Trey
I can’t ignore the feeling in my chest anymore.
It started as warmth back in the clearing. Just pressure. I recognized it as soon as Beckett said it. But it’s getting stronger with every step toward the facility.
We left Kree and the others at the ship to fix the grid. So it’s just the six of us now. Walking through the trees toward the building that holds Nova.
Going to get our girl.
I hope.
Beckett’s rubbing his sternum again. Has been since his shift. Vaelor keeps glancing at him but doesn’t say anything.
“You sure you’re good?” Vaelor finally asks.
“I’m fine.”
He’s not fine. I can see it in the way his jaw is locked.
We make it maybe ten more steps before Beckett stops dead.
We all stop with him.
He’s staring at his wrist.
Then he lifts his arm slowly. Turns it so we can see.
“My mark.”
It’s not Shadow’s mark anymore. It’s Nova’s.
Vaelor lifts his arm. Stares. “Mine too.”
Kyron checks his wrist.
Nova’s mark sits there. Solid. Complete… Whole.
“Holy shit!” He’s grinning. Wide. Then he jumps and I have to stop myself from laughing. “Are you seeing this?”
He’s whisper-yelling. Excited but trying to stay quiet.
“Guys. GUYS. Look!”
He’s pointing at me.
I look down at my own wrist.
The deformed mark. Half Dream. Half Memory. Fully broken.
Gone.
Her mark is there now.
Clean. Whole. Perfect.
My throat closes up.
I’ve worn proof I didn’t belong anywhere my entire life. Every screening. Every exam. Every time someone looked at my wrist and saw what was wrong with me.
And now it’s just… gone.
She did this. Nova. Without even knowing.
She made me hers.
“Everyone,” Locke says quietly. “Let’s see.”
Rane holds his arm out, wrist up and looks around like he’s waiting for everyone else to catch up.
Nobody moves for a second.
Then Beckett steps forward. Holds his arm out. Fist closed.
Vaelor moves next to him. Does the same.
Then Kyron. Then Locke.
I step in last. Close the circle.
Six fists. Six marks. All identical.
All hers.
“On three?” Rane asks. His voice is rough.
Nobody answers. We just move.
Our fists touch in the center.
And suddenly heat is everywhere.
So intense I almost can’t breathe.
The marks flash white.
Blinding. Hot. A pulse of light that explodes outward from where our skin meets.
Then the marks stay white. Glowing. All of them.
I forget to breathe.
“What the fuck,” Kyron whispers.
We pull back. Stare at our wrists.
The marks are still glowing. White light pulsing beneath our skin.
Then it fades. Slowly. Until the marks are dark again.
But it feels different now.
Like we’re all connected.
“What just happened?” Rane asks.
Nobody answers.
Because I sure as fuck don’t know.
But I feel it in my chest. The pressure. The pull.
Stronger now.
Like Nova just grabbed all of us at once and yanked.
“We need to move,” Beckett says.
“Now.”