Semua Bab The Cobra of Smoke - The Burden of Sight: Bab 11 - Bab 18

The autumn air carried the scent of fallen leaves and possibility. As David drove, Shantali watched the city scroll past her window, struck by how ordinary everything looked—pedestrians with coffee cups, cyclists navigating traffic, clouds drifting across the October sky. The world hadn't changed, but her place within it had shifted profoundly."What are you thinking about?" David asked, glancing at her during a red light."How strange it is that just a few days ago, I was desperate to understand something supernatural. Now I'm excited about checking water pressure in apartment bathrooms."David laughed. "That's called growth, I think.""Or sanity returning."They arrived at the first apartment—a corner unit in a renovated pre-war building. The real estate agent, a brisk woman named Elaine with a portfolio of listings and sensible shoes, led them through rooms bathed in natural light. The promised bookshelves flanked a brick fireplace, and the balcony overlooked a small park where cri

 As the women admired the engagement ring, Marcus pulled David aside. Shantali couldn't hear their conversation, but she could imagine her protective older brother giving some version of the "hurt her and I'll kill you" speech.   "So," Marcus said when they were all seated, menus open before them, "this seems rather sudden."   Shantali felt David tense beside her. "Not really. We've been together eight months."   "And living together for approximately zero of those," Marcus pointed out. "Don't you think a cohabitation trial period would be prudent before marriage?"   "Actually," David interjected smoothly, "we just signed

Shantali paused, hand on the heavy glass door. Part of her was curious, but the larger part recognised this as another test of her commitment to moving forward. "Maybe someday," she said finally. "But not today. Today I'm choosing to live in the mystery rather than solve it." Dr Hassan nodded approvingly. "Dr Thorne would have been proud of that answer." Outside, the October wind scattered leaves across the museum steps. David pulled Shantali close as they descended toward the street, the familiar weight of his arm around her shoulders grounding her in the present moment. "How do you feel?" he asked as they reached the sidewalk. "Free," she answered, surprising herself with

As she walked toward the subway that would take her to David and his grandmother, Shantali realised the cobra's true gift hadn't been prophecy at all. It had been clarity, the sudden, stark understanding of what truly mattered when all the noise of fear and ambition fell away.Three weeks later, their apartment fully furnished and the novel nearly complete, Shantali received another text from Maria: *I talked to Marcus. He applied for transfers to museums in San Francisco. We're moving together. Thank you for helping me see there was another option.*David read the message over her shoulder as they sat at their new kitchen table, Sunday papers spread between coffee mugs. "Another happy ending for the cobra's collection.""Not an ending," Shantali corrected, setting down her phone. "Just a better beginning."Outside their window, the park's trees had shed most of their leaves, preparing for winter's dormancy. In sp