When the Stardust Settles (and I Still Like Her)

Previously

…Lyra’s own smile was soft, a little shy, a rare sight. “We’re in this together, Elara. Always.” The unspoken words hung in the air between them, a promise as bright and as steady as the stars above. Lyra’s trust in Elara was complete, a deep-seated certainty that this shy apprentice held the key to their world’s salvation, and perhaps, to a future she had never dared to imagine. The Stardust Bloom was still a threat, a looming shadow, but now, standing beside Elara, Lyra felt a sense of hope, a quiet confidence that together, they could face whatever the cosmos threw at them.