A Shattered Dawn

Epilogue

After everything happened, I knew that I could not stay in the Celestial lands. I knew my time there was done. I did not dare venture into the lands of the Night Angels, though, and instead took a ship to the human lands of the north. Nothara. I thought I wanted to go home, but I realized that it was the one place I could not face alone. I did not want to return to my birthplace. And so I went to the coastline of the human lands, where I could be with the open ocean and the sky and be at peace for the first time.

After Celestials came to be on this earth, regular, mundane people began to appear. Nothing like the higher beings of the Split Continent. The Celestials forced them to live on a small island in the north, for fear that they would contaminate the powerful bloodlines.

Thankfully, its low elevation ensures that it is not as cold and unforgiving as the northern lands of Oneira.

Shortly after I arrived, I gave birth to a perfect little girl, Calla.

Fallon's child.

I wish he were here to watch her grow up. She's beautiful. She has his striking brown eyes, lighter than her long dark brown hair.

I see his face everywhere.

In our child.

In a crowded market at the center of this tiny coastal town.

I think of him each day, no matter how much I try to distract myself with chores and housework.

I haven't summoned my powers since I left the Celestial lands. It is too dangerous, especially with a child around.

I raised my child to be a human. Powerless.

When her markings appeared at the base of her spine, a swirling galaxy of stars and shapes, I brought her to get them inked. I told her it was a family tradition and told the artist that her previous ink had faded and that we wanted to get it redone.

She'll never know the truth, no matter how much it hurts me.

Two decades have passed and my daughter goes to school on the other side of the continent at a prestigious boarding school. She wanted to go so badly and I finally allowed it a couple of years ago. She always had a passion for learning, even at a young age.

I only hesitated to send her because, no matter how much I denied it, I did not want to be alone again. It had been a long time since I had been alone for longer than a year.

My kitten is still alive. I guess she truly is a Celestial cat. And I am glad of it, because without her I would be even more alone than I already am.

I did not hear from my mother again in my dreams. I can only hope that my father has joined her and they can move on—to wherever souls go. I hope that they are happy and try to forget that it is my fault that my father did not survive.

Maybe I did not do what I had originally intended, but at least I had some form of closure. Even if I never got to say a proper goodbye.

The years did not wear away at my appearance, however mentally drained I may feel after everything that happened. I still appear as be the young woman I was when I met Fallon all those years ago.

When a knock sounds at my door on a cool spring morning, I expect it to be nothing more than the mail.

I open the door.

I see his face.

He, too, has not changed.

I expect to feel anger, but I wait for him to speak before I jump to any unnecessary conclusions.

"I thought of you every day I was away. I made a mistake, Acilya, I think I am in love with you. I lied when I said I didn't care for you. I was a coward. I was thinking of myself and I didn't want to risk being with you—I searched everywhere, but nothing makes me feel the same way that you do—"

I interrupt him with a kiss.

I don't know if I am dreaming. The way his hand feels on the back of my neck assures me that I am very much awake.

"I missed you, too."

It's true. I did. Every day.

He smiles, the same smile I looked forward to seeing each day all those years ago.

"Fallon, you have a child."

His eyes widen in surprise, then round in sadness.

"I'm so sorry, Acilya, I didn't know—"

"It's ok. Neither did I. We can't change the choices we made back then."

He nods, processing what he has just been told.

"I was going to tell you that I want to run away with you. I want to live a life with you. But now, I understand if—"

I nod, cutting him off.

"Let's go. I want to live every moment of my life with you. We can return in the summers so you can see your amazing daughter."

His smile could light up the world.

Just like how he lights up my entire life.

I lie in bed next to him, thinking. I have never been happier.

And I realize that maybe the moral of my story is that my life was not about what I felt, or did. It is about what I didn't. And about what everyone didn't do.

How Fallon's father didn't protect my family.

How I didn't kill Adela or her father.

How Fallon didn't love me.

How I didn't turn around and ask him again to run away with me.

I realize that I would like to change that. My life now is about what I do.

How I love Fallon.

How he loves me.

How I am going to live my life.

Live.

Who would you like to live for tonight?

I know my list is short but full of love.

THE END