Three days later, my body was still sore. Even after sleeping for hours, I could feel the weight of something deeper than exhaustion. It was as if my energy had been slowly drained away, and I was only just starting to notice. The cave had left its mark on me... not just through fear or tension. It was something else. Something I didn't know how to explain.
It hadn't been a direct order, but I knew he'd given instructions to keep me inside the house for those days. When Declan and I finally saw each other again, he didn't mention it. He just watched me with that strange gleam in his eyes as he sipped the tea Melyra had left on the table. I drank in silence, not sure whether I wanted him to speak or not. A part of me hoped he would say something. The other part feared what he might reveal.
—Today I want to show you something —he finally said. His voice was soft but direct, as if he no longer intended to hide anything
—Show me what?
—A part of the island. One you haven't seen yet.
—I can go out now? So I'm no longer your prisoner?
—You were never a prisoner —he answered calmly, though his jaw tightened slightly—. You just needed to be ready.
—Ready for what?
He stood and extended a hand toward me. He didn't answer. He just held my gaze with quiet patience. I'd already learned that if I wanted answers, I'd have to earn them. So I took his hand—more out of stubbornness than trust.
...
The walk was long, but not tiring. There was something in the air, in the leaf-covered path, that kept me alert. Every now and then, he glanced at me from the corner of his eye, as if he were studying my reaction to every turn we took.
—This forest is... different —I said.
The wind seemed to whisper, and the trees tilted ever so slightly, as if they were listening. Waiting.
—It is —he replied—. Here, the island... shows things.
I didn't ask what kind of things. Not yet. I preferred to stay quiet.
After a curve in the path, we reached a rise. From there, the sea stretched out in every direction. But it wasn't the view that stole my breath. It was an ancient structure at the far end, half-buried beneath the overgrowth.
—What's that?
—A piece of history no one talks about. Not even me.
We approached. It looked like a temple—or a sanctuary—covered in carved symbols. I didn't recognize them, but something about them felt... familiar.
—Why did you bring me here?
He walked up to a central column, placed his hand on one of the inscriptions, and for a second the symbol glowed with a faint light.
—Because this has to do with you.
A chill ran through me. I stepped back, my mind spinning with more questions than I could process. What did that symbol mean? Why did it shine? How could it be connected to me when I'd never been here before? And why wasn't I screaming, running, demanding answers?
—What does that mean?
—That you're more connected to this island than you can imagine. And that there are others... who know it too.
—Others?
He didn't answer. But his eyes darkened.
Then we heard it: a whisper. Not the wind. Sharper. Human. Coming from inside the temple.
—Is someone else here? —I asked quietly, though inside I felt like I was about to break apart. What kind of island was this? And why did Declan act as if all of this were... normal?
Declan walked toward the entrance without hesitation.
—Stay behind me.
The stone beneath our feet was damp, covered in moss. Inside the sanctuary, the temperature dropped suddenly. The air carried a metallic scent—iron and salt.
—This looks like it's been abandoned for centuries... —I murmured, tracing a carved relief with my fingers.
—It's not as abandoned as you think —Declan said softly.
At the back of the main hall, something moved. I froze. It was a woman. She stood with her back to us, cloaked in pearl-gray fabric that shimmered with an unnatural glow. She didn't seem surprised to see us.
—Who is she? —I whispered.
—I don't know —Declan answered. And that scared me more than anything else.
The woman turned slowly. Her face was hidden behind a veil. She didn't speak. She only raised one hand, as if to bless us... or warn us.
Declan took a step toward her. I stopped him.
—Don't go near her.
—I need to know what she wants.
But as soon as he took two steps forward, the woman vanished before our eyes.
What? What? What?
A pressure built in my chest. Something inside the temple had touched us. Was this real? Was I losing my mind? I wanted to scream at Declan, demand answers, but my voice was trapped in my throat.
—What was that? —I asked, my voice trembling.
—A warning. Or a welcome. With this island, you never know.
Then I felt it. The ground trembled, just slightly. As if something deep beneath us had awakened.
Declan grabbed my arm. His touch was firm, protective, but not rough.
—We need to leave. Now.
—What was that, Declan? What just happened? —I demanded, louder now. I couldn't hold it in any longer. I needed someone to explain what kind of world I had woken up in.
He looked at me. For the first time, his eyes were filled with real fear.
—The island awakened something. Something beyond my control.
And just like that, with the sound of rustling leaves and the echo of an impossible whisper, the island seemed to come alive.
I was at my breaking point. I needed answers. For days, I'd felt numb, as if trapped in a long, heavy dream. I hadn't asked questions, hadn't pushed conversations forward. But this... this was too much.
Celestial dreams. Glowing eyes. An island that seemed alive. A man with an ancient aura.
And me—just an ordinary woman caught in the middle of it all.
I grew dizzy as we walked away from the sanctuary. Declan held on to my hand and didn't let go, until I finally screamed:
—Stop! Stop, please!
I collapsed onto the ground in a plea.
—What's happening here? Tell me what you are. What is this island? And that woman? I just want to run away... —Tears welled in my eyes. Fear got the best of me, and I couldn't hold it back anymore. I knew that if I asked, the answers would change my life forever.
Declan sighed and knelt beside me.
—I'll tell you. Don't cry —his eyes filled with a deep melancholy. He looked... guilty—. But first, I need to ask you something.
I looked straight at him. He nodded, never breaking eye contact.
—Should I be afraid of you? Are you going to hurt me?
His jaw tightened, but his eyes remained warm, almost sorrowful.
—You're the only person in this world who should never fear me. I would never hurt you. —He paused.— But being with me is dangerous for you. And being with you... is dangerous for me. Yet it seems we're destined to be together.
—Did my father know about this?
—Of course not. To your father, I'm just a wealthy lord giving his daughter a chance to be happy, far from a society that judged her so harshly.
—And what was your real reason then?
—You see, Sereniah... this is where everything gets complicated. It may sound like fiction, but... I've been waiting for you my entire life.