"It's true," Nochtaris's voice stirred in Kael's mind, calm yet edged with curiosity. "Even with your body's resilience, you couldn't have healed this fast on your own. If you had stayed unconscious any longer, the monsters would've found you... and killed you."
Kael's eyes flicked to Liana. She was standing nearby, quietly discussing something with the doctor. Her hands were clasped tightly in front of her, as if to hide how much they were trembling.
"She's… interesting," Nochtaris went on, a thoughtful note in his tone. "Healing powers like hers are rare—very rare. Only those who are deeply loved by nature itself can wield them. And yet, she awakened it. Effortlessly. That's no small feat."
Kael's chest tightened as he watched her. If not for Liana, he'd be dead. The thought of it sent a shiver down his spine.
His mind wandered to the novel, to the version of this story he knew so well. Liana wasn't supposed to survive the fortress. Her life had been snuffed out early, a footnote in the tale. But now… Now, she's awakened this power.
He cleared his throat softly, drawing her attention. Liana turned, startled, and the worry on her face melted into relief when she saw him awake.
"Kael!" she exclaimed, taking a hesitant step toward him. "You're—you're okay. I mean, how are you feeling?"
"Alive," he said, managing a weak smile. "Thanks to you."
Her face reddened. "I just… I couldn't let you die," she mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper. She dropped her gaze, fidgeting with her hands.
Kael stared at her for a moment, unsure what to say. "Liana," he said finally, his voice steady despite the storm of thoughts swirling in his mind. "Thank you. Truly."
She glanced up at him, her lips parting as if to say something, but no words came. Instead, she nodded quickly, as if embarrassed by the attention.
Kael leaned back against the bed, a wave of exhaustion sweeping over him. He wasn't sure why her awakening had happened, but it had. And it changed everything.
The commander didn't give Kael time to process his thoughts and continued speaking.
"I've already sent a letter to the main house, informing them of the situation—your survival and Liana's awakening. You understand, don't you? Healers are exceedingly rare, and House Thorne doesn't have a single one in their ranks."
Kael's jaw tightened. Something about the way the commander spoke sent a chill down his spine. "So what?" he asked, his voice calm but edged with suspicion.
"They're sending someone to take Liana back to the main house."
The words hit like a hammer. Before Kael could respond, Liana's sharp cry filled the room.
"What?!" she exclaimed, her face pale with shock. "Why? I'm not going anywhere!"
The commander didn't even glance in her direction, keeping his focus on Kael. "You know how rare healing powers are. They'll want her back to train her properly. This isn't up for debate."
Kael's chest tightened, and a bitter taste filled his mouth. He didn't like the commander's tone or his matter-of-fact attitude.
"But she works for me," Kael said, his voice low. "She's part of this fortress now."
"That may be true," the commander replied, his gaze steady, "but she is still part of the main family's domain. If word of her power spreads, others will come for her—powerful people. They won't stop until they get their hands on her. At least at the main house, she'll be safe. She'll be treated with the utmost care because of her ability. This is the best course of action for her, and you know it."
"I won't go!" Liana shouted, tears forming in her eyes. She stepped closer to Kael, her fists clenched tightly. "I won't leave Kael here! You can't make me!"
The commander finally turned toward her, his expression softening slightly. "Liana," he said gently but firmly, "this isn't a punishment. It's about protecting you. You're important now—more than you realize. Staying here will only put you in danger."
"I don't care!" she snapped, her voice trembling. "I'm staying! I… I belong with kael"
Kael stared at her, his mind racing. This wasn't just about Liana's safety—it was about control. The Thorne family didn't care about her well-being. They cared about what her power could bring them. And if Liana left, she wouldn't just be taken away from him—she'd lose the freedom she barely had to begin with.
After finishing his piece, the commander turned to leave. But before he could step out, I asked, "Who's coming to take her?"
He stopped mid-step and turned back to look at me. For a moment, he seemed to debate whether or not to answer. Finally, with a sigh, he said, "Your little sister."
Her name felt like bile in my throat as it escaped his lips. Amara Thorne.
