Camaz knew it was over the moment Mikol appeared on the rooftop. The Yscian had been fighting off the growing hoards of Unseeing pounding at their doorstep along with Yepla’s students and anyone who could hold a weapon. It had grown so much worse on the second day, but the moments after Aris’s smoke form appeared amidst the eye in the sky, the screaming of the Unseeing all grew silent and he knew that they had done it. Mikol’s appearance confirmed that the Unseeing had dissolved, which meant the Gate was closing.

  Aris’s body remained still. He barely registered Mikol and Laell crouching over Aris’s body to take her pulse. He didn’t hear - he couldn’t hear the words they said to him after they checked her body. Camaz became hyper aware that the handkerchief she had clutched in her hand was no longer there. That was the one piece of information that told him Aris was no longer of this world - the one piece of information he fully believed, even as Laell and Mikol told him the devastating news.

  She was gone. He had served her up to the gods and now she was gone. He did it to save the world - no, he did it to save himself. His eyes blurred.

  It took him several long heartbeats to realize the shaking in his limbs didn’t come from his tears, but from Laell pulling at his sleeve and prompting him to look up. Hot tears spilled down, clearing his vision and Imron’s lovely face and strange liquid green eyes appeared.

  Mikol muttered something in Yscian. The Part must have understood because she turned to smile at the young man.

  Camaz tried to muster up anger at the smile, an expression so out of place on that rooftop. But all he could bring out of himself was a tired question. “What are you doing here?”

  “The same reason I appeared last time,” Imron said softly.

  “You came to witness her death.” Camaz’s lips felt numb at the words.

  “Yes. Her time had come. Her actions saved us all.” Imron closed her eyes as if savoring some flavor.

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  Camaz strode towards the Part. “You made a deal with me before. You can make another one.”

  “I can.” Her green eyes swam as she watched him. “But she is no longer with us. This won’t be like last time. Last time I patched up her broken solute and kept her alive. This time…”

  This time the cost would be much, much higher. Camaz understood it immediately. “Then you know what I’m asking for. It would be a fair exchange, would it not?”

  “No, not really,” Imron said. “But all things considered… like how she saved me as well, I could make an exception.”

  “Then please.” To his surprise, he sank down to his knees.

  “P-professor…”

  Camaz ignored Laell’s shocked voice. No, he had to do this. If he didn’t… he would never forgive himself. “I beg you,” he said, his voice cracking. “Please.”

  “Last time you did it for redemption,” Imron said. She knelt down to his level and gently touched his cheek. “You wanted to redeem yourself for whatever reason. I tasted it in your solute. But now it’s not the same. The flavor’s changed.”

  Camaz didn’t reply.

  “I understand,” Imron said finally. “I accept this reason, it being the strongest of reasons. Though she won’t be happy about this.”

  “Aris… Aris is hardly ever happy about anything I do,” Camaz said. He attempted to sound wry, but only ended up sounding fond. He looked over at her lifeless body. “But I promised her everything will be alright. I intend to keep that promise.”

  “Do not despair too much, my dear professor,” Imron said. “One day you will meet her again, whether in the Great Solvent or in another life.”

  Maybe he will be a better person when they meet again. Maybe he will be someone worthy to be her parent, her guardian. With all the love in his heart, Camaz looked up at the Part without a trace of fear in his eyes.

  “Do it.”

  “Goodnight, professor,” Imron whispered, reaching out to his face. “And as a last gift to you… to the little moon and to my brother, Heel, I will…”

  Camaz couldn’t hear the last part as he felt lulled by her soft, melodic voice and he slipped into the sweetest of dreams and never woke up again.

  “Falling Free” by Eiv?r Pálsdóttir

  

  Your eyes tell me stories

  That I can't understand

  I have seen the future

  Written in your hand

  Now I surrender

  I am falling down

  Hoping you will catch me

  Before I hit the ground

  You're all I see

  For you, I'm falling free

  I have walked the steepest mountains

  Sailed the seven seas

  I have been looking for you

  In every part of me

  Now I surrender

  I am falling down

  Hoping you will catch me

  Before I hit the ground

  You're all I see

  For you, I'm falling free

  You're my destiny

  For you I'm falling free

  You're all I see

  For you, I'm falling free