ittle more than a slow-spinning tease. The scent of old chalk mixed with warm dust. Kaia Solen sat near the b

eeze. Seagulls skimmed the horizon. The ocean stretched wide and

r wanted to leave the island. It was her h

er, not of restlessness, but of wonder. What lay beyond those waves? Not because thi

sharply through her thoughts. "C

warming. "Sorry, ma'a

d, and the tea

blemaking kind, but her head was always full. No

ace leaned over with a sideways grin.

soft smile. "

at? Cocon

"About the sea. Wonder

"You're weird,

" she said

She didn't know what an app was or why people obsessed over likes and filters. Her world was tactile-books, stor

under her nails. It was salt in her

the far side o

ves crashing louder, sharper. As if the sea itse

mbling along the shore. At first, Tomas thought it was a fisherman. B

a drunk, reaching for som

e coll

rst in

d her baske

ely. Cuts slashed across his face. Sand clung to w

gers to his forehead

he knows who he i

ed. Tried to

e went

g his arms under the stranger'

w steps and aching joints, they carried him into the forest path

l rang, and students filed

ying at the edges. It carried only what she needed: old notebooks, pencil st

e asked as he fell

," Kaia

I said hi. And your

nned. "

ail toward the east cliffs, past fields of cassava and rows o

g behind the trees. Shadows stretched long a

pau

lled softly as sh

voices. Muf

the corner

man in the

ious. Pale agains

dark hair matted against his forehead, a sharp jawline marred by

ace. Like someone who didn't belong here-but som

he bedside, her fa

," she said gently. "We

gain at the m

entered with a bowl of water. "Not

, curiosity growing

d to him?" sh

ash, maybe. Storm, maybe. He had no I

s stayed o

anger. A bro

g about him didn't

asn't

as cu

wrapped around this stranger who had

take care of h

owly, eyes sti

dn't k

had a

just passi

t him here-torn, n

n't believe

ewhere deep insi