Lazarus stirred slowly, the warmth beneath the blankets unfamiliar after days of cold stone and ice. He opened his eyes and turned his head, blinking as the world came back into focus.

  Sonia lay beside him.

  For a moment he simply watched her breathe, the rise and fall of her shoulders steady and calm. He wrapped one arm around her gently, careful not to wake her, and pressed a soft kiss against her back. She shifted, murmured something half-formed, then rolled to face him.

  She smiled.

  The sight of it settled something deep inside him.

  They leaned toward one another without thinking, sharing a quiet kiss, unhurried, warm, certain. Lazarus felt something unfamiliar bloom in his chest. Not adrenaline. Not duty. Something softer.

  Something safe.

  He wasn’t alone.

  Their fingers laced together, hands resting between them as if they belonged there.

  A knock shattered the moment.

  “Lazarus,” the doctor called from the other side of the door. “Wolf is awake.”

  Reality rushed back in.

  Lazarus swung his legs from the bed and pulled on his clothes, then his armour, piece by piece, the familiar weight grounding him. Sonia rose more slowly, hair spilling loose over her shoulders. He caught himself watching her for a heartbeat longer than he meant to before she dressed as well.

  They opened the door together.

  The doctor stood there, surprise flickering across his face. “Oh. Sonia. You’re here too.”

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  She shifted awkwardly. “He didn’t want to be alone… after everything.”

  The doctor nodded, clearly understanding more than either of them said aloud.

  “So Wolf is awake?” Lazarus asked quickly.

  “Yes,” the doctor replied. “He wants to see you.”

  They walked through the village together, silence stretching between them, heavy and uncertain. The morning light painted Tarule in soft gold as they crossed the market square and climbed the steps to the doctor’s house.

  “Door’s open,” the doctor said behind them.

  Inside, Wolf lay propped up on the bed, looking far better than Lazarus had feared.

  “Lazarus!” Wolf greeted, his voice brighter than expected.

  “You had me frightened,” Lazarus said with a smile.

  Wolf laughed, then winced. “Frightened? I had to trust you with my life.”

  Lazarus told him everything, the Thornic, the flower, the ice fields. Wolf listened without interrupting, his expression unreadable.

  “Well,” Wolf said at last, “I suppose that’s you done then. Off back to the mission.”

  There was disappointment in his eyes.

  “Actually,” Lazarus said, glancing toward Sonia, “I was thinking of staying. I’ve spent my whole life looking for somewhere I belong.”

  Wolf studied them both. “You have a mission,” he said firmly. “Destroy the Shoven. Save the world.”

  “I’m not a weapon,” Lazarus replied. “I’m staying.”

  Wolf pushed himself upright despite the pain. “I trained you to return to the Chosen. Training is complete. You must go.”

  “I choose not to.”

  Lazarus turned and walked out.

  Sonia hurried after him, catching up in the street. “Lazarus! I didn’t want to cause this. If you need to leave—”

  “I made this choice,” he said, not slowing.

  “Stop!” she called. “Stop and talk to me!”

  He froze, shoulders slumping. When he turned back, her blue eyes searched his face.

  “I’m sorry,” he said softly. “Last night… I’m not ready to say goodbye.”

  “You don’t have to,” she replied.

  “I don’t know where this mission leads. Or if I survive it.”

  She pulled him into her arms. “And if you can save the world… shouldn’t you?”

  He held her close. “Let me stay until Wolf is healed. Then I’ll go.”

  She smiled. “I’ll support you either way.”

  Lazarus feels the warmth coming from Sonia, making him feel happy.

  A voice cut through the moment.

  “It is time.”

  A Royal Guard stood behind them, clad in white and silver, blue cloak snapping in the breeze.

  “I’m not going,”

  “That’s not an option.”

  “It is for me.”

  The guard hesitated, then sighed. “Very well. Stay. Protect the village. Once Wolf recovers, we return.”

  Relief washed through Lazarus.

  When the guard left, Lazarus turned to Sonia, smiling.

  “That went easier than expected.”

  “Are you sure?” she asked.

  “I don’t know,” he admitted. “But it’s the right choice, for now.”

  He took her hand, and for the first time in his life, Lazarus stood exactly where he wanted to be.

  Thanks for reading!

  Every time someone spends a few minutes in the world of Shahero, it honestly means more than I can properly put into words. Seeing people follow the journey of Tyron, Samantha, Lazarus, Freya, Cid, and Zara makes all the hours of writing worth it.

  If you enjoyed the chapter, feel free to leave a comment or follow the story. I read every comment, and it genuinely helps the story reach more readers here on Royal Road.

  A few people have also asked how they can support the project as I work toward eventually publishing the book. If that’s something you’d like to help with, there’s a support link below that goes toward editing and preparing the story for print.

  No pressure at all though—reading the story is already huge support.

  Question for readers:What moment in this chapter stood out to you the most?

  See you in the next chapter.

  — Matthew Cooke-Sumner