Chapter 21: The Storm Within

As Calen guided Livra to sit on the worn sofa. Her hands trembled, and he gently clasped them between his own.

“Livra,” he said softly. “Take a moment to breathe. Let’s talk.”

Livra nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. She looked down, her fingers clutching the fabric of her coat. “Calen,” she began, her voice shaky. “I’m sorry. I need to tell you something—”

“I’m sorry too,” Calen interrupted, unable to contain himself, his habit of speaking over others surfacing again. “You’re in danger, Livra. Someone’s talked. Rion sent me a message. Balthar has a lead on you. We need to figure out what to do.”

Livra looked at him, her heart heavy. Balthar Dirk finding her hardly mattered now—she was already ensnared in the clutches of Elenora Miren. The thought of being found by Dirk felt almost like an escape, but there was one thing she had to ensure first: Calen had to leave Aeris. He couldn’t stay here and get caught in the crossfire of her life.

But how?

Her lips trembled as she tried to form the words, but all she wanted to do was stay. Stay and let him save her, as foolish as that sounded. The man she loved was sitting beside her, offering a lifeline. How could she push him away?

Calen caught the despair in her eyes, and it ignited a determination within him. He gripped her hands tighter and spoke, his voice steady but filled with urgency.

“Livra, let’s leave together,” he said. “I want to be with you. You’ve been my guiding light through all of this madness. I don’t care about the sabotage or Aeris’ twisted laws. I don’t care about the LCC, Valtheris, or those damn magistrates. I’ll leave it all behind. We can escape this place. I can’t stand to see you like this anymore. Let me help you. Let’s both be free—like the levicita escaping gravity, remember? Just give me one night. I need to make sure Rion is safe and let him know I’m leaving. Then it’ll be just us. What do you say?”

Livra’s heart was a storm of emotions. His words made her want to abandon all reason and run away with him. Perhaps it could work. They could hide with the traveling caravan of artists that passed through the Rainshadow Archipelago. They could vanish into the city’s ghettos until the storm blew over.

Maybe.

She opened her mouth to answer, but her eyes caught something on the shelf. Her breath hitched.

There it was—the fifteenth volume of the Lucis saga. It was back in its place.

A sharp pain twisted in her chest, like a dagger piercing her heart. She had no idea why the book was there, but it was all she needed to see. Sienna. Calen had seen her, and he hadn’t told her. The truth of his encounter was irrelevant; the omission itself was enough to push Livra over the edge.

The book felt like a storm of knives, tearing through her fragile resolve. It was the sign she needed. Leaving Calen would hurt, but now it felt possible.

“You…” Livra said, her voice trembling as she stared at the shelf. “You’re a liar.”

Calen blinked, taken aback. “What? Livra, what are you talking about?”

Her gaze didn’t waver from the books as she continued, her voice breaking. “You saw her. Behind my back.”

Realization dawned on Calen as his eyes followed hers. The book. He cursed under his breath.

“Livra, wait,” he pleaded. “It’s not what you think. It’s a misunderstanding. Let me explain—”

“Go to hell!” she shouted, cutting him off.

Livra rose abruptly, tears streaking down her cheeks. Her voice softened, and she managed a bittersweet smile through her sobs. “Forget me, Calen. Goodbye.”

Before he could respond, she was gone, the door clicking shut behind her.

And just like that, Calen was alone in the suffocating silence of his apartment, the faint echo of her footsteps fading into the night.