---
When the second release arrived, it did not shatter them. It folded them closer, so that breath and thought and promise met at the same point and stayed there.
A cool chime touched Kai's mind.
[Ding! System Notification: Consort Naaro's life essence integration detected. Egg maturity at thirty five percent. Cohesion rising. Recommendation: continued infusion to reach optimal readiness.]
They rested without drifting apart. The night kept its braille of stars. Far below, a cinder in the forge winked and went dark. When the quiet had cooled their skin but not their resolve, Naaro drew back enough to meet his eyes.
And yet… her body asked for more.
