Elara's POV
I can't sleep after the ghost priestess's warning.
Your soul for his freedom.
The words echo in my mind as dawn breaks. I haven't told Kaelen about Lyanna's visit, about the third option that would trap me forever.
How can I tell him I might have to choose between saving him and saving myself?
You look terrible, Kaelen says when I meet him in the training grounds.
Thanks. You're so charming.
I'm serious. He studies my face with those silver eyes. Did you sleep at all?
Not much. I can't meet his gaze. Through the bond, he'll feel if I lie.
Then we'll make today's training light. Just practice
No. I need to be stronger. If I'm going to face whatever's coming, I need more power. Train me hard. I can handle it.
Kaelen frowns but doesn't argue. Fine. Show me your strongest light blast.
I raise my hands and call the light. It comes easily now, blazing from my palms in a concentrated beam that strikes the stone target.
The target explodes into dust.
Better, Kaelen acknowledges. But you're still holding back. I can feel it through the bond. You're afraid of your own power.
I'm not afraid
You are. You're terrified you'll lose control and hurt someone.
He's right. Ever since my light first awakened, I've been scared of what it might do.
Then help me stop being afraid, I challenge.
Kaelen's expression shifts. Alright. No more practice targets. You're going to fight me.
What?
I'm the most dangerous thing in this realm. If you can control your power against me, you can control it against anything. He moves to the center of the training ground. Come on. Hit me with everything you have.
I'll hurt you!
You won't. His confidence is absolute. And even if you do, I heal fast. Now stop hesitating and attack!
I gather my light and throw it at him.
Kaelen dodges easily, his shadows moving him faster than should be possible. Weak! You're pulling your punches!
Anger flares. I'm trying not to kill you!
I've survived five hundred years of curse! You think your light can kill me? He sends shadow tendrils at me, forcing me to defend. Stop thinking! Just feel!
Our magic clashes light against dark, creating explosions of purple-silver energy.
But I'm still holding back. Still afraid.
More! Kaelen demands, pushing harder.
I can't!
Yes, you can! Stop being scared and just
Something inside me snaps.
All the fear, all the anger, all the confusion from the past weeks erupts at once. Light explodes from my entire body not just my hands, but everywhere.
Pure, blinding, uncontrolled power.
Stone melts under the heat. Plants turn to ash. The very air burns.
Elara! Kaelen's voice sounds far away. Contain it!
I try, but the power won't listen. It's too much, too strong, feeding on every emotion I've been suppressing.
Terror floods through me. I'm going to destroy everything. The citadel. Kaelen. Myself.
Through the burning light, I see Kaelen running toward me not away, toward.
No! I scream. Stay back!
He doesn't listen.
Kaelen walks straight into the burning light that's melting stone and ash, and wraps his shadows around me.
Darkness meets light. Instead of exploding, they... balance.
His shadows contain my light, creating a cocoon around us both. The destruction stops. The power settles, still burning but controlled.
We collapse together, tangled on the scorched ground, both breathing hard.
Why did you do that? I gasp, tears streaming down my face. I could have killed you!
Kaelen's arms tighten around me. You won't. You're the only thing in five centuries that doesn't want me dead.
I wanted you dead when I first arrived, I admit through tears.
Past tense. His voice is soft, almost tender. Noted.
We're still holding each other, his shadows wrapped protectively around my glowing form. Through the bond, I feel everything he's feeling fear, relief, and something deeper he won't name.
You make me hope, he whispers against my hair. And hope is the worst torture of all.
Why?
Because hope means I have something to lose again. And I can't survive losing you.
The raw honesty in his voice breaks something in me. All the walls I've been building crumble.
I pull back just enough to see his face. His silver eyes are so close, full of emotions he usually hides.
I'm not going anywhere, I tell him. Whatever happens with this curse, we face it together.
Together, he repeats, like testing the word.
Then, slowly so slowly I could pull away if I wanted he leans in.
Our lips meet softly. Tentatively. A question more than a demand.
And the world explodes.
Not with destruction this time. With pure magic.
The binding marks on our arms blaze with light. Power surges through both of us his darkness and my light merging completely, creating something neither of us could produce alone.
Kaelen's curse marks fade even more, the glowing lines dimming as my light touches them.
The kiss deepens, and I feel everything through our bond five hundred years of loneliness ending, hope blooming in darkness, two broken souls finding each other.
When we finally break apart, both gasping, the world feels different. Changed.
What just happened? I whisper.
Kaelen touches his arm where the curse marks are noticeably lighter. I don't know. But whatever it was
Nyx's voice shatters the moment like glass breaking.
Someone's breached the veil! The shadow wolf materializes, fur bristling with agitation. Mortals. Armed. They're coming for you!
Kaelen is on his feet instantly, pulling me up with him. How many?
Fifty. Maybe more. And they have siege weapons powered by light magic. Nyx's eyes glow urgently. They're not here for tribute this time. They're here for war.
My blood runs cold. Who sent them?
Your kingdom. Nyx growls. King Aldric himself leads them.
That's impossible, I breathe. The king never leaves the palace. Why would he
Through the bond, I feel Kaelen's realization a second before my own.
They know, he says grimly. Someone told them about our bond. About your power awakening. They're not here to kill me.
They're here to kill us both, I finish. Before we become too powerful.
Kaelen's hand finds mine, our binding marks pulsing with light. Then they're about to learn why attacking the Shadowlands is a very, very bad idea.
But even as he says it, I feel his fear through the bond.
Not fear for himself.
Fear for me.
Because fifty armed soldiers with light-magic weapons might actually be enough to overwhelm us.
Especially if they're willing to die trying.
In the distance, I hear war horns blowing.
The battle for the Shadowlands has begun.
And somewhere in those approaching forces is my sister Thalia, who betrayed me once before.
The question is: will she betray me again?
Or has she finally chosen my side?