Rain tapped steadily against the ceiling above me as I stared upward, counting the seconds between each drop. It was eight in the morning. I should have slept longer, but exhaustion felt distant, like it had passed through me without staying. The quiet pressed in instead. I closed my eyes, and at my will, the waters surrounding my home parted, obeying without question.
I rose from the bedroom and crossed the chamber, tying my hair back as I went. I pulled on a simple tank top and opened the door just as a soaked figure emerged from the rain. Silent Ghost walked toward me through the downpour, cloak heavy with water, boots sinking slightly into the softened ground.
I leaned against the doorway, voice raised just enough to reach her. "A bit early in the morning, don't you think?"
"I hope I'm not a burden," she called back, rain running down her face. "I have a mission later, but I wanted to spend some time with you."
I wove shadows around her instinctively as she stepped closer, the rain thinning as it touched her. "Sorry," I said lightly. "Didn't catch that."
She smiled faintly. "I said I have a mission later, and I wanted to hang out with you."
"Well then," I replied, opening the door wider, "my door is open. You will be dry the moment you step inside. Why don't we fix that?"
She tilted her head, curious. "How is that possible?"
"A little magic," I said. "Something my dad showed me when I was young."
She stepped inside, and the rain vanished from her clothes as if it had never touched her. I moved into the kitchen, preparing two sandwiches and heating water for hot chocolate. When I returned, I set everything on the coffee table and sat beside her.
"How long were you walking in the rain?" I asked.
"Thank you," she said quietly. "I was in Abrane earlier, dealing with things with my father. I needed to leave before I said something I could not take back."
I watched her for a moment. The calm between us felt fragile, unfamiliar. "That early in the morning," I said gently, "it must have been serious."
"It is just things," she replied, eyes lowered. "I want to forget them for a while. I want to stay here with you."
Something tightened in my chest. I had not felt this kind of stillness in a long time, and it unsettled me more than any battle. She sipped her drink, then glanced at me and smiled softly.
"Why are you staring at me like that?"
I looked away, focusing on my cup. "Because people usually come to me with requests, or expectations, or commands. You did not ask me for anything. You told me what you wanted."
Her expression softened further. "You are a hero, Kael. Your name carries praise wherever you go."
"Because of the work," I said. "But liking me for who I am, not what I do, that feels different."
She reached for my hand, her grip steady. "Thank you for saying that. I will always be here for you, with or without powers."
I smiled and leaned in without thinking, but she stepped back, smiling as she did, eyes dropping briefly.
"I have to go," she said. "My mission cannot wait. You should rest today. Yesterday took more from you than you admit."
"You can come by anytime," I replied. "I will be here."
She hesitated at the doorway, glancing back as if weighing the choice. Duty won. I signaled Lunia, and the waters parted once more.
"Thank you, Kael," she said. "I will visit tonight."
Then she was gone.
The silence returned heavier than before. I moved through the house, cleaning, sharpening my blades, grounding myself in routine. A letter lay on the table, sealed with the mark of King Timbrine. I opened it and read his thanks for saving the village. At the end, he mentioned gold hidden beneath the tallest tree near the lake.
I retrieved it easily, leaving some at home and carrying the rest into the Shadow Realm for Noctur. The castle there was half formed, its foundations dark and vast. Noctur hovered above the structure, focused.
"What do you think?" he asked.
"You made good use of the time," I replied. "The king sent gold. Thought you might want it stored properly."
"I can arrange that," he said, already turning back to his work.
I lingered. "It feels strange being alone. The house does not feel like home without you."
He smiled faintly. "Being apart is temporary. Consider this a birthday gift."
I nodded. "Thanks. I trust you."
Night fell quickly. I flew to a nearby village for herbs and beef, returning home with my thoughts heavy but calm. From above, I saw movement near the lake. Silent Ghost stood surrounded by five werewolves.
Shadows surged around me. I pulled one creature upward and struck it hard, then appeared behind her.
"I knew you would show up," she said.
"Always," I replied.
We fought together, fluid and practiced, until the last body fell still.
She exhaled sharply. "It is easier with you around. Can I stay for a bit? I need to tell you something."
"I just bought ingredients for soup," I said. "Hope you are hungry."
She stepped forward, then suddenly winced, dropping to one knee. I was beside her instantly.
"Let me," I said.
She hesitated, then nodded. The wound closed beneath my hand. When I offered to help her up, she took it.
As we crossed the parted waters, she asked why I lived beneath the lake. I told her it was quiet, forgiving in its own way. Inside, she rested while I cooked.
Then she spoke.
"There are things decided above us," she said. "They call it duty. Honor. Peace. But it feels like being given away."
I set the knife down. "What are you saying?"
"I am to be married," she said. "Arranged. I never agreed. I did not come here to ask you to save me. I only needed somewhere I could say it."
"You are not an object," I said firmly. "You are not bound by choices you never made."
Her posture changed then, strength replacing softness. She reached for her cloak.
"The world does not know me as Selene," she said. "And it cannot."
I understood. Silent Ghost was not a mask. It was survival.
"You do not have to face this alone," I said.
"That is exactly why I must," she replied.
Shadows swallowed her.
I remained beneath the lake, holding the truth she trusted me with, realizing that not everyone stays, and that some departures leave echoes longer than any battle.