Blooming Under His Shadow

struck

, when the mind was still waking, when me

t through panic or alar

he expected

once. A single notification

CY TRUST - MO

Lack of

read

he ex

ckward, to force him into a framework of obedience that no longer applied. She had

o long

ed on now answered to peop

cultivated now watched her wi

at a throat that was n

, arms folded. She had bee

would unbalance

still outranked the pr

did

rike followed-Vivienne's att

Quiet concern. Care

it died before i

icle ne

nces from three separate channels-each one more authoritative than Vivienne's

n't issue

n't ne

announce itself wa

ow breath. "She's

ed. "And sh

the tru

d a private meeting, it came w

ft la

ernal

a mes

made yo

face

t because there was something precise about

suite felt smaller

ed too tightly. When she turned, her smile was

r than I anticip

his head. "You m

ed. "You think

ink this is where you reali

face-looking for cracks, for remna

e sharp with frustration. "Everythi

didn't

survival doesn't create loya

nd tre

time, Vivien

she said quietly. "You could

ing. "You taught me relevance is a weap

retched-he

wed. "Then what

. "Nothing," he said. "And th

unished, uncentered,

ice, Mara watch

o break you,

ind me who I was,

nd

ed. Jus

she f

not with awe, but with somethi

wer," she said,

t the city-vast, co

agreed.

in him was

was quieter n

ad struck

one it with a