The night swallowed me whole. My body was exhausted, but my mind wouldn't stop racing. Every time I closed my eyes, the unfamiliarity of this world, this castle, and these strange people lingered in the corners of my thoughts. It was only a matter of time before sleep finally dragged me under, though not into peace. Instead, I fell into a nightmare.It began with a voice."Elyria..."It was soft at first, like a whisper carried on the wind, but it grew louder, more insistent."Elyria..."The name was unfamiliar, but it struck a strange chord in me, like it wasn't entirely foreign. My surroundings shifted, and suddenly I was somewhere else—an ancient battlefield, cloaked in twilight.A woman stood in the center, her figure illuminated by a faint, eerie glow. She was strong and commanding, her movements swift and purposeful as she clashed with figures that were both human and... not. The creatures she fought were monstrous, their twisted forms snarling and snapping as they lunged at her.She wasn't just fighting. She was slaughtering them. Her blade flashed in the dim light, and with every strike, another creature fell. Her face was fierce, her expression etched with hatred and determination.But the creatures kept coming. They surrounded her, their numbers endless.And then, amidst the chaos, a man stepped forward. He moved differently from the others—silent, deliberate, and poised. His eyes gleamed with malice as he approached the woman from behind, his weapon glinting in his hand."No!" I tried to scream, but my voice didn't come.The woman never saw him coming. His blade plunged into her back, and she gasped, her strength faltering as the weapon pierced through her.The man leaned close, his voice a venomous whisper. "Your use is no longer needed."The woman fell to her knees, her sword slipping from her grasp. Her blood pooled beneath her, and as her life faded, her gaze turned toward me."Elyria..." she whispered one last time before collapsing.I woke with a start, gasping for air. My chest heaved as I clutched the blanket, my skin damp with sweat. The nightmare clung to me, vivid and suffocating, as if I could still hear the woman's final whisper echoing in my ears.I glanced around the room, trying to ground myself. It was still night—the dim glow of moonlight spilled through the window, casting long shadows on the walls. The air was cool and silent, but something felt... off.I froze when I saw it.In the corner of the room, seated in the chair by the window, was a figure. His posture was relaxed, his arms resting on the chair's arms, but his presence was anything but casual. His golden eyes glowed faintly in the darkness, watching me with an intensity that made my skin crawl."Oh my... Damian!" I yelped, pulling the blanket tighter around me. "What the hell are you doing in my room?!"He didn't flinch at my outburst. Slowly, he stood, his tall figure casting a shadow that seemed to stretch across the room."You were dreaming," he said, his tone calm and steady. "Screaming, actually."The room was suffocatingly silent as I stared at Damian, still processing the nightmare that had shaken me to my core. My chest felt heavy, my breathing uneven, and now here he was, standing in the dim light of my room, his glowing eyes locking me in place."Elyria..." His voice was low, almost a whisper, yet it carried weight. "Do you know that name?"I blinked, my heart skipping a beat. "Why are you asking me that?"Damian took a step closer, his towering figure closing the gap between us. My pulse quickened, and I instinctively gripped the blanket tighter. His presence was overwhelming—commanding yet unreadable."You were dreaming about her, weren't you?" he asked, his voice dropping even lower.I felt cornered, trapped by the intensity of his gaze. "I..." My voice faltered, but I forced myself to answer. "Yes. I saw her in my dream. She was fighting, and then..."Damian's eyes narrowed, the golden hue flickering in the dim light. He stepped even closer, the distance between us disappearing until he was barely a foot away.My heart thudded painfully in my chest as I instinctively leaned back, the mattress beneath me shifting. "Damian..." I whispered, unsure if I was warning him or pleading with him.He leaned forward, his face now inches from mine. His gaze was sharp, piercing, as though he were searching for answers in my eyes."What exactly did you see?" he asked, his voice cold and deliberate.I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry. His proximity was making it impossible to think straight. I could feel the faint heat radiating from him, his presence magnetic yet intimidating."Sh-She was fighting," I stammered, my voice trembling. "There were these... creatures. They weren't human. She was trying to kill them. And then..."I trailed off, my breathing shallow as his gaze bore into me. I couldn't look away, even though every instinct in me screamed to push him back, to put space between us."And then what?" Damian pressed, his tone sharper now."She was betrayed," I said, my voice barely audible. "A man... he stabbed her in the back. He said something like, 'Your use is no longer needed.'"Damian's expression darkened, his jaw tightening. For a moment, his eyes flickered with something that looked almost like pain, but it was gone before I could fully register it."And that's all?" he asked, his voice quieter now."Yes," I breathed, my voice trembling.Damian didn't move, his face still impossibly close to mine. My heart raced, the steady rhythm pounding in my ears. I felt trapped beneath his intense gaze, my skin tingling as though the air itself had thickened between us."Why do you care so much about this?" I asked, my voice breaking the silence. "Who was she?"His golden eyes softened for a fraction of a second, the mask he always wore cracking ever so slightly."She was important," he said quietly."Important how?" I pressed, my voice barely above a whisper.Damian's gaze flickered to my lips for the briefest moment before returning to my eyes. My heart skipped again, my entire body frozen under his scrutiny."That doesn't matter right now," he said finally, his tone sharp again as he straightened, putting a few inches of space between us.I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding, my heart still pounding like a drum. "You can't just keep saying it doesn't matter," I said, my voice steadier now. "I deserve to know what's going on."Damian exhaled deeply, running a hand through his dark hair. "What matters is that you're dreaming about her," he said. "And that's not a coincidence.""What's that supposed to mean?" I demanded."It means you're connected to her somehow," Damian said firmly. "How or why, I don't know yet. But until I figure it out, you're staying here."I frowned, anger bubbling in my chest. "You don't get to make that decision for me."Damian's gaze hardened, his voice dropping. "You don't understand, Arabella. This isn't about what you want. If you leave this castle, you won't survive."His words sent a chill down my spine, but I refused to back down. "Then explain it to me," I said, my voice trembling. "Why am I dreaming about her? Why does everyone here act like I'm some sort of threat or... or curiosity?"Damian hesitated, his jaw clenching. For a moment, I thought he might actually tell me, but then he shook his head."You're not ready for those answers," he said simply."Stop saying that!" I snapped. "I'm tired of being in the dark, Damian. If you expect me to trust you, then give me something—anything!"He leaned forward again, his presence once more invading my space. My heart thumped wildly, and I clenched the blanket tighter to steady myself."You want answers?" he said, his voice low and dangerous. "Then stay alive long enough to get them."Before I could respond, Damian straightened and turned toward the door."Get some rest," he said without looking back. "You'll need it."And just like that, he was gone, AGAIN, leaving me alone with my racing heart and a thousand unanswered questions.