Luna had looked startled—which he’d thought was weird. After all, she knew lots more than he did. Shouldn’t she understand soulmarks?

As if in answer to his confusion, she’d wordlessly turned over her own wrist, to show the matching mark. And then smiled, eyes knowing, like they always were.

At the time, Noctis hadn’t been able to think of anything better. Luna was amazing—why wouldn’t he want to be with her forever?

And then, everything fell apart. He and his dad barely escaped Tenebrae with their lives, and Luna? She was still there. Without him.

That wasn’t how soulmates were supposed to work.

Noctis had clung to the idea, fiercely, that this meant he’d see her again. That she would have to be okay, because they were supposed to be together forever. She couldn’t leave without him.

Knowing she was alive, thanks to Umbra, helped. As did the letters they exchanged. Noctis just had to wait until they could be together.

As he grew up and learned more about soulmates, he began to see the flaws in his logic. Some soulmates died far too soon after meeting. Rarely, if ever, did they die at the same time.

There would always be one left behind.