CHAPTER 24 #3
“Zarek, I want to earn my doctorate, but I want to remember everything else more. And I promised to never forget you. I’m not going back on that promise, not if I can help it,” she responds.
“That is not a terrible offer,” Yan says before switching to Terilian and locking eyes with me. “But why are you trying to stop her? Was she not as helpful as she claims to have been?”
“She was. Ellie is intelligent, brilliant even. She could be an incredible ally to our people. I wish, more than anything, that the Earth was a part of the Intergalactic Unity Senate,” I say in return.
“Based on my observations, there are a lot of humans that could assist in the progression of our scientific discoveries and technology. We might see ourselves as more advanced, but we lack the resources of a planet like Earth, and the creativity of people like humanity. It is a shame the senate does not seem to agree.”
“Zarek, can you explain to the other senators and I why you would risk so much for this human?” Xavi asks, in English. The stars in his eyes seem to sparkle, something akin to hope, and I feel the chemicals in my body shift at the sight.
Is this trust? Does he truly care?
“Because I love her,” I answer in Terilian.
“There it is,” Zul whispers, and I can hear the smile in his voice.
Xavi nods, standing up to move toward me. The other three senators remain seated. Zeek is frowning, Zylinia grinning ear-to-ear, while Yan remains contemplative and neutral.
“Grandfather,” Zylinia whispers in Terilian. “Could the human and Zarek be corasala?”
Corasala. It is not a term I recognize, but the closest translation I can think of in English would be heartsync.
“I have not heard of a corasala since before Terilia,” Xavi says in return, and I scan my brain for any memory of the term, but come up blank.
“That old prophecy? Outdated rubbish,” Zeek scoffs, crossing his lanky arms.
Zul and I look at one another, and with our eyes alone say fuck this guy.
“What is a corasala?” I finally ask. I feel bad that we are all exclusively speaking in Terilian, but I honestly do not want Ellie to hear my true feelings for her.
Not yet, at least. I will tell her when the time is right.
“Back on Sapphiron, there was an old prophecy scribed into stone that told of a bond so strong it caused the lovers hearts to beat in sync. If two beings were fated to be together, their heart rates would adjust to match one another’s,” Xavi explains.
“It is one of the only original stories from Sapphiron I remember, and it crushes me that so much of our culture has been lost to time and the migration.”
“But this could bring it back. Eventually, if we allow Elliott to keep her memories, we could explain that this was the first corasala in generations, and the prophecy could be shared once again,” Zylinia says, and I am grateful to have her in my corner, rooting for love.
As a species, we used to be a society full of artists, inventors, and archivists. And while some of that is still happening, our focus has shifted toward survival. Scientists, engineers, field explorers, and divers have become our priority.
But without art, without joy, and without love, are we living? Or simply surviving?
Should we not strive for more?
“Can they be corasala if she is human?” Yan asks, though the question sounds more genuine than an attempt to ruin the momentum. He is more by the books. Much like Zul—and Ellie.
“The prophecy only ever said being, not sapphiro,” Xavi says, and then meets my gaze. “Had you heard the prophecy before today?”
“No, Senator,” I answer honestly. “I did notice as I was traveling through France with Ellie that my heart rate would sometimes change based on hers, but I assumed this was a coincidence.”
A grin spreads across Xavi and Zylinia’s face, demonstrating just how similar their features are. Zeek tries to say something else, but Yan quickly cuts him off.
The senators turn away from us, whisper-shouting once again in Terilian, before they continue the hearing. It does not take long, but every second feels like an eternity as I await our fate.
Xavi nods, his skin wrinkled, his eyes appearing star-filled and wise as he shifts back to face me. “Does she love you in return?”
I turn to look at Ellie. She’s standing on her tile. Though I know she is exhausted and terrified, she looks tenacious. Her posture is confident, and there is the ghost of a prideful smile grazing her lips. She has no idea what we are saying, but she knows precisely how I feel.
From the child we gave the toys to on the beach, to the way Ellie orders extra food just to ensure I have enough, and how our hearts seem to always be in sync.
The fact that Zul concealed my illegal activities, and that Ellie was willing to give up her career to keep her memories of me.
Being on Earth has taught me one important lesson: love does not require words, but actions.
Love is more than just a feeling, it is a decision you make every single day. A choice.
And I choose Ellie.