Beneath the Stagnant Sky

CHAPTER VII

UNDER THE STARLIT SKY

Eli sighed as she wiped down the counter of Maeve's Corner, the scent of freshly brewed coffee lingering in the air. The café had slowed down for the day, the usual crowd long gone, leaving behind a quiet, almost peaceful atmosphere. She pulled off her apron, stretching her arms before making her way to the door.

As soon as she stepped outside, she nearly bumped into someone.

"Leaving already?" a familiar voice teased.

Eli's eyes snapped up, and there he was—Caelum, casually leaning against the café's entrance as if he had been there for hours. His smirk was ever-present, but there was something distant about his gaze, as if his mind had been elsewhere before she arrived.

"You again?" she muttered, crossing her arms. "Do you just appear out of nowhere, or do you actually have a life outside of pestering me?"

Caelum chuckled, unfazed. "I like to think I'm good at making an entrance."

She rolled her eyes but couldn't ignore the curiosity creeping in. It had been days since she had last seen him, and in that time, she had experienced something she hadn't in years—peaceful, uninterrupted sleep. No nightmares. No dreams. Just silence.

"You didn't answer my question," she pointed out.

Caelum tilted his head slightly. "I was in the neighborhood."

"Liar."

He smirked. "Fine. I was waiting for you."

Eli narrowed her eyes. "Why?"

"To see if you're ready to make your third wish." He leaned in slightly, watching her reaction. "So, what's it going to be?"

Eli hesitated, shifting her weight. Her first two wishes had been easy—wishes born from instinct and exhaustion. But this one... this one needed thought.

She glanced up at the sky, the sun beginning its descent, painting the horizon in warm hues of orange and pink. Soon, the night would take over, and she would be home before the stars even had a chance to shine.

That was the rule. Her rule.

Or rather, her grandmother's.

Her entire life, she had never been allowed to step foot outside after six. It had been ingrained in her since childhood—curfew meant safety, meant order. Meant she didn't have to give her grandmother another reason to worry.

But now, as she stood there, an ache formed in her chest. A longing she had never dared to voice before.

"I want to stay out tonight," she said, almost surprising herself.

Caelum raised an eyebrow. "That's your wish?"

Eli nodded. "I've never been outside past sunset. Not once." She exhaled, running a hand through her hair. "I want to see the night sky. I want to feel what it's like to exist when the world is quiet, when everyone else is asleep. Just for one night."

Something flickered in Caelum's expression—interest, amusement, maybe even a hint of something deeper. "And what about your grandmother?"

Eli bit her lip. "She'll worry."

"Then I assume you want me to take care of that, too?"

She met his gaze, nodding.

Caelum let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. "You really are something else, Eli." Then, with a slow, almost lazy gesture, he extended a hand. "Fine. Your wish is granted."