"It worked," she said, voice quiet but certain.
Kade's eyes stayed on hers. "For now."
The healer closed his case with a soft click. "The oath suppresses the instability. But the root remains. Until Maya's ritual is resolved—reversed or completed—the echoes will linger."
Kade released her hand, though his fingers brushed her wrist one last time in a lingering touch. "Understood. Leave us."
Marcus opened the door. The healer exited without another word, the weight of the moment trailing after him like a shadow.
The room fell still again, just the two of them and the soft rhythm of Takoda's breathing from the couch.
Dakota flexed her scarred palm, feeling the new hum beneath her skin. "You were right," she said. "It's different."
Kade stepped closer, invading her space without crowding it, his presence a steady wall of heat and power. "And?"
"Steadier," she admitted. "Like I can hear myself think again. No more… static."
