Join the club.” Lyra’s smirk was faint, but her eyes softened. “You’ve been pulling more than your weight around here. If you need to step back, no one’s gonna hold it against you. ”

“I’m fine.”

She didn ’t look convinced, but she didn’t push. Instead, she stepped a little closer, placing a hand on his chest.

The pull of the stars receded, replaced by something simpler—something human.

“Thanks,” he said quietly.

Lyra nodded, the corner of her mouth twitching up in something that wasn ’t quite a smile but close enough. “Get some rest.” With that, she gave him a kiss, turned, and walked into the lantern-lit streets.

Lucien watched her go, gratitude and guilt twisting in his heart. He wanted to believe her, wanted to hold onto that connection. But deep down, he couldn ’t shake the feeling that whatever was happening to him wasn ’t something she— or anyone else —could fix.

As the last light of day faded and the stars sharpened against the night, he remained by the tower, thoughts slipping once again into the unknown.

What do you want from me?

The stars, as always, gave no answer.

***

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