Chương 38: The Name Lysithea Never Stopped Saying in Her Prayers

Lysithea saw her first. The world stopped. Her pink shadow wings vanished like smoke, her habit returned to normal, but her heart shattered into a thousand pieces in that same instant. She took one step. The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Another. Then she ran, stumbling, falling to her knees in front of the girl. — Elara…?

Her voice came out so small, so broken, it didn't even sound like the same Lysithea who, minutes earlier, had crushed skulls with hugs of light. — Elara… my Elara…? The next words wouldn't come. Lysithea simply collapsed, hugging the trembling body of the girl as if she could stitch time itself back together with her own arms. — I prayed for you every single night… every single one… I never stopped… I carried your absence in my chest like a knife… please… tell me it's you…

Mirella, the archer who never cried, let her bow fall and sobbed like a child. Graciela, the dwarf who faced armies, dropped to the ground and cried with her face buried in her hands, cursing in dwarvish between sobs: — My girl… my first daughter… I baked a cake for you every year… every year…