Not Kailani's tears.
Shuyin's tears.
The original Shuyin's grief poured through the body they now shared.
The mother's face crumpled completely. Her whole body began to shake, the chains rattling against the wall.
"Shuyin. My Shuyin. My baby...." Her voice broke into sobs. Deep, wrenching sobs that sounded like they were tearing her apart from the inside. "I thought... I thought I'd never see you again. I thought....."
She couldn't finish. The sobs consumed her completely.
Fifteen years.
Fifteen years of being chained in the dark. Of hearing life happening beyond the walls. Of wondering if her daughter was okay, if she was safe, if she even remembered her mother's face.
And now here she was.
Grown. Beautiful. Alive.
But her eyes...
"Your eyes," the mother gasped again, reaching out with shaking hands that could only extend so far before the chains pulled taut. "Shuyin, what happened to your eyes? They were brown. Your eyes were brown like mine. How are they...."
