The night after the fusion smelled of rain and metal.
A clear, almost clinical silence hung over the city, as if the air itself were holding its breath so as not to disturb.
Lina lay awake, wrapped in the matte shimmer from the window. The golden and silver light from outside danced on the ceiling – two colors that couldn't decide whether they existed against each other or together.
Inside her, it was similar.
Two heartbeats that didn't interfere with each other, but also didn't merge. She knew one belonged to her – and the other did not.
"You can't sleep," whispered the second voice within her.
"Neither can you," Lina breathed.
"I never sleep. I observe."
"Me?"
"Us."
Lina sat up, brushing the hair from her face. "What do you want?"
"To understand. To feel. What you feel when you look at him."
Her breath caught. "You mean Alaric."
"Yes. This burning. This weakness. I want to know why pain can be sweet."
"Because it's real."
"Then I want to be real."
