I woke gasping.
Not slowly.
Not gently.
One second I was drowning in heat — breath tangled, body weightless, lightning cracking through mist —
The next, I was upright in bed, lungs dragging in air like I'd surfaced from deep water.
Sweat clung to my skin.
My heart hammered so violently it hurt.
For a moment, I didn't know where I was.
The dream clung too tightly.
Hands on my waist.
Lightning in the air.
His mouth on mine—
I squeezed my eyes shut hard.
"Gods…"
A low, amused hum curled through my ribs immediately.
Well now, little flame, Kagutsuchi drawled lazily. That was… vivid.
My eyes snapped open again.
"Don't start," I muttered hoarsely, dragging a hand down my face.
Oh, I absolutely will start, he said, unrepentant. If you are going to conjure such detailed fantasies, I deserve commentary rights.
"It wasn't—" I cut myself off, realizing arguing only made it worse. "It was a dream."
Mm. Yes. A dream where you pinned the corrupted Lightning Prince against mist and kissed him like you were trying to steal his soul.
Heat flooded my face instantly.
"I did not pin—"
You absolutely did, he interrupted cheerfully. Very assertive. I'm proud.
"Kagutsuchi."
What? he said innocently. I support confidence.
I swung my legs off the bed, ignoring the way the sheets clung to my damp skin.
"It wasn't real."
Wasn't it? he replied. your body seemed very convinced otherwise.
I froze mid-stand.
"…I hate you."
No you don't. You'd miss my excellent observational skills.
I grabbed my cloak from the chair nearby and draped it over my shoulders, trying to cool the lingering heat crawling up my neck.
"Can we not analyze my subconscious before sunrise?"
Why would we not? he said. It is far too entertaining.
I groaned softly and stumbled toward the balcony doors, pushing them open so the cold sea wind could slap some sense back into me.
Reality.
Salt air.
Distance from the dream.
Kagutsuchi hummed thoughtfully inside my chest.
You know, he mused, for someone who claims if need be she would kill him, your mind certainly lingers on very specific details.
"I am going to throw myself off this balcony."
Dramatic, he replied. But ineffective. I'd simply follow.
I leaned both hands on the railing, breathing deeply until my pulse slowed.
"It felt… different," I admitted reluctantly.
His amusement softened slightly.
Different how?
"Real," I whispered.
He didn't answer immediately.
When he did, his tone held less teasing and more quiet heat.
Bonds — even fractured ones — do strange things, it is not common magic, little flame.
My stomach flipped uneasily.
You felt him. And he felt you, Kagutsuchi added, far more serious now. Whether he has realized this yet or not is another thing entirely.
I swallowed hard.
Then shook my head sharply, pushing away from the railing.
"No," I said firmly. "Not dealing with that right now."
A wise survival instinct, he agreed lightly — though the smug undertone returned. Still… if you plan on seeing him today, perhaps try not to kiss him immediately.
"I am not going to kiss him."
Mm. We shall see.
I shot the horizon an unimpressed look.
"You're insufferable."
And you're blushing, he countered.
I refused to dignify that with a response.
Instead, I turned back into the room, already reaching for my gear.
Focus.
Meeting.
Neutral ground.
Not dreams.
Not heat.
Not the way his hands had felt—
Kagutsuchi cleared his metaphorical throat loudly.
Right. Preparing for battle. Very noble. Very serious. Definitely not thinking about his mouth again.
"I'm going to mute you."
You cannot mute a god, little flame.
"Watch me."
He laughed — warm, crackling, entirely too entertained.
But beneath the humor, I felt his fire steady around mine.
Protective.
Watchful.
Because jokes aside—
He knew this meeting mattered.
And so did I.
The heat from where his hands roamed snuck back into my head.
I shock it rapidly trying to rid my mind of these thought.
I stopped at the balcony doors and pushed them open again, letting the cold sea wind hit my face harder this time.
"That's enough," I whispered to myself. "Get it together."
Because today wasn't about dreams.
Today was about the meeting.
Forever Twin Falls.
Raiden.
I swallowed hard and turned back into the room.
No armor.
No weapons drawn.
Neutral ground.
But neutral didn't mean safe.
I dressed deliberately — light travel leathers, flexible, practical. My daggers slid easily into their hidden sheaths out of habit, even though I knew I wouldn't draw them unless absolutely necessary.
I braided my hair tightly back, more for focus than practicality.
By the time I finished, my breathing had steadied.
My hands had stopped shaking.
Mostly.
Muir was already waiting outside.
Of course he was.
He leaned against the stone railing overlooking the refugee camp, arms crossed, expression unreadable when he saw me step out.
"You look like you fought someone in your sleep," he said casually.
