Never see you again in this life Chapter 2

"Sera! Rhys must still be dazed from his long sleep. He's only human, after all. His mortal flesh is weak. Why don't we let him rest in the Celestial Realm for a while?"

A man in flowing green robes descended from the clouds, a miniature version of himself standing beside him.

"Mama Sera! Hug!" The little boy, a half-eaten candied fruit in his hand, launched himself at Seraphina.

"Kael, you little troublemaker. I thought we agreed no more sweets for Leo while he's teething." The moment before, Seraphina had been clutching my hand. Now, she instinctively scooped the boy into her arms.

**"There it is! The pet names! 'Sera' and 'Trouble'! Even their son Leo calls her that! The FL is the Celestial Queen and she still lets her man and kid call her silly names. This family is so cute I could die!"**

**"Is someone feeling a little... extra right now? I won't name names."**

**"Our ML is too kind, offering to let the sidekick stay in the heavens! My poor baby doesn't know what's coming."**

I bit my lip and tried to get her attention. "Seraphina."

No response. She was too busy flirting with Kael.

I said it louder. "Seraphina!"

That finally broke the spell. She put the child down and knelt before me on one knee. She pulled a small, ornate box from her robes, a shy expression on her face that I hadn't seen since we were teenagers.

"Rhys, I'm sorry. It's... it's been a very long time since anyone has called me that. Let me introduce you. This is Kael, my companion on my journey. When he said your mortal flesh was weak, he wasn't insulting you. He just meant that the human body is fragile."

She leaned closer, her voice a whisper. "So... tonight, I will personally transfer my essence to you. You'll become an immortal, just like me. And we'll never have to be apart again."

I pointed at the man and his son. "You have his child, you carry his baby, and you stand in front of him and tell me *we'll* never be apart?"

As expected, Kael's eyes welled with tears. The little boy started punching my leg. "You mean man! You made my daddy cry! Say you're sorry!"

**"This sidekick pretending to be the innocent victim. Ugh. It's okay, Kael baby, don't cry."**

**"If he wants a separation so badly, he can just leave. Jump through the Sundering Gate and you're back in the mortal world."**

**"He's just bluffing. The loser would never give up the luxury of the Celestial Realm and the temptation of eternal life."**

I turned to leave, but Seraphina's hand shot out, grabbing my arm. At the same time, she grabbed Kael's, who had also made a move to leave.

"Rhys, where are you going?"

"To the Sundering Gate. I told you, my wish is to separate from you."

She frowned, completely bewildered. "Just because Kael and I have children? Are you really that petty?"

Am I petty? My wife fell in love with another man while she was supposed to be saving me. Am I not allowed to be angry?

"Let me go." I didn't want to become the monster described in those floating words. Leaving was my only option.

And she did let go.

She let go of Kael's hand, stepped behind me, and wrapped her arms around me in a tight embrace.

"My only goal on this entire journey was to bring you back," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "Without you, nothing I've done has any meaning."

My own eyes started to burn. We were childhood sweethearts. Maybe I should trust the Seraphina I knew. Not these strange, cruel words.