When Mira finally opened her eyes again, she was back in the Atrium. The portal had closed, the hummingbirds above her slowed to a gentle drift, and the filament on her wrist dimmed to a soft glow. The crowd was still there, but now each face bore a new expression—a mix of awe, humility, and a dawning comprehension.
Elara pressed her palm against the cold glass. Sol tilted his head, his black-bead eye meeting hers. For a moment, the universe shrank to the space between them: the last human and the last hummingbird. hummingbird20243 exclusive