"Yeah… I understand."
The moment Ezra heard that, something in his chest loosened.
Not completely, not enough to make everything feel okay again, but enough that he could breathe a little easier.
'He understands…'
Before he could stop himself, Ezra pushed away from the tree. His body moved on its own, stepping out from the shadows, drawn toward the two figures by the lake.
For a brief moment, he felt… lighter.
Relieved.
Even a little grateful.
'Kaelis…'
He didn't want to admit it, but Kaelis had done something Ezra himself couldn't do just now. He reached Lior when Ezra couldn't even take a step forward.
But then Ezra saw them clearly.
Kaelis and Lior, facing each other by the water, the lake reflecting the moonlight behind them.
And Ezra stopped.
His steps halted before he even realized it.
Because something else surfaced.
Something that didn't belong to this moment.
A memory.
"I… I dreamed of my papa."
