The fire in the hearth had long since died, but the soft crackling of the embers remained, a fading echo of warmth in the otherwise cold night. Aerin sat at the round table in the large room, her fingers tracing absent patterns on the wood as sleep continued to evade her. She hadn’t expected company, especially not his.

  Elden stood in the doorway, silent at first, his figure barely illuminated by the pale moonlight filtering through the window. He hadn’t said a word to her since they had encountered the priestess, always lingering at the edges, present but distant, like a shadow that wouldn’t leave.

  “Can’t sleep?” His voice broke the silence, low and ragged.

  Aerin didn’t turn to look at him, her gaze fixed on the table in front of her. “No,” she answered quietly, the weight of their unspoken past hanging heavy between them. “You?”

  “I haven’t slept in weeks.” His tone carried the weariness of a man long haunted by his own demons. He stepped closer, each movement cautious, as if afraid of crossing a line that couldn’t be uncrossed.

  Aerin finally glanced up, meeting his eyes. His face was drawn, pale, etched with shadows of regret that went far deeper than sleepless nights. She could see it—the misery, the self-loathing, the constant battle between his duty and the love he could never have again. He looked like a man falling apart.

  “Aerin…” His voice wavered, and for a moment he looked as if he might break. “I know I have no right to ask for anything, not after what I did. I betrayed you. I betrayed myself.”

  The weight of his confession filled the room, settling over them both like a suffocating fog. He took another step closer, but stopped himself, his hands clenched into fists at his sides as if holding himself back.

  “Every night I lie awake, turning over the same thoughts, the same memories. And every time, it leads me back to the same truth—I was a coward.” He swallowed hard, his throat tight with emotion. “I made my choice out of fear, out of obligation, but it wasn’t the right one. And I hate myself for it, more than you’ll ever know.”

  Aerin’s chest tightened, her heart a knot of conflicting feelings. She had felt for him once, fiercely, fast like she didn’t think possible. But that had turned to ash the moment he had betrayed her. Still, hearing the torment in his voice, seeing the anguish on his face, it was hard not to feel something, even if it wasn’t what it used to be.

  “I can’t take it back,” Elden continued, his voice breaking. “I can’t undo what’s been done. But I swear to you, Aerin, I would give anything—anything—to make it right. Even if it means you’ll never be with me again. Even if it means all I’ll ever be is a ghost in your past.”

  There was a long, heavy silence. Aerin looked down at her hands, her chest tight with the weight of his words. She didn’t know how to respond, didn’t know if forgiveness was something she could offer there. But she knew she couldn’t carry the hatred any longer. It was eating away at her, just as much as it was him.

  “I don’t know if I can ever let you back in, Elden.” Her voice was soft but firm, resolute. “But…I can maybe forgive you. Someday. Maybe not today, or tomorrow. But I’m willing to try.”

  Elden’s breath hitched, a tear flickered in his eyes, though it was dim, almost fragile. “That’s more than I deserve.”

  “Maybe,” Aerin said, standing from the table, her voice quiet but steady. “But that's all I can offer right now.”

  He nodded, unable to speak, his eyes glistening with emotions he couldn’t suppress. Aerin turned away, feeling the finality of it, the closing of one chapter and the uncertain beginning of another. They were broken, both of them.

  The first rays of dawn began to seep through the windows as the quiet night gave way to a new day. Their journey tomorrow awaited them, and with it, more danger, more uncertainty. But for now, the silence between them was enough.

  Morning had come quietly, casting a pale, golden light over the windows of the estate. Talon was already up, packing his things in the soft morning mist. Mara moved about quietly as well, her movements graceful as she prepared for the day ahead. There was something different in the air between them, an unspoken thing that had been growing steadily, like a fire that hadn’t yet caught but was waiting for the right moment.

  Talon caught her eye, pausing for a moment. “Are you ready for this?” he asked, his voice steady but with an edge of concern.

  Mara smiled faintly, something soft and unreadable in her gaze. “I’ve been ready for this ever since I left. It’s just the first time I’ve felt like I didn’t have to do it alone.”

  Talon didn’t respond, but his eyes lingered on her, something unspoken passing between them. It was the kind of silence that said more than words could.

  The shadows around them seemed to thicken as the group moved deeper into the clearing, the silence almost unnatural. Kael’s contacts were supposed to meet them here, supposed to share crucial information about the Shadow Seekers. But something wasn’t right. Aerin could feel it—a prickle on the back of her neck, the way the air seemed to still, as if holding its breath. The magic in the air pulsed harder and harder in time with her heart.

  Talon’s eyes scanned the treeline, his hand on the hilt of his sword. “We’re being watched.” His voice was low, urgent.

  Mara, standing a few steps behind, nodded, her expression grim. “I sense it too. Something’s wrong.”

