“The stars haven’t moved an inch, Lucian, yet everything looks different from here. Or maybe it’s just that I’m finally seeing the view through your eyes.”

Celeste leaned against the mahogany railing of the rooftop terrace of the Aldridge Estate. It was a clear, crisp evening in late 2026. The city of Mazi hummed in the distance like a living circuit board, but up here, surrounded by the scent of night-blooming jasmine and the faint, nostalgic aroma of her favorite tea, the world felt small and intimate.

Lucian stepped up behind her, his presence a warm, familiar weight. He didn’t say anything at first. He simply wrapped his arms around...