Safrin’s smile curved slowly, dangerously, as her son’s hand curled over hers. The flicker of stars that formed his vow—his oath—danced like a secret only they shared, and for a moment she merely looked at him, at the broadness of his shoulders, the quiet command in his gaze, and the power woven into every breath he took.
"Good," she murmured, her voice thrumming low with pleasure, with pride, with promise. "Because I did not make you to be small, Zenith."
As he turned his gaze toward Caido and asked where to begin, Safrin stepped beside him, her hand now at the back of his neck as she pulled him close. Her lips brushed the side of his brow—affectionate, reverent, but laced with steel. Around them, the stars pulsed brighter. "Begin where the stars are fading," she whispered.
She turned to face him fully again, fingers now brushing the edge of his jaw as her cosmic presence coiled around him like a velvet storm. "Find those who have forgotten. Remind them. You will walk the ground as proof of my love and protection. But should they spit on it…" The starlight in her eyes flared—once, hard and bright—"Let them burn."
Then, gentler, her fingers drifted to the star-born curls at his temple.
"And when you’re ready… we’ll make sure they know your name."
"Good," she murmured, her voice thrumming low with pleasure, with pride, with promise. "Because I did not make you to be small, Zenith."
As he turned his gaze toward Caido and asked where to begin, Safrin stepped beside him, her hand now at the back of his neck as she pulled him close. Her lips brushed the side of his brow—affectionate, reverent, but laced with steel. Around them, the stars pulsed brighter. "Begin where the stars are fading," she whispered.
She turned to face him fully again, fingers now brushing the edge of his jaw as her cosmic presence coiled around him like a velvet storm. "Find those who have forgotten. Remind them. You will walk the ground as proof of my love and protection. But should they spit on it…" The starlight in her eyes flared—once, hard and bright—"Let them burn."
Then, gentler, her fingers drifted to the star-born curls at his temple.
"And when you’re ready… we’ll make sure they know your name."
