POV: Kaelen
One year later
The world had changed.
The war had ended, the throne rebuilt, and peace stitched together from ash and broken oaths. But Kaelen—Kaelen had never stopped looking.
He had held the kingdom together with shaking hands and silent nights, pretending to rule when all he really did was search.
Every port town. Every sacred ruin. Every wandering traveler.
For her.
For Nernia, even if she no longer remembered that name.
Today, he stood at the edge of the cliffs overlooking Aramoor Bay. The wind tangled in his hair, salt in the air like it always was when she was near.
He shouldn't have come here again. Every year, the spring festival was held by the sea—but this year, the people said something strange had happened. A girl had washed ashore, no memory, no name, just a faint birthmark of flame across her shoulder blade. The shape only he would recognize.
Kaelen's heart thundered like war drums as he stepped through the crowd.
There she was.
Barefoot, standing by the shore in a faded ivory cloak, her hair longer now, braided with seashells. She smiled faintly as children offered her paper lanterns, not knowing she'd forgotten every piece of herself.
And yet…
When she looked up—looked at him—his breath caught.
Because she paused.
Tilted her head, confused. Like her soul had just brushed something familiar.
Their eyes locked.
His lips parted. "Nernia…"
She blinked slowly, and though the name meant nothing to her, her heart skipped.
"I… I'm sorry," she whispered, stepping back. "Do I know you?"
Kaelen swallowed the ache. "No," he said softly. "Not yet."
A gust of wind danced between them, and one of the children shouted, "She doesn't remember anything! She just sings at night, like she's waiting for someone."
Kaelen felt the crack in his chest widen.
But he smiled.
Because he saw it. The way her fingers curled instinctively when his got too close. The way her eyes darted to his like a compass to true north.
Something knew.
And that was enough for now.
He took a slow step closer and held out his hand.
"Then let me introduce myself again," he said gently. "My name is Kaelen. And I'd be honored… to fall in love with you once more."
Her lips parted slightly, trembling. Her hand hovered near his.
And just before it touched his palm, she whispered, "There's something in your voice… it makes me want to remember."