Ran descended the spiraling staircase, his mind still reeling from Mr. Moon's revelations.
The weight of possible futures pressed against his chest with each step downward.
At the dining pavilion, he spotted Rui immediately. She sat with Kee Kee, who was demolishing a tower of steamed buns with alarming efficiency.
The morning light caught in her hair, illuminating the new balance of energies that swirled beneath her skin—part chaos, part celestial, wholly mesmerizing.
She looked up, catching his gaze. "There you are. What did Mr. Moon want?"
Ran composed his expression carefully, burying his turmoil beneath practiced indifference.
"Just regular celestial bureaucracy. Nothing interesting."
"Really?" Rui raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. "You look like someone just told you the world was ending."
"Perhaps it is," Ran muttered, then shook his head. "It's nothing."
Kee Kee snorted, spraying crumbs. "Celestials and their secrets."
Rui patted the empty seat beside her.
