Darkness did not come gently.
It swallowed her whole.
Elara drifted through it, weightless, soundless until the silence broke.
A low, familiar rumble echoed through the void.
A roar. The Varyndor.
Her breath caught as the darkness shifted, pulling her into something else, something deeper.
She was no longer falling. She was standing.
Mist curled around her feet, silver and cold, stretching endlessly into nothingness. Above her, the sky shimmered with strange, shifting light like stars trapped beneath water. Then she saw it.
The Varyndor stood before her. Larger and clearer than before.
Its wings were half-spread, casting shadows that moved like living things. Its golden eyes burned not with anger, but with something far more unsettling.
Recognition.
Elara took a step back.
"I… I don't understand," she whispered.
The creature lowered its massive head slowly.
The ground beneath her feet trembled.
A voice deep, ancient, and not quite a voice at all echoed around her. YOU CARRY WHAT WAS LOST.
Her heart pounded. "What… what does that mean?"
The light around her wrist flared suddenly, bright and uncontrollable.
She gasped, clutching it as the glow spread up her arm like liquid silver. "I don't want this!"
The Varyndor's gaze did not waver.
IT'S NOT YOURS TO REFUSE
The wind rose violently, pulling at her hair, her clothes, her very breath.
Images flashed around her, a burning sky.
A kingdom in ruins.
A crown falling into darkness.
And then,
Kaelen. Standing alone.
Reaching for her. "Elara!"
She gasped.
Her eyes flew open as she shot upright, air rushing into her lungs in sharp, uneven breaths.
For a moment, nothing made sense.
The room blurred.
The light was too bright.
Her heart pounded violently against her chest, as if trying to escape. She was still there.
Still in the dream.
"Elara.. hey.. "
The voice cut through everything.
Familiar and real. She turned quickly.
Kaelen.
He was right there. Sitting beside her, leaning forward, his expression tense with concern.
And just like that the fear broke.
Relief flooded her so suddenly it almost hurt.
Without thinking She moved.
"Elara—?"
She threw her arms around him tightly.
As if letting go meant falling back into the darkness.
Kaelen froze. Completely.
For a second, he didn't even breathe.
Her grip tightened slightly, her fingers clutching the fabric of his clothes.
"I—" her voice trembled, barely steady, "I thought.. "
She couldn't finish.
Her heart was still racing, but now it was different.
Everything was real. She felt warmer and safe.
Kaelen slowly lifted his hands, unsure at first… then carefully placed them against her back.
"You're okay," he said quietly.
His voice was softer than usual. "You're here."
Elara closed her eyes briefly, holding onto that moment. To him. To reality.
To something that didn't feel like it would disappear.
They stayed like that for a few seconds longer.
Then a few more.
And suddenly It hit her. What she was doing.
Her eyes snapped open.
She pulled back quickly, her hands releasing him as if she'd been burned.
"I—" she blinked rapidly, her cheeks flushing instantly, "I'm so sorry... !"
Kaelen stared at her for a moment, clearly caught off guard.
Then he let out a quiet breath, running a hand through his hair. "That was… unexpected."
Elara groaned softly, dropping her face into her hands. "I can't believe I just did that."
"You tackled me," he said, a hint of amusement creeping into his voice now.
"I did not tackle you!" she shot back, peeking at him through her fingers.
"You threw yourself at me."
"I was panicking!"
He smirked slightly. "Sure."
Elara rolled her eyes, though her face was still warm. "I just woke up from a nightmare, Your Highness. Forgive me for not being composed."
Kaelen leaned back slightly, folding his arms. "Oh, I'm not complaining."
She paused. Then blinked.
"…You're not?"
His smirk deepened just a little. "It was… informative."
Elara frowned. "Informative?"
"Now I know what you do when you're scared."
She pointed at him. "Don't get used to it."
"No promises."
Despite herself, she huffed out a small breath of laughter. The tension eased. But only slightly.
Because the memory of the dream still lingered.
Her hand moved slowly to her wrist.
Kaelen noticed immediately.
"You saw it too, didn't you?" he asked quietly.
Elara hesitated.
Then nodded. "It spoke to me."
His expression shifted. "The creature?"
She nodded again. "Not like normal… but I heard it."
"What did it say?"
Her voice dropped. "That I carry something."
Silence settled between them.
He studied her carefully.
"That thing came to the palace," he said slowly. "Walked through guards, through walls of soldiers… and didn't attack anyone."
Elara met his gaze. "It came for me."
Neither of them looked away.
For a moment, the weight of that truth hung heavily in the air.
Then Kaelen spoke again, quieter this time. "You scared me."
Elara blinked. "What?"
"When you collapsed," he said, his voice steady but softer than before, "I thought…"
He stopped himself.
But she understood. Her expression softened.
"You ran to me," she said gently.
Kaelen exhaled. "You noticed."
"It's hard not to notice a prince pushing through a crowd like that."
He huffed faintly. "You make it sound dramatic."
"It was dramatic."
Their eyes met again.
And this time neither of them looked away.
The air shifted.
Kaelen leaned forward slightly without realizing it.
"You're different," he said.
Elara's breath caught. "Different how?"
He shook his head faintly. "I don't know yet."
That answer should have unsettled her.
But somehow It didn't.
Her fingers moved slightly on the bed.
So did his. Close enough to touch.
And then, The door opened.
"Elara!"
Serenya rushed in, followed by Alaric and Darin.
The moment shattered instantly.
Kaelen straightened.
Elara pulled back.
"You're awake!" Serenya said, relief flooding her voice as she hurried to her side.
"I'm okay," Elara said quickly, though her heartbeat hadn't fully calmed.
Alaric stepped closer, already examining her. "What are you feeling?"
"Nothing just tired," she replied.
Darin crossed his arms, eyeing Kaelen briefly before focusing on her. "You had us worried."
"I'm sorry."
Alaric's hand paused at her wrist. His expression shifted.
Concern deepening. Because for just a moment
a faint glow flickered beneath her skin.
Gone in an instant.
But enough. More than enough.
Something had changed.
And this time everyone could feel it.