The air had grown colder as dusk deepened, though the molten rivers outside glowed fiercely, painting the jagged cliffs in fiery hues. Ariya kept close to Kael as they moved through the narrow paths carved into the cliffs, the Night Ember Bloom carefully wrapped in her cloak. Each step was measured, cautious—yet every shadow, every flicker of movement, made her pulse race.
"Kael," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the distant rumble of molten fire, "what exactly is the Council? You've mentioned them before… but I don't understand. Are they demons? Leaders? Judges?"
Kael's golden eyes flickered, reflecting the glow of the lava below. "All of that… and more," he said quietly. "The Council governs this realm. They maintain order among demons and between realms. They are absolute in their power, and their judgment is final. No demon disobeys them… not without consequences."
Ariya shivered. "Consequences like… death?"
Kael's expression darkened. "Yes. Death, exile, or punishment beyond your imagination. They do not forgive mistakes… nor mercy."
Her hand instinctively tightened around the flower. My brother… this is all for him, she reminded herself. Fear gnawed at her, but she couldn't turn back now. She had come too far.
"Then why are you helping me?" she asked again.
Kael's gaze softened for a fraction of a second. "Because sometimes the rules… are not worth following."
A faint whisper carried on the wind, barely audible but unmistakable. Kael stiffened, moving instinctively to place himself in front of Ariya. His eyes scanned the cliffs, every shadow, every flicker of motion.
"They know," he said softly, his voice tense. "The Council… they are aware of your presence."
Ariya froze. "What? How?"
Kael's jaw tightened. "Your crossing the Veil has left traces. Magic does not forget. Even humans leave remnants of their passage. The Council's spies are everywhere."
Her heart pounded. "So… we're in danger?"
Kael's eyes narrowed. "Yes. And not just you. Me as well. By protecting you, I have already broken their laws."
Ariya swallowed hard. "Then what do we do?"
Kael's gaze swept the cliffs, then the horizon. "We move. Quickly. We reach a place where their sight cannot reach… and then we plan. You cannot stay here. Not for long. And I cannot stay visible either. They will come for both of us."
She nodded, fear and determination warring within her. "I understand. I just… I don't want to get you into trouble."
Kael's eyes softened slightly, the tension in his stance easing for a moment. "You already have," he said quietly. "But the Council will not punish mercy. They punish weakness… and attachment. That is the danger."
Ariya's stomach tightened. Attachment… The word lingered in the air, heavy and dangerous. She had felt it, this bond forming between them, growing stronger with each passing day in the demon realm. And now… she realized how perilous it truly was.
A sudden noise interrupted her thoughts—a soft, almost imperceptible hiss. Kael's head snapped toward it, and Ariya instinctively pressed herself against the wall of the cliff. Shadows shifted along the jagged rocks, moving too fluidly to be ordinary creatures.
"Council patrol," Kael muttered, low and dangerous. "They are closer than I expected."
Ariya's heart hammered. "What… what do we do?"
Kael's lips pressed into a thin line. "We hide… and wait for the right moment." He glanced at her, his golden eyes locking with hers. "Do not make a sound. Do not move unless I signal. And above all… do not show fear."
Ariya nodded, even as her hands trembled. She had learned quickly that fear in this realm was dangerous, and Kael's warning was not just about survival—it was about controlling the chaos that surrounded them.
The patrol came into view—a group of demons, tall and menacing, with eyes glowing like embers and markings similar to Kael's. Ariya's breath caught in her throat as they scanned the cliffs, moving methodically, their senses sharp, their attention unrelenting.
Kael stepped slightly in front of her, flames flickering faintly along his markings, blending him into the shadows. The patrol passed mere meters from them, oblivious to their presence. Ariya's heart pounded in her chest as she held her breath, barely daring to blink.
When the patrol finally disappeared into the distance, Kael exhaled softly, the tension in his shoulders easing. "That was close," he muttered. "Too close."
Ariya shook slightly, relief and fear mingling in her chest. "I… I didn't think I could stay calm."
Kael's eyes softened fractionally. "Calm is not enough. You must learn to control what you feel. Fear can be deadly here. But so can attachment. Do you understand?"
Ariya nodded, even as her heart ached at the truth of his words. She did understand. The bond forming between them—the connection she felt growing stronger every moment—was both her greatest hope and her greatest danger.
Kael's gaze lingered on her, unreadable and intense. "The Council whispers of this kind of… attachment. Of human influence on demons. They fear it. And their fear can be lethal."
Ariya swallowed, feeling the weight of it. Every step she took in this realm, every word she spoke, every feeling she allowed herself… carried consequences far beyond her understanding.
Yet despite the danger, despite the rules, despite the Council's shadow looming over them, Ariya realized one thing clearly:
She could not turn back. Not now.
And she would not.
Because the demon beside her—the one she had begun to trust, the one she had begun to care for—was now entwined with her fate. And together, they were about to face the Council's wrath.