  The string between Aerin and the Priestess from the day before felt present, like she was there. Aerin tugged on it lightly, trying to make sense of where it belonged.

  Before she could react, the first blow struck.

  A hiss of magic sliced through the air, followed by a deafening crash as an explosion of dark energy erupted from the trees. Figures clad in shadowy cloaks surged forward, weapons drawn, eyes gleaming with malice.

  The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  “Ambush!” Kael’s voice rang out as he unsheathed his sword, already moving to intercept the attackers.

  Chaos erupted.

  The first scream tore through the night like a blade, and all hell broke loose.

  Kael lunged forward, his sword a blur of motion as it cleaved through the first attacker’s neck, hot blood spraying across his armor. He didn’t stop. There was no time. Another shadow moved in from the side, and Kael ducked, feeling the rush of air as the blade barely missed his head. He twisted, bringing his sword up in a savage arc, the blade biting deep into the enemy’s side, splitting flesh and bone with a sickening crunch. The man fell, twitching, eyes wide in shock as life drained from him.

  Talon was beside him, slashing through the onslaught like a storm given flesh. His movements were brutal, efficient—every strike was lethal, every step calculated. A dagger slipped into his side, the attacker grinning wickedly. Talon didn’t flinch. He rammed his elbow into the man’s face, hearing the crack of bone as the attacker’s nose shattered. Before he could recover, Talon drove his sword into the man’s gut, twisting the blade as blood gushed out in a black flood, pooling at their feet.

  Beside them, Mara’s voice rose in a chant, her hands glowing with arcane power. A burst of violet light exploded from her fingers, hurling enemies back with a deafening roar. Limbs twisted in unnatural directions, bones snapping like dry twigs as the magic slammed into them. A man screamed, clutching his face as his skin peeled back under the pressure of her spell, leaving nothing but charred muscle and exposed bone.

  But it wasn’t enough.

  Aerin barely had time to summon her magic before a blade came whistling toward her. She dodged, her heart pounding as she threw up her hands, fire blazing in her palms. The magic exploded outward, sending the attacker sprawling, but more took his place. More of them, slipping through the shadows like specters.

  The clearing was filled with the sounds of battle—the clash of steel, the crackle of magic, the guttural cries of the enemy as they pushed forward with ruthless precision.

  Aerin’s vision blurred as she fought, her movements fluid but desperate. She could see Mara in the corner of her eye, her hands glowing with arcane light as she cast spell after spell, her face a mask of concentration. Talon fought beside her, his sword flashing like lightning as he cut through the attackers with lethal efficiency.

  But then, through the din of the fight, Aerin’s heart dropped. The string of magic dragged her harder.

  The priestess.

  She appeared at the edge of the clearing, her dark cloak billowing behind her, her face twisted into a cruel smile. Her eyes found Aerin, gleaming with malevolence.

  “Did you think I wouldn’t find you, little queen?” The priestess’s voice was a venomous hiss, carrying over the chaos. “Your defiance will cost you dearly.”

  Aerin’s blood turned to ice as the priestess lifted her hand. A pulse of dark energy rippled outward, and the ground beneath Aerin’s feet trembled. Her magic was unworldly, dark and cruel. The air crackled with power, the kind that sent terror shooting through her veins. She barely had time to react before the priestess’s magic struck her like a hammer, knocking her off her feet and sending her crashing into the dirt.

  She gasped for breath, her vision swimming, but the fight wasn’t over. She pushed herself to her feet, determination burning through her despite the fear clawing at her chest. Blood seeped through from her right thigh.

  “Aerin!” Elden’s voice was sharp, panicked. He ran closer.

  Aerin turned just in time to see Elden struggling, her magic spiraling out of control. Flames danced along her skin, but they were wild, unfocused. A blast of fire shot out from her hands, but it missed its target, tearing into the trees instead.

  “Aerin, get it under control!” Kael yelled, but it was too late.

  One of the attackers lunged toward Aerin, his blade gleaming in the moonlight. She was too distracted to see him coming. Time seemed to slow, the world narrowing to that one moment—a life about to be lost.

  But then, Elden was there.

  He threw himself in front of Aerin, his body taking the full force of the blade meant for her. The sound of steel slicing through armor and flesh was sickening, and Elden’s breath hitched, his face contorted in pain. But even as he staggered, blood pouring from the wound, he raised his sword.

  Aerin dodged under another sword swipe, her heart hammering in her chest. She threw up her hands, and flames erupted from her palms, roaring with fury as they consumed the attacker in front of her. The smell of burning flesh filled the air, thick and choking. The man’s screams were like a chorus of agony, but Aerin didn’t stop to listen. She spun, barely avoiding another blade aimed for her throat, her magic surging again, this time sending a torrent of ice through the air. The enemy froze mid-motion, his eyes wide with horror as frost spread across his skin, turning him into a frozen statue. A single punch shattered him into pieces.

