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“And you’ve reviewed it and—”

“I won’t get lost!” Avenay interrupted.

“You always say that, and you always get lost.” Seraphina’s eyes twinkled with amusement and a smile tugged at Avenay’s mouth. Seraphina wasn’t completely wrong, but how lost could Avenay get? It was a fairly straightforward path.

Avenay sighed and let her mind wander. What was she supposed to do now? Seraphina ran a finger between her brows, smoothing the line there.

“You’re worried.”

“What if I don’t do well?” she whispered.

“There will be other research positions for you later, and so many awards and presentations. You’re so brilliant that it’s really just a matter of time before you find something.”

“Other research positions won’t matter later.”

“Of course they will. You only feel like this now because—”

“Because you’ll be gone by then.”

Seraphina’s face fell, softening to a sad understanding. Avenay wanted to grab the words and stuff them back in her throat, but she couldn’t because it already felt clogged by the sob that threatened to escape. Her breaths came out in heavy and short bursts.

All this work would be for nothing if she didn’t get the chance to save her sister.

She gave a bitter laugh. “All I’ve wanted all these years is to find the cure in Cirro and save you. Because I can’t imagine living without you.”

Tears slipped down Seraphina’s cheeks. “I know you have. I’ve always wondered, what would you have done with your life if my illness hadn’t burdened you?”

“Don’t talk like that.”

Seraphina ran a comforting hand over Avenay’s wing, her eyes lined with tears, thoughts swirling in the inky depths of them. “I’veeked out as much life as I can, but I feel like I’ve taken that right from you. I’ve always hoped I’d die sooner, so you’d give up on me and live your life.”

Avenay sat up, grasping the sides of Seraphina’s face and staring at her with a keen rage. “Don’t talk like that! Don’t you ever talk like that!” Her voice boomed in the quiet house and Seraphina gave her a weak smile.

“I will talk like that. Please Avenay, please don’t just live your life only focused on me. You’re so healthy and so smart. Who cares what those shitheads at the university think? You can do anything. Anything! So do it. Do everything. Because I won’t be able to.”

Avenay pulled her into her arms and stifled her sob into Seraphina’s hair. Seraphina’s own sob landed against Avenay’s chest. They gazed out the window at the moonlit clouds that drifted by.

“Do you suppose we turn into stars when we die?” Seraphina whispered.

Seraphina never spoke of death in more than a whisper, as if afraid to summon it with a word alone.

“I think you’d become an entire galaxy of stars,” Avenay said. “One is not nearly enough for how much light you contain.”

Seraphina pressed a soft kiss to her sister’s temple. Avenay stayed until Seraphina’s breathing evened out as it did in sleep. Then she blew out the candle and left.

Chapter 3: Enid

Melina walked to the counter of The Tipsy Tavern, grasping the sides of a large tray piled with food and drink. In a moment, Kalen and Mandel were next to her.

“You’re too small to carry that,” Mandel gritted out, placing his hands over Melina’s.

“You need to rest,” Kalen said, running an anxious hand over his face.

“I can help with the large trays,” Mandel offered.

Melina shot a harried look over her shoulder at Kaemon.

“Let her be,” Kaemon barked from the booth he sat in with Enid and Dryston. “She’s strong enough.”