The cold air bit at their skin as they left the cursed grounds of Sable Hollow behind. The sun hadn't yet risen, and frost shimmered like broken glass across the earth. Evelyn walked close to Lucien, her thoughts still echoing with Noctarion's voice.
But it was Elara who stayed farthest behind, her shoulders tense, steps slow. Something about the shadow they had faced had unsettled her. She never said much, but Evelyn could sense it—the way her hand lingered on the hilt of her blade. She wasn't just watching the forest.
She was waiting for something.
Or someone.
By nightfall, they had reached the mountain pass. Camp was quiet. Lucien sat close to Evelyn, tending a quiet fire. Elara took her usual post at the edge of the clearing, facing the dark woods with narrowed eyes.
That's when the horses came.
Three of them, thundering down the slope. Elara was on her feet instantly, sword drawn.
Lucien moved to shield Evelyn. "Company."
But only one rider remained when they stopped.
The other two peeled off into the trees, disappearing like ghosts.
The one who remained dismounted in a single, sharp motion.
Tall. Broad-shouldered. Dressed in dark leather armor lined with silver runes. His presence struck like lightning—controlled, cold, powerful. His black hair was short, his jaw sharp, and his eyes—
They weren't human.
One was a deep amber, the other a steel gray. He moved with the confidence of someone used to command.
He didn't raise a weapon. Just met Elara's blade with a smirk.
"You're quicker than they said."
Elara's blade didn't lower. "Who are you?"
"Name's Kael," he said smoothly. "Commander of the Order of the Eclipse."
Lucien muttered, "That's a myth."
Kael didn't even glance at him. "You'd be surprised what survives in the dark."
Elara took a step closer. "What do you want?"
He tilted his head slightly, a challenge flickering in his mismatched gaze. "I was told the girl with fire in her blood was heading north. I came to see if the stories were true."
"You're talking about me?" Evelyn asked cautiously.
"No," Kael said, his eyes locked on Elara. "Her."
Elara blinked. "What do you mean?"
Kael circled slightly, not threatening—but not timid. "You're the one who survived Seraphine. The one who stood against the Crimson Court and walked away. That's not just luck."
"I don't like riddles," Elara said flatly.
"Good," Kael said, stopping in front of her. "I don't speak in riddles. I speak in truths. And the truth is, I've been looking for someone like you."
Lucien stepped forward, but Kael didn't flinch.
"I'm not here to fight. Yet. I'm here to offer knowledge—and maybe, eventually, alliance."
"Why now?" Evelyn asked.
Kael finally looked at her. "Because the moment your father rose, the entire balance of the realms shifted. And not just in your lands. I felt it all the way across the Black Mountains. Noctarion isn't just a threat to you. He's a threat to us all."
Evelyn exchanged glances with Elara.
Kael continued, "I've seen war. Fought things most wouldn't believe. But even I haven't faced a god in the making. If you want to survive what's coming, you'll need more than light and love."
His gaze returned to Elara. "You'll need someone who doesn't flinch. Someone who'll challenge you, fight beside you… and not care if you like them for it."
Elara's eyes narrowed. "You think that's you?"
Kael's grin widened, more shadow than smile. "I don't think. I know."
The two stood in a strange silence—tension, yes, but not danger. It wasn't attraction, not yet. But it was respect. Mutual and instant.
Evelyn leaned toward Lucien and whispered, "Are they going to kill each other or get married?"
Lucien shrugged. "Both, probably."
Kael stepped back. "I'm heading to the capital. If you survive the journey, find me there. I'll be waiting."
He turned, mounted his horse in one fluid motion, and looked over his shoulder once more.
"Elara. Don't die before we meet again. I'd hate to have wasted the trip."
Then he was gone.
That night, Elara didn't speak of him. She simply stared into the fire, jaw clenched tighter than usual.
But when Evelyn lay down to sleep, she heard her sister whisper to herself—just a word.
"Kael."