On the airship, Maya set the book down on the small table beside her seat, her fingers brushing over its worn cover. The past two weeks had been grueling, but they had also given her something she hadn't realized she lacked—clarity.
She leaned back against the plush seat, her gaze drifting to the window. The clouds stretched out like a vast sea below, and in the distance, she could see the faint outline of the academy's spires piercing the sky.
'It's been two weeks,' she thought, her mind drifting to the friends and rivals she would soon reunite with. And to him.
Astron.
The thought of him brought a complicated mix of emotions. He had been a constant presence in her thoughts during her training, not just as a source of strength but also as a reminder of what she still needed to overcome. Her other self's words echoed faintly in her mind, sharp and cutting.
"He only sees you. Never me."