I snorted softly. "Just nerves."
He studied me a second longer like he didn't entirely believe that — then pushed off the railing.
"Ready?"
"As I'll ever be."
We walked in silence to the cliff edge where the wind currents ran strongest.
I didn't shift immediately.
Neither did he.
"You don't have to go alone," Muir said after a moment.
I kept my eyes on the horizon. "Yes. I do."
He huffed softly. "You say that like I wouldn't follow anyway."
I smiled faintly. "You would. That's why I'm saying it now instead of arguing midair."
He didn't laugh.
He just watched me carefully.
"This isn't just a meeting," he said. "It's Raiden. Corrupted Raiden."
"I'm aware."
"You've barely rested since the prison. Since the escape. Since everything."
"I said I'm aware," I repeated, softer this time.
He studied me another long moment — then sighed.
"Fine," he muttered. "But I'm flying you there."
I blinked. "What?"
"You need to conserve energy," he said matter-of-factly. "When things go south—"
"If," I corrected instantly.
His brow lifted.
"If things go south," I repeated firmly.
He smirked faintly. "Optimistic."
"Prepared," I countered.
He shrugged. "Either way. You're not wasting strength getting there."
I considered arguing.
Then realized he wasn't entirely wrong.
"…Fine," I conceded.
He grinned like he'd won something.
We shifted at the cliff's edge.
Sapphire and white.
Wind roared around us as wings tore free — my iridescent scales catching sunrise light while his darker green wings cut clean through the air currents.
He dipped beneath me, lowering slightly.
"Hop on, princess."
I rolled my eyes but flew onto his back anyway, gripping the ridge of scales behind his shoulders.
"Don't get used to this."
"Too late."
He launched.
The wind swallowed us instantly.
Flying always cleared my head — the rush of air, the sheer vastness of sky.
But today, even the horizon couldn't quiet the tension coiling low in my stomach.
Below us, the Water Kingdom unfurled in silver and blue — canals glinting like veins beneath morning light, boats drifting in careful order.
Beyond it, cliffs gave way to open wilderness.
And farther still—
Mist rose in twin pillars.
Forever Twin Falls.
I felt the thread stir faintly in my chest.
He was already there.
I didn't say it out loud.
I didn't have to.
Muir angled downward as we approached, wings beating slower as the thunder of cascading water filled the air.
The Falls were larger up close than they looked from a distance — two colossal waterfalls plunging from opposing cliffs into a shared basin before splitting apart again into separate rivers.
Sacred.
Neutral.
Unavoidable.
Muir landed on a high stone ledge overlooking the central platform between the falls.
I slid off his back and shifted into human form mid-movement.
The mist soaked my clothes instantly.
Cold.
Sharp.
Real.
And then—
I saw him.
Already standing at the center platform.
Back turned.
Wings partially unfurled — lightning flickering faintly along their edges as the waterfall mist drifted around him like smoke.
The sight punched the air from my lungs.
For half a second—
The dream overlapped reality.
His hands on my waist.
His mouth on mine.
Heat where there should have been only cold mist.
I clenched my jaw hard.
This is real life, I told myself firmly. He could try to kill you.
The reminder steadied me.
I forced my heart to slow.
Forced my breathing into control.
Behind me, Muir shifted back into human form.
"I'm coming with you," he said immediately.
I shook my head.
"No."
"Lyra—"
"You can't," I said, still watching Raiden's back. "The meeting point is the Falls themselves. Neutral ground."
"That doesn't mean alone."
"It does today."
He stepped closer, voice dropping.
"You don't know what he'll do."
"Yes," I said quietly. "I do."
Because part of me always would.
He exhaled sharply. "I don't like this."
"I know."
"I should at least—"
"Muir."
He stopped.
I turned to him then, meeting his eyes.
"If this goes wrong… I need you ready. Not beside me."
He hesitated.
Argued silently.
Then finally nodded once.
"Fine," he muttered. "But I'm staying within range."
"I'd expect nothing less."
I turned back before I could second-guess myself.
The platform felt farther away than it actually was as I descended the carved stone path toward the central meeting point.
Each step echoed faintly beneath the thunder of the Falls.
Raiden hadn't moved.
Hadn't turned.
He knew I was there anyway.
The thread between us pulsed once — recognition without sight.
I stopped a few paces behind him, mist curling between us.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
The roar of water filled the silence where words should have been.
I forced my heart to steady again.
Forced the dream from my mind.
Forced myself to remember:
This was not the man from the dream.
This was the corrupted prince.
The storm wearing his face.
I lifted my chin slightly.
Waiting.
Finally—
He spoke.
"You kept me waiting."
And then he turned to face me.