Zara
I take over, voice steady despite the emotions churning in my chest. “I came to the delta to prove I was more than my brother’s shadow.
More than the ‘safe’ diplomat who never took risks.
I wanted to negotiate peace with the Deep Runners, show everyone I was capable of handling difficult assignments. ”
A few chuckles from the Storm Eagle contingent. Kael looks like he’s trying not to smile.
“I didn’t expect to fall in love,” I admit. “Didn’t expect to transform. Didn’t expect to have to merge my consciousness with another person to save thousands of lives. But when faced with those choices, I chose love. Chose change. Chose to become something new rather than stay safely what I was.”
I look at Torin. Find him looking back. The bond between us hums with shared affection, shared purpose.
“We’re not here to tell you integration is easy,” I say to the crowd. “It’s not. It’s hard. Terrifying. Requires sacrificing pieces of who you were to become who you need to be. But it’s also the only path forward. The only way any of us survive.”