"NO! JAXEN!"
And a scream tore through the rooftop, raw and endless, splitting the sky in two. As Lav lunged forward, her hand outstretched to catch the man slipping through her life, another hand gripped her, firm and desperate.
Vio's arms wrapped tightly around her waist, yanking her back just as she reached the edge. The force of it sent them both stumbling, collapsing onto the rooftop's concrete surface with a thud, the impact echoing in the hollow air.
"No! No, no, no!" Lav's voice shattered as she scrambled against Vio's hold, her hands clawing at the ground, eyes locked on the empty edge where Jaxen had stood only seconds ago. "This is not happening for real. This is not true! I must be dreaming!"
The words spilled from her like a prayer, like a curse; like she could undo it just by refusing to believe. But the wind had already swallowed the truth. "This can't be real. Vio, tell me this is not real. Tell me!"
