Selene's days were a blur of exhaustion and unease. Each morning, she prepared her lecture notes, her usual confidence as a professor overshadowed by the secret she was keeping. Standing before her students, she tried to focus on her material, but her thoughts kept wandering back to Kael's house and the unconscious man in the guest room.
In between classes, she found herself slipping away to the nearest grocery store with Kael's hastily written lists in hand. They were detailed and precise: fresh fruit, electrolyte drinks, sterile bandages, protein-packed snacks, and medical supplies that made her wonder if Kael was running a clinic instead of tending to a single mysterious patient. She moved through the aisles in a haze, avoiding the questioning looks from familiar faces who recognized her.
By the time she arrived at Kael's house in the evenings, she wasn't just a professor anymore, she was harboring an injured man who had appeared out of nowhere.
"You're overthinking again," Kael remarked one evening as he worked on changing the man's bandages. He sounded casual, but the tension in his jaw betrayed his own stress.
"I can't help it," Selene admitted, sitting on the edge of the couch with her arms crossed. "This feels… wrong. Illegal. What are we even doing, Kael?"
Kael didn't answer immediately. He tied off the fresh bandage with practiced ease before sitting back, wiping his hands on a cloth. "We're helping him. That's all you need to know right now."
She wanted to argue but bit her tongue. There was a trust between them that she didn't want to shatter, even if it felt like he was keeping too many secrets.
Throughout the week, Selene split her time between her lectures, picking up supplies for Kael, and helping him care for the man. She prepared light meals when Kael insisted on eating, though neither of them had much of an appetite. She even tried to distract herself with grading papers, but her mind was always on the guest room.
The man's condition seemed to be improving, albeit slowly. The silvery scars from the burns had diminished slightly, and his breathing had grown stronger.
Selene fell asleep that night, exhaustion from the week finally catching up to her. Yet, as her eyes closed, she found herself slipping into a dream that felt far too vivid, too detailed to be simple figments of her imagination.
She was a baby again. Small, fragile, and cradled in warmth, yet somehow aware of her surroundings. Above her, the sky wasn't just blue but a luminous expanse of color that shifted like an opal, hints of pink, lavender, and gold swirling together.
The music started softly. It was a harmony of instruments, trumpets, trombones, clarinets, harps, and stringed instruments she couldn't identify, were all playing together in perfect unity. The sound resonated deep within her, as though the music was a part of her, or she was a part of it.
She felt herself being held in the strong arms of the towering man again. He held her as though he was cradling the most precious thing in existence. His face was obscured slightly by the brilliance of the light, but she could see the edges of a square jaw, a proud nose, and eyes that radiated strength and kindness. His deep laughter rumbled softly as he gazed down at her.
Beside him stood the red-haired woman, her beauty striking. Her long, fiery locks seemed to glow like living flames in the ethereal light, and her emerald-green eyes were filled with an emotion that Selene couldn't quite name but instinctively understood. Love. Unyielding, boundless love. The woman's delicate hand rested lightly on the man's arm as she leaned in closer to Selene, brushing a soft kiss on her forehead.
Together, the man and the woman began to walk. Selene's gaze shifted, and she realized they were heading toward a large gathering of people. The crowd stretched far into the distance, a sea of radiant figures glowing with the same golden light. Their faces were vibrant, each one unique but united in joy and reverence.
The music swelled as the man and woman reached the center of the crowd. All eyes turned toward them or rather, toward Selene. The people began to cheer softly, their expressions alight with pride, their voices blending with the music to create a symphony of celebration.
The man paused, his grip on Selene firm but gentle, and then he raised her high into the air. The crowd's cheers grew louder, their joy almost palpable as they gazed at her with a reverence.
The man's deep voice filled the place and there was an undeniable authority in his tone.
"We shall call her…"
Before she could hear the name, Selene woke with a start, her heart pounding in her chest.
The sound of a loud crash echoed through the house, jerking her fully awake. Panic flooded her as she realized it was coming from the guest room. She scrambled out of bed, her pulse racing, and hurried toward the noise.
When she reached the guest room and flung the door open, her breath caught in her throat.
The sight before her was nothing short of terrifying. The previously unconscious man was now wide awake and standing. His silvery scars shimmered faintly in the dim light, and his eyes were glowing a beautiful shade of gold.
Kael was pinned against the wall, the man's hand gripping his neck with frightening ease. Kael's feet barely touched the ground as he struggled to breathe.
"Kaeledor," the man growled. "We meet again."