Maricella noticed it then—truly noticed it.

  Soma wasn’t standing because she was strong Chapter: Where Apologies Find a Way Home

  Maricella noticed it then—truly noticed it.

  Soma wasn’t standing because she was strong anymore. She was standing because she refused to fall. Her breathing was uneven, her body tense, her eyes unfocused as if she were fighting something far heavier than pain.

  Understanding dawned on Maricella’s face.

  “Soma,” she said gently, stepping closer, “don’t worry. I’ll take you home today. You’ll see Thio—today. I promise.”

  As she spoke, Maricella wrapped her arms around Soma, careful not to hurt her. The embrace was meant to steady her, to ground her.

  And it broke something inside Soma.

  Memories flooded in all at once.

  Leaving Maricella and old Spearhead without a word.

  Convincing herself that loneliness was strength.

  Believing that bonds only slowed her down.

  She remembered the night she had nearly killed Maricella—and her mother—because she believed isolation was the only way forward. She remembered seeing Assashin as nothing more than a temporary partner. A tool.

  Standing there now, held in warmth she had denied herself for so long, Soma finally understood.

  What she had needed was never solitude.

  It was this.

  Soma began to cry, her body trembling as she clutched Maricella’s clothes.

  “I’m sorry,” Soma whispered, again and again.

  “I’m really sorry… please forgive me… please.”

  It was the first time Soma had ever cried in someone’s arms.

  The sensation was strange—almost frightening—but relieving. As if the weight crushing her heart had finally cracked enough to let her breathe.

  When the sobs eased, Soma pulled back slightly and looked at Maricella.

  “Thank you,” Soma said quietly.

  “But… I don’t think I’m ready to ask you to walk this path with me—to carry a sword at my side. Will you wait for me?”

  Maricella didn’t hesitate.

  “Yes,” she replied. “No matter what happens, I’ll wait. I’ll stay by your side.”

  Maricella carried Soma on her back through the quiet streets, following Soma’s directions until they reached a modest house at the edge of the district.

  But the moment Maricella saw it, her steps slowed.

  Her chest tightened.

  She couldn’t bring herself to go inside.

  Facing Thio felt impossible. Guilt pressed heavily on her—guilt she believed she deserved. So instead, she carefully lowered Soma near the doorway, making sure she was steady enough to sit.

  Then Maricella turned away.

  She left quickly.

  Yet despite everything—

  She was smiling.

  A short while later, Thio heard a noise outside.

  Concern tightening his chest, he rushed to the door—and froze.

  “Soma?!”

  She was sitting there, pale and barely conscious, blood seeping through hastily wrapped bandages.

  Thio shouted for Assashin.

  Assashin rushed out, shock clear on his face. Together, they lifted Soma and carried her inside, laying her carefully on the bed.

  Questions came immediately.

  What happened?

  Who did this?

  Why didn’t you come back sooner?

  Soma didn’t answer.

  She had already slipped into unconsciousness—

  Or rather, she pretended to.

  Anything to escape the fear in their voices.

  When Thio and Assashin finally left the room, Soma opened her eyes. She rested a hand on her forehead and stared at the ceiling.

  A small smile curved her lips.

  Meeting Maricella again had stirred something warm and unfamiliar inside her.

  The next morning, Thio came to check on Soma—alone.

  Unfortunately for Soma, she was already awake.

  “Soooooma!”

  Thio ran toward her and jumped onto the bed, ready to scold her like always—but the moment he landed, Soma gasped sharply.

  Thio froze.

  Her reaction wasn’t annoyance.

  It was pain.

  His expression changed instantly. Carefully, he examined her injuries and noticed the deep wound at the center of her abdomen.

  His breath caught.

  Now he understood.

  Why she hadn’t come home on time.

  Why she had collapsed at the door.

  Why she couldn’t walk.

  She had lost an enormous amount of blood.

  That she had survived at all—

  Was nothing short of a miracle.

  As Thio stood there, shaken, Soma turned her face away and closed her eyes.

