Caitlyn walked beside Raymond, her steps lighter than they had been in days, her soul a little more whole, a little more at peace. It was a feeling she hadn’t realized she’d been missing until now—this sense of being grounded, of returning to herself. She could feel the bond between her and Raymond as if it were a second heartbeat, steady and strong, the tether between them pulsing with every step they took.

Her aura had changed. It was subtle at first, but the closer they came to Eldoria, the more Caitlyn felt the shift. She wasn’t just Caitlyn anymore. She was whole—not only with Raymond, but with herself. There...