Eclipsed Hearts

Chapter 1

Station Square, Midnight

The city lights glimmered far below, tiny stars scattered across the dark pavement. A gentle wind tugged at Amy's longer quills, making them sway like ribbons. She had wandered the city for hours without purpose, following only the sound of her own thoughts, until her feet carried her to the tallest rooftop she could find.

She wasn't alone.

Shadow stood at the edge, arms folded, his gaze fixed on the glowing skyline as if daring it to speak. The moonlight caught the sharp lines of his face, and for a moment, Amy wondered if he even knew she was there.

"You're not gonna jump, are you?" she asked lightly, though her voice trembled more than she liked.

His ear twitched. "No," he said flatly, without looking at her. "But you might, if you keep walking around up here like that."

She smiled faintly and stepped closer. "I've been higher."

He turned, eyes narrowing. "That supposed to be a joke?"

Amy hesitated. The truth wasn't funny. "No. Just... once, I fell. From a lot higher than this." She swallowed, the memories bubbling up before she could stop them. "And I remember thinking, 'This is it. This is where I stop existing.'"

Shadow didn't speak, but his eyes-deep, crimson, unreadable-stayed on her.

"I survived," she said softly, "but my parents didn't. I was with them when it happened. I saw it all."

For a long moment, the only sound was the wind scraping against the rooftop gravel. Shadow's gaze drifted away, down toward the glowing city.

"I know what it's like," he said finally. "To watch someone you care about disappear in front of you. To wish every day you could've done something different."

Amy's breath caught. "Maria?"

He didn't answer. He didn't have to.

They stood there in silence, two shadows outlined in moonlight, the weight of the past pressing against their backs. And for the first time, Amy didn't feel the need to fill the silence. She understood.

The rooftop wind had turned colder. Somewhere below, Station Square's nightlife roared on, oblivious to the two figures standing above it all. Amy stayed beside Shadow, her arms wrapped around herself-not because of the chill, but because of what she was about to say.

"You said you know what it's like," she began, her voice soft. "Maybe you do. But I don't think you know this."

Shadow's crimson eyes flicked toward her. "Then tell me."

She hesitated, staring at the moon. "It was a rooftop. Not unlike this one. My mom, my dad... my sister and me. We were running from someone-Star." Her voice trembled over the name. "A hedgehog. Purple and blue hair, eyes like glass. I didn't even know why they hated us. But I knew they wanted us dead."

She could still see it-like a painting burned into her mind.

> "They shot my dad first. Right in the chest. He... he fell off the roof before I could even scream his name."

Her breath shuddered, but she pushed forward.

> "My mom... Star stabbed her. Once. Twice. Then they grabbed me and threw me over the edge."