"The night hides truths the day is too afraid to reveal."
The castle was eerily silent as Evanna lay in her bed, staring at the canopy above. Sleep eluded her, the weight of the day's events pressing down on her chest. Her mind buzzed with fragments of her conversation with Kael, his cryptic words replaying over and over.
Glow lay curled at her feet, snoring softly. Despite the comfort of the plush bed and the warm blankets, Evanna felt restless, as if the shadows of the castle whispered secrets she wasn't meant to hear.
With a sigh, she threw the covers off and swung her legs over the side of the bed. The cold stone floor sent a shiver up her spine as she padded to the window, hoping the night air might clear her mind.
But it wasn't the view of the Wildlands that caught her attention—it was movement in the courtyard below.
Kael stood in the center of the courtyard, shirtless and bathed in moonlight. His golden eyes glinted in the dark as he wielded a massive sword with precision and strength. Each swing of the blade cut through the air with a low hum, the sheer force behind it sending faint ripples across the courtyard's surface.
Evanna couldn't look away. She leaned against the window, her breath catching as she watched him practice. There was something hypnotic about the way he moved—like a predator stalking its prey, every motion deliberate and calculated.
"Who are you really?" she murmured to herself, her voice barely audible.
As if he'd heard her, Kael paused mid-swing. He stood still for a moment, the tip of his sword resting on the ground. Then, lifting his head, he stared directly at her window.
Evanna froze, her heart pounding. Had he seen her?
But after a few seconds, Kael lowered his gaze and returned to his practice, his movements sharper now, almost angry.
Intrigued, Evanna slipped out of her room, Glow stirring briefly but deciding to stay curled in the warmth of the bed. She crept down the stone corridors, her bare feet silent against the cool floor, until she found herself in the shadow of the courtyard.
From here, she could hear Kael's labored breaths, the soft grunt of effort with each swing of his blade. She pressed herself against a pillar, peeking out just enough to see him.
Kael paused again, this time gripping the hilt of his sword tightly. His voice, low and filled with determination, carried through the courtyard.
"I will rebuild it," he muttered, his tone like a vow. "My kingdom will rise again, stronger than before. And I'll tame the beast that destroyed it, no matter what it takes."
Evanna's brows knitted together. His kingdom? What beast? Questions swirled in her mind, but she remained silent, unwilling to reveal her presence.
Kael suddenly dropped his sword and knelt, his breathing heavy. He reached into a pocket and pulled out a ring. The moonlight reflected off its surface, revealing intricate carvings of a crest she didn't recognize.
Evanna's gaze narrowed. What's that?
Kael held the the ring in his hand, his fingers brushing over it as if it were a lifeline. He closed his eyes, his expression softening for the first time since she'd met him. "For them. Always for them," he whispered.
Evanna's curiosity got the better of her. She waited until Kael stood and began gathering his things, then quickly darted out of sight. As he exited the courtyard, she returned to the open space, her eyes scanning the ground.
The ring lay glinting in the moonlight, forgotten in Kael's haste. She picked it up, running her fingers over the strange markings.
"Hmm," she murmured, turning it over. The weight of the object felt strangely significant, as if it held a piece of Kael's story that he refused to share.
She slipped the ring into her pocket and headed back to her room, her thoughts swirling with questions.
What kingdom was Kael trying to rebuild? And what was this beast he sought to tame?
Back in her chambers, Glow greeted her with a sleepy chirp. She climbed into bed, the ring cool against her palm as she held it beneath the blankets.
Her eyelids grew heavy, but even as she drifted off to sleep, the image of Kael standing in the moonlight, sword in hand, burned in her mind.
Evanna turned over in her sleep, the ring still clutched tightly in her hand. Somewhere in the castle, Kael paused in his steps, a faint smile tugging at his lips—as if he knew exactly what she'd done. "She took it", Kael murmured.