“I’ll see you soon, Ens,” I lie, and she smiles and pretends she believes it. “Soon,” she repeats, her voice cracking under the deluge of anguish I see rising in her gaze. “Spark the flames, Ever.” “Ignite the infernos,” I answer automatically. “Ash the embers,” we both say at the same time, a small chuckle escaping us as we finish the chant we’ve exchanged back and forth since we were kids.
