They remained that way for a long time. The warm, purple-hued lamplight of her streaming setup bled into the living room, while the endless grid of Lagos city lights thirty floors below painted the ceiling. Outside, millions of people were going about their Thursday night, entirely oblivious.
But inside, everything had tilted on its axis.
Deep within Sophie, that faint, undeniable current of Qi continued to swirl. The world had just cracked wide open, infinitely larger and more dangerous than she had ever imagined.
Eventually, the adrenaline began to fade, and her practical side kicked back in. She cleared her throat, breaking the comfortable silence.
"I want to come to your place."
"Okay."
"Tomorrow."
"Alright..."
"Properly," she added, giving his hand a sharp, definitive squeeze. "I missed you."
Stan turned his head to look at her, a faint warning bell ringing in his head.
"Sophie."
"Yes?"
