Page 124 of Stars in Nova

Her absence felt unbearable, a hollow ache he couldn’t shake.

Suddenly, a small figure stepped into his path as he turned into a quieter passage.

He arched a brow in surprise as Liora gazed up at him with questioning eyes.

‘Kisan,’ she whispered, spine against the wall, her hands clutching a small stuffed animal. ‘I want the truth. Where’s my mum?’

Kisan crouched to her level, his luminous, viridescent eyes meeting hers. For a moment, he debated lying, but the solemness of her gaze made him relent.

She deserved the facts.

‘She was abducted,’ he murmured, keeping his inflection soft. ‘The Corilians took her from us.’

Liora’s lip quivered, dark curls shifting over her shoulders, but she didn’t cry. ‘You’re going to get her back?’

‘I swear it,’ Kisan said, reassuringly touching her shoulder. ‘I won’t stop until she’s home.’

Liora studied him, her small hands clutching the fabric of her nightgown. ‘You’re strong, right? Stronger than them?’

Kisan managed a smile. ‘I’ve faced worse, and I’m not doing this alone. Your mum has a lot of people who care about her.’

She nodded, her voice firmer now. ‘I feel better already. You’re going to rescue her. I know you will.’

Kisan stood, took Liora’s hand, and led her toward the children’s chamber.

He helped her climb into her bed, pulling the blanket to her chin. Liora held onto his hand for a moment longer, her tiny fingers tightening around his.

‘Promise you’ll come back too,’ she whispered.

‘I swear,’ Kisan rasped, thick with emotion.

He brushed a stray curl from her face, waiting until her breathing slowed and her eyes closed.

Only then did he step away, his chest heavy.

In Samira’s room, Kisan lay on the bed, staring at the smooth stone ceiling.

He turned onto his side, his arm instinctively reaching for the space where she should have been, inhaling her fading scent on the pillow.

His thoughts churned.Where was she now? Was she hurt? Scared?

The image of her fiery defiance filled his thoughts, followed by the hollow ache of missing her laugh, her voice, the warmth of her body curled against his.

He shut his eyes, willing himself to sleep, but his mind refused to quiet.

So he made himself a promise.

He would face the Corilians, no matter the cost.

He would bring her back.

For her. For her children.

For the promise of a future he hadn’t dared to dream of before meeting her.

With that thought anchoring him, Kisan finally drifted into a restless doze, his dreams filled with her face, her voice, and the battle to come.

A Cold Grasp

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