Amara—my younger sister by a year. Memories of her flooded my mind, each one bitter and cold. Kael's recollections made it clear: she despised him. A staunch believer in the family's ideals, she never missed a chance to remind him of his inferiority. To her, Kael was a weak, trash brother—unworthy of the Thorne name. And she made sure he knew it. Kael's memories of her weren't just filled with disdain; they were tainted by the bullying she and her friends subjected him to. At some point, he'd stopped caring, simply enduring it all.
I clenched my fists as the commander walked out, leaving us in tense silence.
Liana didn't say a word for a long time. She just stood there, staring at the floor. Finally, she broke the quiet.
"I won't go," she said softly, her voice trembling with defiance. Then louder, "I won't go! I'll tell them—I don't want to leave. They can't make me."
I looked at her, concerned. "Liana, are you okay?"
Her head shot up, her eyes red and glossy with tears. "How can I be okay?" she cried. "They sent you here to rot, Kael. To punish you. I don't like them! And now they're coming to take me away too, like I'm just a thing. They don't care about you, or what you've been through. They just want my power!"
She was trembling, her hands balled into fists, her anger barely holding back her tears.
I sighed, the weight of her words pressing down on me. "You know I can't stop them, Liana. If I were stronger—strong enough to stand against them—I would. But right now…" I trailed off, my voice bitter with frustration.
"It's not your fault," she said through her tears.
I stood, ignoring the lingering ache in my body, and walked over to her. Gently, I pulled her into a hug. She stiffened at first but then broke down, clutching my shirt as sobs wracked her body.
"It's better this way," I said softly, stroking her hair. "You'll be safer there. My mother will train you herself—she's one of the best when it comes to nature magic. She was trained by elves, after all."
"She's not kind to you," Liana whispered, her voice cracking.
"That's… because of family pressure," I replied, hesitating. "But she'll treat you well. You're important now, Liana. And here… you're not safe. People will come after you if they learn about your power."
She pulled back slightly, looking up at me with tear-streaked cheeks. "I don't care. I don't want to leave you here. I don't want to leave this place."
I forced a small smile, though it pained me. "You'll go there, Liana. You'll get stronger, learn to control your power. And when my punishment is over—just two years—I'll come back. We'll go to the academy together. You'll be so good at healing by then, you'll make all the nobles jealous."
Her lip quivered, and she shook her head. "It won't be the same. They don't care about me—they just care about what I can do."
"I care," I said quietly, holding her gaze. "That's why I want you to go. So you can become everything you're meant to be."
She didn't reply, just buried her face in my chest again, her quiet sobs breaking the silence of the room.
After Liana left the room, saying she needed to rest, I sat back on the bed, my thoughts spiraling out of control.
The future loomed over me like a storm, and my emotions churned violently within me. Anger, bitterness, and frustration gnawed at me.
First, I was ignored, ridiculed, and bullied in my own home. Then, I was betrayed—cast aside. Even Elira left me without a second thought. And now, the only person who genuinely cared about me was being taken away.
A sharp pang of fury surged through me. My fists clenched so tightly that my nails bit into my palms, drawing blood.
Anger consumed me. A rage so intense that it felt like it wasn't my own.
Destroy them. Destroy every last one of them. I could see the faces of those who wronged me. Those who looked down on me, mocked me, hurt me. I could make them pay. Make them suffer like I did.
The thought burned bright in my mind, intoxicating and terrifying all at once.
I could kill them. Crush their pride. Burn it all down…
"Kael."
The voice of Nochtaris pierced through the haze like a bucket of cold water.
I blinked, my breath hitching as I came back to myself. My fists relaxed, and I stared at the blood dripping from my palms, horrified.
What the hell was I thinking?
My heart raced as the realization hit me. These weren't my emotions.
They were Kael's.
The memories of the original Kael—the anger, the despair, the hatred—they weren't mine. They were his. They were consuming me.
I took a shaky breath, forcing myself to calm down.
"I'm not him," I whispered, clenching my jaw. "I'm not going to make the same choices he did. I won't walk the same path."
Destroying everything, giving in to rage—that wasn't who I was.
I wouldn't let his emotions control me.
I wouldn't let this world break me.