Elena's knees wobbled as the adrenaline drained from her body. She collapsed into the nearest chair, her eyes fixed on the pile of ash on the floor. It didn't feel real—the broken window, the shattered glass, the… thing that had just attacked her.
Kael moved with a quiet efficiency, brushing ash into a metal pan he seemed to conjure out of nowhere. "You're going to have questions," he said without looking at her.
Her voice came out hoarse. "Questions? That thing just tried to kill me, and you—you—burned it into dust with your hands! Who are you? What is going on?"
Kael didn't answer immediately. He finished cleaning the ash, tossing it into the fireplace, and turned to her. His expression was calm, too calm, and it sent a chill down her spine.
"You're in danger, Elena," he said, his voice low and measured.
She let out a hollow laugh, gesturing at the broken window. "Yeah, I figured that part out."
"Not just from creatures like that," he continued, ignoring her sarcasm. "From yourself, from the choices you make."
"What does that even mean?" she snapped, frustration bubbling to the surface.
Kael crossed the room, crouching in front of her. His proximity made her heart race—not out of fear this time, but something else, something she didn't want to name.
"You're more important than you realize," he said softly. "And there are people—things—that will do whatever it takes to control you. Or destroy you."
Elena swallowed hard, her mind reeling. "Why? What do they want from me?"
Kael hesitated, his gaze flickering to the window. "That's… complicated."
"Try me."
A flicker of a smile crossed his lips, but it didn't reach his eyes. "It's not something I can explain all at once. For now, just know this: you're not safe here anymore. You need to leave."
She stared at him, her stomach sinking. "Leave? Where am I supposed to go? This is my home!"
"It's not safe," he repeated, standing abruptly. He paced the room, his movements sharp and agitated. "They know where you are now. That means they'll keep coming."
Elena shook her head. "This is insane. I don't even know what 'they' are! You keep talking in riddles, expecting me to just follow you blindly—"
Kael stopped pacing and turned to her, his eyes burning with intensity. "You think I want this? You think I enjoy dragging you into something you're not ready for? I don't have a choice, Elena, and neither do you."
Before she could respond, a soft chime echoed from his wrist. She glanced down and saw a strange, glowing band that wasn't there before. Kael pressed a finger to it, and a faint, distorted voice crackled to life.
"Kael. Status update."
He turned slightly, his body blocking her view as he muttered something she couldn't make out. The voice on the other end grew more insistent, and Kael's jaw tightened.
"Understood," he said finally, cutting the connection.
"What was that?" Elena demanded.
Kael didn't answer. He strode to the door, grabbing his coat and tossing hers in her direction. "Get your things. We're leaving."
She caught the coat but didn't move. "I'm not going anywhere with you until you start giving me answers."
Kael sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You're stubborn. I'll give you that."
"You have no idea."
For a moment, it looked like he might argue, but then he nodded, a resigned look in his eyes. "Fine. I'll give you one answer. But only one. Choose wisely."
Elena's mind raced. There were a hundred things she wanted to ask, but only one came to the forefront.
"What am I?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Kael's expression darkened, and for a moment, she thought he might refuse to answer. But then he spoke, his voice heavy with a truth she wasn't ready to hear.
"You're a key, Elena. A key to something bigger than you could ever imagine."
Her heart sank. "A… key? What does that even—"
The guttural growl came again, louder this time, echoing from somewhere in the distance. Kael stiffened, his hand going to the blade at his side.
"No time," he said, his voice sharp. "We need to go. Now."
Elena hesitated, fear and confusion warring within her. But as the growl grew closer, she realized she didn't have a choice.
Reluctantly, she grabbed her bag and followed Kael out into the night, the broken window and pile of ash left behind as chilling reminders that her life would never be the same.