Chapter Thirteen – Moonlit Lessons
The Bloodstone Plains stretched endlessly beneath the pale evening sky. The ground shimmered faintly, as though sprinkled with starlight, and the air hummed with dormant magic.
Aria followed Kael to the edge of a narrow ridge, her heart still unsettled from the witch's attack the day before. She traced her fingers over the silver mark on her palm, which glowed faintly whenever she thought of the power she'd unleashed.
Kael stood a few steps ahead, his black cloak shifting in the breeze. He looked different tonight—less like the untouchable king and more like the man who had bled and fought for her.
"This place is safe," he said, glancing back at her. "The witch's magic is weakest here. It's the perfect place for you to learn."
"Learn?" Aria asked.
"To control what's inside you," he said, his glowing eyes lingering on her face. "Yesterday, you nearly burned yourself out. That kind of raw power… it will destroy you if you don't master it."
---
Aria swallowed hard. "And you think I can master it?"
Kael's lips curved slightly, though not into a smile. "I think you don't have a choice."
The bluntness of his tone sent a shiver through her, but she nodded. "Fine. What do I do?"
Kael stepped closer, stopping just inches away. He took her hand, his thumb brushing over the glowing mark. His touch was warm, almost burning.
"Close your eyes," he said softly. "Feel the magic, but don't fight it. Let it rise, like water filling a vessel. Then shape it. Command it."
---
Aria closed her eyes, focusing on the warmth in her palm. It pulsed like a heartbeat, sending ripples of energy through her veins. At first, it was too much—too wild. She gasped, her eyes snapping open.
Kael's hand tightened around hers. "Stay with me," he murmured. "Focus on my voice. Just me."
Her breath steadied under his gaze. "I'm trying."
"I know," he said, his tone gentler now. "You're stronger than you think."
---
She closed her eyes again, this time imagining the magic as silver threads. Slowly, carefully, she pulled them together, weaving them into a single glowing strand. The mark on her palm flared, and heat coiled up her arm.
"Good," Kael said, his voice low and steady. "Now, let it flow outward. Just a little."
Aria exhaled, releasing a faint shimmer of light into the air. It spread like mist, glowing softly in the moonlight.
Her eyes flew open. "I did it!"
Kael's lips curved into a faint, proud smile. "You did."
---
The thrill of success made Aria's chest tighten. She turned to him, her excitement breaking through her fear. "I can feel it, Kael. It's like… it's been inside me all along, just waiting."
He studied her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. "You're dangerous when you're like this."
"Dangerous?" she repeated.
"Not because of your magic," he said quietly. "Because every time you smile like that, I forget I'm supposed to keep my distance."
---
The words caught her off guard, making her heart race. "Kael…"
He looked away, his jaw tightening. "You should rest. We'll train again tomorrow."
"No," she said firmly, stepping closer. "You can't just say something like that and then walk away."
His glowing eyes flicked back to hers, intense and conflicted. "Aria, I'm cursed. If I let myself… want this, I'll drag you down with me."
"Maybe I don't care," she whispered.
---
The tension between them thickened like a living thing. Kael's hand rose slowly, hesitating before brushing a strand of hair from her face.
"You should," he said softly. "Because every time I look at you, I want things I can't have."
Her breath caught. "Then maybe you should stop pretending you don't want them."
For a heartbeat, he just stared at her, his glowing eyes burning with something fierce. Then he let out a low, frustrated sound and turned away, running a hand through his hair.
---
"Kael," she said gently, stepping toward him. "I don't care about the curse. I care about you."
He froze. The wind rustled around them, carrying the faint hum of magic. Slowly, he turned, his gaze locking onto hers with an intensity that made her breath hitch.
"You'll be the end of me," he murmured.
"Then let me be," she whispered.
---
Before either of them could think better of it, he closed the distance between them. His lips crashed against hers, fierce and desperate, like he'd been holding back for far too long.
Aria's hands fisted in his cloak, pulling him closer as the kiss deepened. The world around them faded—the plains, the curse, even the fear of the witch. For that moment, there was only him.
When they finally broke apart, Kael's forehead rested against hers, his breath uneven.
"This is madness," he said softly. "But I can't stop."
"Then don't," Aria whispered.
---
They stood there under the moonlight, the air thick with everything unspoken between them.
Finally, Kael stepped back slightly, his glowing eyes still fixed on hers. "Tomorrow, we'll push harder. You'll need control if we're going to survive what's coming."
Aria nodded, though her heart still raced from the kiss. "I'll be ready."
"I know you will," he said, and this time, there was no hesitation in his voice—only certainty.
---
As they settled by a small fire that night, Aria stared at the stars above. Kael sat beside her, close enough that his warmth seeped through her skin.
For the first time since arriving in this cursed realm, she felt something like hope.
---
But deep inside, a voice whispered—a reminder that the witch wouldn't wait forever.
And when she came, no amount of hope would keep them safe.