Epilogue: Aliya’s POV

It had been a year—twelve long months of quiet peace mixed with regret, because no matter how life moved forward, a life lost could never be recovered.

I stepped out of the car, clutching against my chest the bouquet of flowers I had picked up from the nearby store, and walked slowly past rows of engraved stones that held the names of the departed.

When I reached the headstone I had come for, I crouched down, set the flowers gently at its base, and removed my glasses to whisper a small prayer to the heavens.

“Told you to wait for me,” a voice said from behind.

I...