"He really said that? That you could be free?" asked Luke, staring at me, his tail frozen in shock. "Not just from the divinity, but from your curse?"
I fidgeted with my sleeve, not quite meeting his gaze. "Yes, but...it's not possible."
"Why not?" he asked, taking my arms, forcing me to look at him. "Xiv, think about it. You could finally be free! You wouldn't have to worry about accidentally picking up a knife, or that one of us hugs you too hard and literally cracks your rib. You could stay awake for weeks without getting tired, or run across a kingdom in a few days. You could be free."
"And you would be here."
He fell silent at that, his grip on me loosening. "But Xiv--"
"No." I shook my head. "There's only one world shard, Luke. Only one mortal who can ascend. And you...I'm happy here."
