His mind is a never-ending swirl of darkness, an ouroboros eating its tail as it turns endlessly in the dark. He rationalizes, he dismisses, and he lies to himself as the words echo off the cavern walls. It is only when Aelia, his light, his twin, his other half, aims her body into the center of his steps does Amaris pause.

Not just in his thoughts but in his movement as well.

He levels a gaze with hers, his name like a call to action atop her lips. She repeats what he has said, and for a moment, he questions the purpose behind her words. Shouldn’t she be offering different strands of advice? Something uplifting rather than outright agreeable?

Then again, what did Amaris really know?

Together, he repeats softly, as if repeating the word would give it more power than he failed to feel. His gaze faltered for a moment before returning toward his twin. Anything, He murmured in return.