  But the priestess was watching, her eyes dark with hatred.

  “Fools,” the priestess hissed, her voice like nails scraping over stone. She raised her hand, and the ground beneath Aerin’s feet cracked open, jagged black veins spreading across the earth. A pulse of dark energy shot through the clearing, sending Aerin sprawling backward, her body crashing into the dirt. Her vision swam, the taste of blood sharp on her tongue.

  Talon roared, launching himself at the priestess, but she was faster. A wave of shadow slammed into him, sending him flying across the battlefield. He hit the ground hard, coughing up blood as he struggled to rise.

  “Talon!” Aerin screamed, but there was no time to help him.

  An enemy was on her again, this one wielding a massive axe. He swung, and Aerin barely ducked in time, the blade slicing through the air where her head had been a second ago. She rolled, kicking out with her legs, knocking him off balance. In a flash, she was on her feet, driving one of her daggers through his chest, the point of the blade exploding out of his back in a spray of crimson. He gurgled, his hands scrabbling at the wound, eyes wide with panic, before collapsing into the dirt.

  The air was thick with the smell of blood and sweat, the sound of metal crashing against metal ringing in Aerin’s ears. Every breath felt like fire in her lungs, but she couldn’t stop. Couldn’t hesitate.

  Elden’s sword sliced through the man’s arm in one clean motion, severing it from his body. Blood sprayed across the battlefield as the man screamed, crumpling to the ground, clutching the stump where his arm had been. But Elden didn’t stop. His eyes were dark with rage, his body a blur as he drove his sword down into the man’s chest, over and over again, until the screams stopped.

  Panting, he looked to Aerin who stood farther away than before, blood splattered across his face. His voice was ragged, filled with pain and guilt. “I won’t let them hurt you again.”

  A sharp cry echoed from the edge of the battlefield.

  Aerin had collapsed, her magic finally overtaking her. Flames licked at her skin, her body convulsing as she struggled to control the surge of power inside her. The magic of Thalindria and the lack of control inside her finally met.

  Elden moved without hesitation. He ran toward her, his body slamming into hers just as the magic exploded outward. The blast knocked him back, flames scorching his clothes, burning his skin. He cried out in pain, but he didn’t stop. He wrapped his arms around Aerin, shielding her from the worst of it, even as the flames consumed him.

  “Elden!” Mara screamed, her heart lurching in her chest.

  But then, with a guttural roar, Elden pushed through the pain, his sword in hand. He drove it through the chest of the nearest attacker, the blade sinking deep into flesh. Blood spurted out, staining the earth beneath them.

  The priestess appeared once more, her eyes locked on Elden. She raised her hand, dark magic swirling around her fingers, but before she could strike, Elden moved.

  With a savage cry, he flung himself at her, his sword slicing through her side. The priestess gasped, her face twisting in shock as blood poured from the wound. But she didn’t fall.

  “You’ll pay for this, boy,” she hissed, her voice filled with venom. “I will have your life.”

  But Elden stood firm, blood dripping from his own wounds, his chest heaving with every breath. “Not today.”

  Her scream was shrill, inhuman, as dark blood poured from the wound. She staggered back, her face twisted in rage and shock. But before she could retaliate, Talon was there, his sword flashing as he moved in front of Aerin, his eyes hard.

  “Stay down!” Talon barked at the priestess, his voice laced with venom.

  But the priestess’s eyes gleamed with hatred, her lips curling into a dark smile despite the blood pouring from her wound. “This is far from over.” With a wave of her hand, she vanished into the shadows, leaving the battlefield in eerie silence.

  Elden collapsed to his knees, his hand pressed to the wound in his side, blood seeping between his fingers. Aerin rushed to his side, her face pale with horror. “Elden, no!”

  He looked up at her, pain etched into every line of his face. “I had to... I had to protect you.” His voice was strained, each word a struggle.

  Talon stepped forward, his gaze shifting from Elden to Aerin. There was a tension between them all, but in that moment, something shifted. Talon’s eyes softened as he looked at Elden, a flicker of respect crossing his face.

  “You saved her,” Talon said quietly, his voice lacking its usual edge. “I never thought you would, but you did.”

  Elden let out a shaky breath, nodding weakly. “I owed her that much... I owed you all that much.”

  Aerin knelt beside him, her hand brushing lightly against his shoulder. There was no room for words, no room for the tangled mess of emotions that churned inside her. But in that moment, as the bloodied battlefield fell into a heavy silence, there was a kind of peace. A fragile, fleeting peace, but peace nonetheless.

  This battle had been won, but at what cost?