The morning sun slipped through the tall windows of the Draven estate, painting the chamber in hues of gold. Astra sat at her desk, the sketch lying open before her. She had stared at it for hours, her thoughts circling the same unanswerable questions.
Kaelen entered quietly, his presence calm and grounding. He paused when he saw the fragile paper spread across the wood, the faded lines of a child's face—her face—undeniable.
For a long moment, neither spoke. Then, with trembling fingers, Astra turned toward him, lifting the sketch as though it were a fragile piece of her soul. "Kael… this is me. From before. From a time I can't remember, yet it feels like it never left."
Kaelen's expression softened. He came closer, resting his hands gently on her shoulders. "So this is what's been haunting you."
Her voice cracked as she continued, "When I saw Avni… something inside me broke open. I don't know why, but I felt… connected. And now this—this sketch in the Darveen archives—it proves I had another life, another family before you and the children. Kael, what if everything I thought I knew about myself is incomplete?"
Kaelen knelt before her, just as he had the night before. His eyes searched hers, steady and unwavering. Then, without hesitation, he drew her into his arms. "Astra, listen to me. No matter what truths come to light, you are my wife. You are the mother of our children. That will never change."
Tears welled in her eyes, spilling freely as she clutched his tunic. "But what if I have to face them? What if I have to leave you behind to find them?"
Kaelen pulled back slightly, his hands cradling her face, forcing her to meet his gaze. "If that's your choice, then I will walk with you. If it's your burden, then it's mine too. You don't stand alone in this, Astra—not ever. The children and I are with you, whether you reunite with your past or stay in the life we've built."
She gasped softly at the certainty in his words. His love was not shaken, not even by the possibility of another family, another life she might have belonged to.
"You mean it?" she whispered, her voice fragile as glass.
"I mean it," Kaelen said firmly, brushing away her tears with his thumb. "If you decide to seek them, then I will protect you every step of the way. If you choose not to, then I will honor that too. The only thing that matters to me is that you know you are loved. Fiercely. Unconditionally."
The weight that had been suffocating Astra lifted, replaced by something warmer, steadier. For the first time since she'd seen Avni on the call, she didn't feel crushed by fear. Instead, she felt anchored—safe.
She leaned forward, pressing her forehead against his. "I don't know yet what I'll choose, Kael. But thank you… for being my strength."
Kaelen smiled faintly, his arms tightening around her. "Whatever your heart decides, Astra, our children and I will always be here. You'll never face the storm alone."
The sketch, lying forgotten between them on the desk, seemed to glow in the sunlight—a symbol of both mystery and hope. Astra knew the road ahead would be fraught with painful truths and impossible decisions. But in Kaelen's embrace, she found the courage to face it.