Caspian's eyes snapped open, his breath catching as he was plunged into disorienting darkness.
The air was cold.
He instinctively tried to move, but his wrists and ankles refused to budge. A metallic clink followed his efforts.
'Chains?' he thought, his heart pounding.
The rough texture of the chair beneath him bit into his back as he struggled, pulling against the restraints that held him firmly in place.
"What's going on?" he whispered to himself.
Where am I?
What happened?
The last thing he remembered was the hazy memory of his sister's panicked voice, but now… nothing made sense.
For a moment, he considered calling out.
No. Stay quiet. Observe.
He began to check chains more subtly.
No good. He wasn't escaping this—.
CLICK
A sharp sound shattered the darkness.
The sudden glare of light was blinding, and Caspian winced, blinking rapidly as his eyes adjusted.
When his vision cleared, he froze.
Eirlys stood before him, her piercing blue eyes fixed on him with an expression that sent a chill down his spine.
It wasn't her usual sternness—it was colder, sharper, devoid of the familial warmth he'd always hoped to see.
Behind her stood another figure.
A lady with long black hair and vivid green eyes.
Her gaze wasn't hostile, but it held a piercing intensity that seemed to look through him.
Caspian's mind raced as he tried to place her.
He knew her. He did. But her name....
'Luna,' he thought.
Though she had never meet him before, there was now something about her that felt… threatening.
Why was she here?
And why was Eirlys looking at him like that?
Before Caspian could speak, Eirlys stepped forward.
Her movements were deliberate, her posture rigid.
She stopped just short of him, crossing her arms as her gaze bore into his.
"Let's cut to the chase," she said, her voice cold.
Caspian blinked, taken aback by the lack of warmth in her tone.
"What… what's going on, sister?" he asked.
For a moment, Eirlys didn't answer.
Her eyes narrowed, studying him with a mix of curiosity and suspicion.
And then she said it.
"Who are you?"
The words hit Caspian like a physical blow.
"What?" he stammered, confusion and disbelief lacing his voice.
Eirlys's expression didn't waver.
"Who. Are. You?" she repeated.
"Don't even think about lying," she added, glancing briefly at Luna, who stood silently behind her.
"Her ability will make sure of that."
Caspian's heart sank.
His eyes darted between the two of them, trying to make sense of the situation.
What was she talking about?
Why was she looking at him like he was a stranger?
Why was Luna here?
And then he remembered.
Luna's blessing.
Soul Gazing.
The term echoed in his mind, a faint recollection from a novel he'd once read.
Soul Gazing was an ancient technique, a gift from the gods themselves.
It allowed the blessed to peer into the very essence of a person.
The technique worked by analyzing the essence within a body.
When a person died, their soul—their essence—would leave the body, moving on to whatever lay beyond.
But remnants of that essence—their memories, emotions, and identity—often lingered, like fingerprints on a glass.
If another soul took over the body, these remnants would clash with the new presence, creating a corruption.
A corrupted soul was unmistakable to someone with Luna's ability.
And now, Eirlys was staring at him with that knowledge.
"Wait," Caspian muttered, his throat dry.
His mind raced, piecing together the implications.
She didn't think… no.
She couldn't possibly believe—
"I don't understand," Caspian said, his voice shaking slightly.
"What's going on? Why are you doing this?"
Eirlys took another step closer, leaning down so that their faces were mere inches apart.
Her cold breath brushed his skin as she spoke.
"You're not my brother," she said, her tone devoid of emotion.
Her words pierced through him like a dagger, leaving a hollow ache in their wake.
Caspian's heart pounded in his chest as his mind spiraled into chaos.
"What are you talking about? Of course I'm—"
"Stop." Eirlys's said.
"Luna," she said, not breaking eye contact with him.
"Tell him what you saw."
Luna stepped forward, her expression unreadable as she locked eyes with Caspian.
"I looked into your soul," she said softly.
"And it's corrupted."
Caspian's breath hitched.
"No," he whispered.
"This can't be—"
"You're not Caspian," Eirlys interrupted, her voice rising.
Her hands gripped the arms of his chair.
"So I'll ask you one more time."
"Who. Are. You?"