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  A faint smile remained.

  Because for the first time in a long while—

  She hadn’t faced the darkness alone.anymore. She was standing because she refused to fall. Her breathing was uneven, her body tense, her eyes unfocused as if she were fighting something far heavier than pain.

  Understanding dawned on Maricella’s face.

  “Soma,” she said gently, stepping closer, “don’t worry. I’ll take you home today. You’ll see Thio—today. I promise.”

  As she spoke, Maricella wrapped her arms around Soma, careful not to hurt her. The embrace was meant to steady her, to ground her.

  And it broke something inside Soma.

  Memories flooded in all at once.

  Leaving Maricella and old Spearhead without a word.

  Convincing herself that loneliness was strength.

  Believing that bonds only slowed her down.

  She remembered the night she had nearly killed Maricella—and her mother—because she believed isolation was the only way forward. She remembered seeing Assashin as nothing more than a temporary partner. A tool.

  Standing there now, held in warmth she had denied herself for so long, Soma finally understood.

  What she had needed was never solitude.

  It was this.

  Soma began to cry, her body trembling as she clutched Maricella’s clothes.

  “I’m sorry,” Soma whispered, again and again.

  “I’m really sorry… please forgive me… please.”

  It was the first time Soma had ever cried in someone’s arms.

  The sensation was strange—almost frightening—but relieving. As if the weight crushing her heart had finally cracked enough to let her breathe.

  When the sobs eased, Soma pulled back slightly and looked at Maricella.

  “Thank you,” Soma said quietly.

  “But… I don’t think I’m ready to ask you to walk this path with me—to carry a sword at my side. Will you wait for me?”

  Maricella didn’t hesitate.

  “Yes,” she replied. “No matter what happens, I’ll wait. I’ll stay by your side.”

  Maricella carried Soma on her back through the quiet streets, following Soma’s directions until they reached a modest house at the edge of the district.

  But the moment Maricella saw it, her steps slowed.

  Her chest tightened.

  She couldn’t bring herself to go inside.

  Facing Thio felt impossible. Guilt pressed heavily on her—guilt she believed she deserved. So instead, she carefully lowered Soma near the doorway, making sure she was steady enough to sit.

  Then Maricella turned away.

  She left quickly.

  Yet despite everything—

  She was smiling.

  A short while later, Thio heard a noise outside.

  Concern tightening his chest, he rushed to the door—and froze.

  “Soma?!”

  She was sitting there, pale and barely conscious, blood seeping through hastily wrapped bandages.

  Thio shouted for Assashin.

  Assashin rushed out, shock clear on his face. Together, they lifted Soma and carried her inside, laying her carefully on the bed.

  Questions came immediately.

  What happened?

  Who did this?

  Why didn’t you come back sooner?

  Soma didn’t answer.

  She had already slipped into unconsciousness—

  Or rather, she pretended to.

  Anything to escape the fear in their voices.

  When Thio and Assashin finally left the room, Soma opened her eyes. She rested a hand on her forehead and stared at the ceiling.

  A small smile curved her lips.

  Meeting Maricella again had stirred something warm and unfamiliar inside her.

  The next morning, Thio came to check on Soma—alone.

  Unfortunately for Soma, she was already awake.

  “Soooooma!”

  Thio ran toward her and jumped onto the bed, ready to scold her like always—but the moment he landed, Soma gasped sharply.

  Thio froze.

  Her reaction wasn’t annoyance.

  It was pain.

  His expression changed instantly. Carefully, he examined her injuries and noticed the deep wound at the center of her abdomen.

  His breath caught.

  Now he understood.

  Why she hadn’t come home on time.

  Why she had collapsed at the door.

  Why she couldn’t walk.

  She had lost an enormous amount of blood.

  That she had survived at all—

  Was nothing short of a miracle.

  As Thio stood there, shaken, Soma turned her face away and closed her eyes.

  A faint smile remained.

  Because for the first time in a long while—

  She hadn’t faced the darkness alone.