Amias's fingers curl around Lira's wrist. "I'll do better," he breathes. "I promise. After all this… after she…"
His voice breaks again, but he continues.
"You'll have everything as my Luna. I swear it. Just… hold on a bit longer for me."
Her smile nearly cracks at the edges but she steadies it into something tender.
"I'll wait as long as it takes."
They sit like that for a long moment with his forehead resting against hers, their breaths warming the small space between them. Amias finds the smallest bit of stillness there. Not happiness or peace. But a pause.
A few moments passed before a small, painful sound croaks from the bed. Amias jolts and Lira flinches. Clarissa's eyelids twitch, then flutter open in slow, struggling blinks. Her lips part. A weak, rasping breath slips out.
"Amias…?"
He scrambles to her side so fast he nearly trips over the rug. "Mother?"
