The silence stretched between them. Vibrant ambers and violets seemed to dim, colors bleeding toward grey as his form disappeared into the gathering darkness of the outer ring.

Unbelievable. Juniper’s hands curled into fists at her sides. The warmth beneath her feet from the energy conduits felt suddenly oppressive, too hot, too much.

“Juni.” Sophia’s voice was gentle, careful.

“What?” It came out harsher than she intended.

A beat of silence. Then: “You okay?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Juniper turned sharply, forcing her feet to move, to carry her deeper into the orange center of the park. Away from where the shadows had swallowed him. “He’s allowed to leave. We all have things to do.”

Sophia fell into step beside her but said nothing. That was somehow worse than if she’d argued.

Just when the case was getting somewhere. Just when we actually won something. The thoughts came rapid-fire, each one stoking the heat in her chest. And he just… leaves. Again. Like always.

No… not like always. This was only the second time. Maybe the third?

Doesn’t matter. She picked up her pace, her heels clicking sharply against the path. Didn’t need him anyway. Never did.

Except her chest still felt tight. Her throat still constricting her in some way.

A cyclist’s shadow passed overhead, but she didn’t look up this time.

“You know,” Sophia started, her tone too measured, too therapeutic, “maybe he really did have something…”

“I’m sure he did.” Juniper cut her off, aiming for casual and landing somewhere closer to bitter. “Important things. Busy schedule. I get it.”

She could feel Sophia looking at her. That assessing look again. The one that said you’re being unreasonable and we both know it.

Her jaw set at an odd angle. She wasn’t being unreasonable. She was being realistic. People left. That’s what they did. Better to accept it now than be disappointed later.