But perhaps, just perhaps, those shackles were finally beginning to loosen.
As Kisha continued waving at the people who had gathered to see her off, Duke felt a quiet sense of pride swell in his chest.
He was proud of her.
And more than that, he was genuinely happy for her.
She was finally beginning to understand that this life didn't have to be a repetition of all the ones that came before it.
The people around her were different.
Her circumstances were different.
And she was different.
The past might never disappear completely, but it no longer needed to dictate her future.
Duke's gaze softened as he watched her.
If those invisible shackles continued to loosen their hold on her, then one day, Kisha would finally be able to move forward without carrying the weight of countless lifetimes on her back.
And when that day came...
There would be nothing in this world capable of stopping her.
