Page 71 of A World of Ruins

‘And if I don’t?’ I whisper.

‘You already know the answer to that.’

I meet Solaris’s gaze, finding a smile on his face, yet I can’t muster the strength to reciprocate. Instead, I redirect my attention to my cottage. Smoke gradually rises from the chimney, momentarily veiling the sky. Even so, the sun manages to pierce through it, casting a radiant glow upon my home.

‘I will let you decide,’ Solaris says after a moment, the sound of his boots crunching on the grass fading as he walks away from me.

I clench my eyes shut before whirling my head back around. ‘Wait!’ I wet my lips as Solaris pauses far away and turns. ‘I have one last request.’

Solaris tilts his head, a glimmer of understanding passing through his eyes as if he knows what that request is.

Without uttering a word, a soft glow emanates from his body, casting a golden light that dances around him. Slowly, it overtakes him until I can no longer see my father’s face as he gradually disappears, leaving behind a trail of stardust in the air.

‘Lía?’

My eyes widen.

Whirling around with my heart lodged in my throat, I’m met with the sight of my father standing by the front door of our cottage. He looks the same as Solaris did when the deity took his form, yet this time, it is different. Every instinct in me affirms that it’s truly him, and without a moment’s hesitation, I dash towards him.

My arms encircle the middle of his frame as I bury my face into his chest. The familiar scent of spices from our village’s market and the jasmine candles he would light yearly for my birthday envelop me, confirming that he is real – that my father is here with me right now.

He laughs, returning my embrace, reminding me of Iker’s laugh – short bursts of wheezing chuckles. ‘My Lía,’ he says.

I’m a mess as the flood of tears trails down my cheeks, and my father draws back, capturing my face with his large, calloused hands.

‘Look at you,’ he whispers, emotions betraying his usual deep voice. ‘You’re all grown up.’

I smile, feeling the sting of pain inside my chest as I cry. He looks the same, never changing. Built like Idris, long flowing curls like Iker and Illias and eyes like mine. He left, while we all had to grow up without him. ‘I’ve missed you so much.’

There’s a wistful sadness in the way he looks at me as he wipes a tear away from my cheek with his thumb. ‘I know,’ he says, confirming that he has been looking out for me all this time.

The idea of it has the ache in my chest intensify. ‘I suppose you never saw me falling for a dragon shifter.’ I chuckle, sniffling as I look up at my father.

He smiles. ‘I also never saw you falling for someone ordinary. Ever since you were a child, your mother and I would laugh whenever a boy from our village would come up and confess that they liked you. You’d usually scare them away some way or another.’

A sombre laugh escapes me as a distant rumble echoes around us. Glancing over my shoulder, my brows furrow before returning my gaze to my father.

His eyes carry a poignant sorrow, causing my stomach to plummet. ‘Time is running out.’ He takes a deep breath. ‘I think it is time we said goodbye.’

No.

I need more time. This isn’t enough.

I shake my head at him. ‘But I’m not ready.’

‘Yes, you are.’

‘No, I— I’m not. You know that I am indecisive. I can’t make the choice—’

‘Naralía.’

I had not noticed I wasn’t looking at my father as my head now lifts at the sound of him saying my full name. I see a different type of sadness in his gaze this time, almost as if it is bittersweet – perhaps he’s going over our memories together, the moments we will never get back.

I draw a desperate step towards him. ‘Stay.’

‘You know I cannot.’

The air turns cold, and from behind my father, I can no longer see my cottage.

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