Moonlight faded into the first hint of dawn as Elara collapsed onto her bed, still wearing her hunting clothes. Every muscle ached from hours in the saddle, but beneath the exhaustion thrummed something else – a wild energy that made her blood sing. The vial of shadow essence sat on her bedside table, its contents swirling like captured starlight.
"Your first hunt was... memorable," Lydia said, helping her out of the leather jacket. The maid's practiced movements couldn't quite hide her curiosity. "The court will be talking about your shot for days."
"Assuming they can be bothered to acknowledge a human's achievements at all," Elara muttered, though without real bitterness. The thrill of the hunt still lingered in her veins, along with a strange new awareness of the shadows around her.
Sleep came swiftly, but it wasn't the peaceful rest she expected. Instead, Elara found herself walking through memories that weren't her own.
