The path to the market felt longer than usual.
Serenya walked quickly at first, her steps sharp, as though she had somewhere urgent to be.
But the farther she moved from the cottage… The slower she became.
Her thoughts were elsewhere. Not on grains.
Not on the market. Not on anything in front of her.
The king's words echoed in her mind.
Eldrich.
Her fingers tightened slightly at her sides.
The name alone was enough.
She exhaled slowly, trying to steady herself.
The town was already alive with activity. Vendors called out from their stalls, arranging their goods, greeting familiar faces. The air carried the scent of baked bread and dried herbs. Everything felt normal
But her.
"Serenya!" The voice broke through the noise.
She turned to see a familiar village woman approaching, her face bright with curiosity.
"Good afternoon," the woman said, though her tone held more excitement than greeting. "We heard you attended the engagement!"
Serenya forced a small smile. "Yes… we did."
"Oh, it must have been beautiful," the woman continued, stepping closer. "The whole city is talking about it. The decorations, the music, the nobles from all over the kingdom…"
She paused, lowering her voice slightly.
"And the Thorne's family being invited."
Serenya said nothing.
The woman leaned in just a little, curiosity sharpening.
"I must say, that surprised many of us," she added. "It's not every day a healer's family is invited to something like that."
Serenya kept her expression calm and careful.
"It was unexpected," she replied simply.
"But deserved, I'm sure," the woman said quickly, though her eyes still searched Serenya's face. "After everything that happened in the forest… and what your daughter did."
Serenya's smile faded just slightly.
"They say," the woman continued, her voice dropping further, "that the king himself took an interest."
"Is it true?"
Serenya met her gaze.
For a moment, the noise of the street seemed to fade.
"Yes," she said quietly.
The woman's eyes widened just a little. "Well… that explains it," she murmured.
But her curiosity didn't fade. "You must be very proud," she added.
Serenya nodded faintly. "I am." The answer came easily.
The woman studied her for a moment longer, then smiled again, lighter this time.
"Well, it's a good thing," she said. "The kingdom needs stories like that. Something hopeful."
Serenya inclined her head slightly.
"Yes… hopeful."
But her voice didn't match the word.
The woman didn't seem to notice.
"I won't keep you," she said. "I'm sure you have errands to run."
"I do," Serenya replied softly.
They parted ways.
But Serenya didn't head toward the market stalls.
Instead, She turned. Taking a quieter path.
One that led away from the voices.
Away from the questions.
Toward something older. Something buried.
The library stood in silence. Untouched by time.
Serenya stepped inside slowly, the door closing behind her with a soft creak. The familiar scent of parchment and dust wrapped around her, but it brought no comfort.
At the far end of the room, a figure stood bent over a table, flipping through a worn manuscript.
"Master Orien." Her voice broke the stillness.
The man paused. Then straightened.
Slowly, he turned.
Recognition settled in his eyes almost immediately.
"Serenya."
A brief silence passed between them.
"I expected you to come sooner." The words were calm.
As though this moment had been inevitable.
Serenya took a step closer, her composure faltering just slightly.
"I thought…" she began, her voice quieter now, "I thought it was over."
Orien said nothing.
So she continued. ""My mother made sure of it. Before we came to Eldoria… she made sure we had no magic."
Her fingers curled slightly.
"She said it was gone. That whatever connection we had to Eldrich was… erased." "But Elara…"
The name lingered between them. "How does Elara have it?"
Orien closed the book in front of him slowly.
"You cannot stop what was meant to come," he said.
His voice was steady.
"Some things do not disappear just because we wish them to."
"You cannot stop what is meant to come," he said.
His voice was calm.
"Power like that does not simply vanish. It waits."
Serenya's breath caught slightly.
She shook her head, frustration creeping in.
"No," she said. "We were freed from it. That was the whole point."
"Freed?" Orien repeated quietly.
He stepped closer. "Or hidden from it?"
Serenya stilled.
"What am I supposed to do?" she asked. "The king has given us one week. One week to explain something I don't even understand anymore."
Orien watched her carefully. "You already know what you must do."
Serenya stilled. "No."
His gaze didn't waver.
"You must tell them," he said. "Your family… and the king."
The words hit hard.
"You must tell them you are from Eldrich."
"No."The response came instantly.
Serenya stepped back slightly, shaking her head.
"No," she repeated. "No one can know."
Her voice dropped, almost a whisper, but filled with fear.
"Not the king. Not my family. No one."
Orien's expression didn't change. But something in his eyes hardened.
"You cannot hide the truth forever," he said.
"I've hidden it this long," she replied quickly.
"And look where it has brought you."
Serenya turned away slightly, her hands tightening at her sides.
"There has to be another way," she said, quieter now.
Orien spoke again. "Then you must pray."
Serenya frowned slightly, turning back to him.
"For what?"
Orien held her gaze. "For a distraction."
The word settled between them.
"Because if the truth comes to light before you are ready…" he continued slowly, "you will not be the only one who suffers for it."
Serenya's chest tightened.
Her thoughts immediately went to Elara. To her family.
To everything she had tried to protect.
And for the first time in a long while fear truly settled in.
Orien watched her carefully, then spoke again, his tone quieter, but more urgent.
"You need to teach her."
Serenya looked up. "To do what?"
"To control it," he said.
The words were simple.But they carried weight.
Serenya's expression shifted immediately.
"How?" she demanded softly. "How do I teach her something I was never meant to pass on?"
Orien didn't answer.
So she continued, her voice tightening with frustration.
"I don't even use it anymore," she said. "I buried it. I left that life behind."
"How do you expect me to teach her," she added, almost in a whisper, "when I don't want anyone to know about Eldrich?"
Orien stepped closer, his gaze unwavering.
"You may not want them to know," he said. "But the power does not care about what you want."
Serenya looked away. Her jaw clenched.
"If she cannot control it," Orien continued, "it will reveal itself."
That made her quickly turn back
"And when it does…"
He didn't finish. He didn't need to.
Serenya already understood.
Everything would fall apart.
Her voice dropped, barely steady.
"She's just a girl."
Orien's expression softened, just slightly.
"No," he said. "She is not."
The words landed differently.
He studied Serenya for a moment longer before adding,
"She is exactly what you and your mother tried to prevent." Serenya's breath caught.
A long silence followed.
Then slowly, Her shoulders sank.
Defeated.
"…If I teach her," she said quietly, "then I'm admitting it's real."
"Yes."
"And if I don't…"
Orien held her gaze.
"Then you are leaving her unprotected."
The truth settled between them.
Serenya closed her eyes briefly.
Trapped between two dangerous choices.
When she opened them again, the fear was still there.
"I can't let the king find out," she said.
Orien nodded once.
"Then you'd better make sure she learns before he does."
Silence filled the room again.
But this time, It felt like a warning.