Page 24 of Aries

“It matters.” His hands shake as he runs them through his hair. “Gods, it matters. Your first time should have been with someone who cherished you. Should have been beautiful, gentle, chosen…”

Tears track down his cheeks—the first time I’ve seen him cry since his nightmares about Kren.

“Instead, it was with me. In that cell. Under threat of death.” His voice cracks. “I took something from you that can never be given back.”

“Aries, no.” I rise and reach for him, but he flinches away.

“How can you even look at me? How can you stand to be near me, knowing what I stole from you?”

“You didn’t steal anything.” The words come fierce and sure. “You gave me survival. Gentleness. Protection. And later, the space to heal.” My voice grows stronger. “What happened wasn’t theft—it was sacrifice, bybothof us—so we could live to choose each other freely.”

I reach up to cup his face, wanting to wipe his tears, but I fist my hands at my sides.

“That first time wasn’t about love or desire or choice. But every moment since we started these trialshasbeen. Everytouch, every word, every breath we share now—that’s my real first time. With you. By choice.”

His forehead drops, almost resting against mine, his breathing ragged.

“I don’t deserve your forgiveness.” He sounds defeated.

“Then it’s a good thing I’m not offering it. Because there’s nothing to forgive. Only something to build on. Together.”

Spark immediately wraps us both in soothing light, its color a deep, understanding purple.

“Your perspective revealed much,” the Committee member observes quietly. “Phase Three occurs in two days.”

After they exit, neither of us speaks for long moments. Aries reaches to hold my hand since we’re still within the allotted time. He’s so gentle it’s as though I might break.

“I didn’t know,” he murmurs against my hair. “All theseannums, I thought I was protecting you by staying away. But you were processing that loss, too.”

“We both lost something that night,” I admit. “But we found something else. Each other.”

Spark suddenly zips to the kitchen, hovering over the nutrient solution. Its determined movements make us both laugh despite the emotional weight of the moment.

“Comfort food time?” Aries asks, lips quirking slightly.

“Apparently.” The normalcy of caring for ourshimmerlinghelps ground us in the present. “Our little one has opinions about emotional processing.”

Working together to feed Spark provides a welcome distraction. The familiar routine of solution and song helps ease the memory’s weight. When theshimmerling settles into its rest-sphere form, we take our positions for the energy exchange without discussion.

The connection feels different today—deeper somehow, weighted with new understanding and acceptance. Spark vibrates contentedly between our palms, as if satisfied with our progress.

“Two days,” Aries murmurs. “Until you see my perspective.”

“Until I understand completely,” I correct gently. “We can’t change what happened. But maybe we can finally heal from it.”

His gaze meets mine over Spark’s peaceful glow. The walls are still there, but now I see them for what they are—protection born of guilt and shame, not rejection. And maybe, after today’s revelations, they’re finally starting to crack.

Chapter Fifteen

Callie

“As a reward for completing Phase Two successfully, you are granted an evening excursion,” the Committee member announces. “The Sanctoran auroras are particularly vibrant tonight.”

My gaze meets Aries’ across our small dinner table. After the emotional intensity of today’s memory session, the thought of escaping our tiny cottage feels like a gift.

“The usual contact restrictions apply,” they continue, “but you may explore the meadow behind your dwelling until a standard hour after the first moon rises.”

After they shimmer out of sight, Spark zooms excited circles around us, trailing sparkles of anticipation.

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