Kael woke three days after we returned to the castle.
I was sitting beside his bed, holding Arianna and trying to keep my eyes open after days of no sleep. When his eyes finally opened, I almost didn't believe it.
"Elara?" His voice was rough, confused. "What happened? Where am I?"
"You're home. You're safe. The Architect's Successor took you but we got you back." I set Arianna down carefully and moved closer to him. "How do you feel?"
"Like I've been torn apart and put back together wrong. What did she do to me?"
"We're still figuring that out. She was studying your curse. Trying to understand how to replicate it. Elena thinks she may have damaged something but we won't know extent until you try to use your shade."
He closed his eyes, clearly trying to manifest his curse. Nothing happened.
"I can't feel it. The shade. It's like it's not there anymore."
"It's there. Elena checked. But the connection was disrupted somehow. It might take time to heal."
