Elena finally looked at him. Her eyes were wet. “You cannot un-wish. You can only make a new wish. But each wish carves a little more of you away. Are you willing to lose yourself to save her?”

First, her fingers moved—just a twitch. Then her eyes tracked him across the room. One morning, Mateo found a single, real tear pooled at her stone feet. And he noticed something else: his own shadow was no longer his. It was taller, thinner, and its hands were always raised like hers.

He froze.