Chapter 35: Promises

Calen and Livra rushed into Fin Valtheris’s office, their faces flushed with urgency. The Administrator’s piercing gaze met theirs as he gestured for them to speak. Livra placed the photo and the clinical file they had recovered from the orphange on the sleek metallic desk.

“This is what we found,” Livra began, her voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions beneath. “It’s Ava Lysan. Or, at least, it’s what’s left of her past. This photo... it was taken after her accident.”

Valtheris picked up the photo, studying the image of the frail girl with an expression difficult to read. Then he opened the file, his brows furrowing deeper with each page.

“The injuries, the radiation,” Valtheris murmured, almost to himself. “If she survived, it’s a miracle. But this doesn’t prove she’s alive. It’s still just conjecture.”

“Then we need to find proof,” Calen interjected. “If she is alive, she’s behind all of this. She could be the key to stopping it.”

“Agreed,” Valtheris said, closing the file. “But right now, we must deal with the immediate situation.”

Livra leaned forward, her hands gripping the edge of the desk. “What about Balthar? He was attacked by someone. If we can find out who that man was—”

Valtheris raised a hand to calm her. “Balthar contacted me earlier. He was injured in the confrontation, but he’s stable. I’ve already dispatched a medical team to retrieve him and ensure his safety.”

“And the attacker?” Calen asked.

“Dead,” Valtheris replied bluntly. “Balthar dealt with him in the fight. The body is already under the jurisdiction of Magistrate Vosca. We’ll investigate, but I doubt we’ll glean much from a corpse.”

Calen clenched his fists. “So that’s it? Another dead end?”

“Not quite,” Valtheris said. He turned his attention fully to Livra. “For tonight, you should rest. Tomorrow will be a demanding day for you. Magistrate Ilara Drena has requested your presence to help address the unrest in the Earthlands. We need you to deliver a statement that will calm the masses.”

Livra hesitated, then nodded reluctantly.

“And as for you, Calen,” Valtheris continued, his gaze sharp, “I have another task. With Balthar out of commission, I have no one else to entrust this to. Tessa is missing. There’s been no contact, and I fear for her safety. Given her connection to the orphanage and her role during the LCC expansion, I suspect she may be a target as Rion was. Your mission is to find her. Do whatever it takes.”

Calen gave a firm nod. “Understood.”

Valtheris leaned back in his chair, dismissing them with a wave. “Now go. Get some rest.”

The two of them returned to Calen’s apartment, a small, cluttered space tucked away in a less desirable corner of Aeris. The low light flickered as they stepped inside, the scent of metal and old wiring filling the air. Calen tossed his jacket onto a chair and turned to Livra, who stood in the middle of the room, looking uncharacteristically vulnerable.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The weight of the day pressed down on them, but in the silence of the apartment, something else lingered.She looked up at him, her eyes glassy with unshed tears. “I don’t want to be alone in this, Calen. I’m so tired of feeling like it’s me against the world.”

“You’re not alone,” he said firmly. His voice was low, but there was an intensity in it that made her pause. “You’ve never been alone. Not since the moment you dragged me into this madness. And I’m glad you did.”

Livra blinked, startled. “You’re glad?”

“Yeah, I am,” he admitted, his lips twitching into a faint smile. “You drive me absolutely insane sometimes. You’re stubborn, reckless, and more infuriating than anyone I’ve ever met. But you’ve also shown me what it means to care about something. To fight for something.”

Her breath hitched as he stepped closer, his hand now cupping her cheek. “You’ve made me realize I’m not just some cog in the machine, Livra. I want to be someone better. For you.”

“Calen...” she whispered, her voice trembling.

“I’m not good with words,” he continued, his thumb brushing away a tear that slipped down her cheek. “I’ve been trying to figure out how to say this for days. Maybe longer. But I can’t keep it to myself anymore. I love you, Livra. More than I should. I care about you. More than I’ve ever cared about anyone.”

Her heart felt like it was pounding in her throat. “You’re not just saying that?”

He shook his head, his eyes never leaving hers. “I couldn’t lie about this if I tried. You mean more to me than you’ll ever know. And if you’ll let me, I’ll stand by you. Through all of it. And when all ends, I don’t care if you want to return to Aelith Shore, stay here or go awaya and get lost somwhere in this vast world, but one thing it’s sure, I’ll be by your side if you let me. We will be like the levicita, free to choose and make our own decisions even if that decisions are to just escape and run away from our own destiny”

She stared at him for a moment, her lips parted as if searching for the right words. But instead of speaking, she closed the gap between them, pulling him into a kiss that was as desperate as it was tender. It was a release of everything they’d been holding back—fear, hope, longing—all wrapped up in that single moment.

When they finally broke apart, Livra’s forehead rested against his, her eyes still closed. “I love you too,” she said softly, her voice breaking slightly. “More than I ever thought I could love anyone. And it terrifies me because everything feels like it’s falling apart. And I don’t know how to keep it all together.”

He cupped her face with both hands, his touch warm and steady. “Then let it fall apart,” he said, his voice steady. “We’ll pick up the pieces together. Whatever happens, Livra, you have me. Always.”

A single tear slid down her cheek, but this time it wasn’t born of despair. “Together?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Together,” he promised, sealing the word with another kiss.

In the quiet of the apartment, they found solace in each other, even as the world outside threatened to tear them apart. For now, that was enough.