He had stared at her, confusion tightening his chest.
"Divided?" he had asked.
"Yes." Her fingers traced the lines of his palm, steady despite the tremble beneath.
"One half remains here, in this world. That is Eiden. Fragile and weak, yes, but still strong and our baby son."
Her eyes drifted away, as if looking beyond the room, into places only she could see.
The Duke knew that look.
"Lilia," he whispered, his voice tense, "is this… your precognition ability?"
She nodded slowly, sadness deepening in her gaze.
"The other half, Killian, is stronger, tougher. Born in a world far from this one, forged in trials we cannot fathom. He carries burdens no child should bear."
Her voice softened, edged with sorrow.
"Though fierce and defiant, Killian is broken inside in ways no one sees. He wears strength like armor, but beneath it lies a soul still fighting to be whole."
The Duke swallowed hard, the truth settling like ice in his veins.
"Two halves of one soul," She had whispered.
