I never imagined the boy who had shaped so much of my life would one day wear the robes of a Harmonist guide, dedicating himself to a life of reflection.

Jace had cut himself off from the chaos of the world. Whether it was peace or simply his way of escaping love and attachment, he’d left everything-and everyone-behind.

***

After returning from Cloudscape Monastery, I fell ill. A relentless fever knocked me out for two days, leaving me trapped in a swirl of disjointed dreams-my parents, Matthew, Lindey, Jace, Wayne… all of them.

In the dream, it felt like I was drowning. No matter how hard I tried to wake up, something kept pulling me deeper.

At some point, I thought I heard voices. Jace’s. Hayden’s. Were they real? They spoke in muffled tones I couldn’t make out.

But when Jace left-if he was ever really there the dreams stopped.