The atmosphere was frosty in Ghadib's office.
Aisha faced her father, her fists clenched, anger burning in her eyes.
— You can't do that!
Ghadib, sitting behind his desk, adjusted a parchment without looking up.
- I can. And I do it.
Raikuto, at his side, remained silent. His gaze expressed neither anger nor fear. Only contained fatigue.
- For what ?! Aisha insisted, her arms crossed.
Ghadib sighed, then slowly looked up at her.
"You put your life in danger today. What happened in the city must not happen again.
—It wasn't my fault! We were attacked!
- Exactly.
His tone was firm, sharp.
— These events prove that it is too risky to let you do as you wish. From now on, you will remain under surveillance.
Aïsha burst into bitter laughter.
—It's ridiculous.
Ghadib l'ignora.
— Raikuto, from today on, you will be assigned elsewhere.
Raikuto raised his head slightly.
— Where?
— Abraham will take charge of your training.
Aisha froze.
— Are you giving it to Abraham?!
Raikuto didn't show anything, but a shiver ran down his spine.
Ghadib stood up, placing his hands flat on the desk.
—It's my decision.
The doors opened and two servants entered.
— Take him.
Aisha took a step forward.
— Non !
She grabbed Raikuto by the arm, as if she could hold him back by sheer willpower.
—It's unfair! she screamed, tears welling up in her eyes.
Raikuto held her back with a look.
- It's not serious.
But his voice lacked confidence.
Aisha shook her head frantically, her shoulders trembling.
— You're lying.
Raikuto opened his mouth, but no words came out.
The servants grabbed his arm to pull him towards the exit.
— Let me go! cried Aïsha, trying to hold him back.
But Ghadib raised a hand, and Idriss intervened, placing a firm hand on his shoulder.
—That's enough, Aisha.
- No ! she cried, her voice cracking with despair.
Raikuto allowed himself to be taken away without resisting, but as he entered the door, he turned his head towards her one last time.
Aïsha saw in his eyes a pain similar to hers.
- Aïsha... he murmurs.
And the door closed.
An overwhelming silence filled the room.
Aïsha remained frozen for a moment, her vacant gaze fixed on the closed door.
Then, slowly, his body gave way under the weight of emotion.
She fell to her knees, tears streaming freely down her face.
— Rai…
His voice choked in his throat.
She had just lost the only true friend she ever had.
Ghadib, behind his desk, looked away.
And, for a split second, a flash of emotion flashed in his eyes.
But he doesn't say anything.
He couldn't afford to hesitate.
****
The room was cold and silent.
Raikuto sat on the single bed in his new room, observing the empty and austere walls. Nothing here resembled his old life in the palace. He inhaled deeply, but the air seemed heavier.
His fingers closed around the small polished stone that Aisha had discreetly slipped him before they were separated. He rolled it between his palms, observing its smooth surface in the flickering light of a lantern on the table.
A simple stone, which they had found in town.
His mind wandered.
He remembered their first meeting, when Aisha had looked him up and down, arms crossed, a superior look on her face.
—I don't need another servant.
Then, he remembered the night spent in the gardens, where they had discussed Aïsha's mother and her dreams of adventure.
— She said she loved the wind. I don't really like it.
- For what ?
— Because he goes wherever he wants, but he never comes back.
He smiled weakly as he thought about that conversation.
Then the forbidden games in the palace corridors, where they avoided the guards as if they were playing a dangerous game.
The banquet, where they had spied on the guests behind a half-open door, stifling their laughter when an overly drunk noble had spilled his cup of wine on an ambassador.
Their frantic race in the market, the cries of the merchants, the spicy scent of Samakhrystal in the air...
And finally…
Lightning shooting from his hands.
His breathing became slower.
He remembered the exact feeling of the current running through his arms, the burning heat that had poured out of him, uncontrollable.
He opened his hand and stared at his palm.
Nothing.
No lightning. No crackling.
But he knew it was in him.
And now that he realized it, he could never go back.
A creak interrupted his train of thoughts.
Raikuto turned his head towards the door that had just opened.
Abraham entered slowly, his scrutinizing gaze fixed on him. He closed the door behind him, taking measured steps forward.
— How do you feel?
Raikuto didn't answer immediately. He simply placed the stone on the table, before staring the steward straight in the eyes.
- GOOD.
Abraham gave a slight smile.
—I doubt that is the case.
Raikuto crossed his arms, impassive.
—Then why ask the question?
The steward tilted his head slightly, amused by the boy's retort.
— I wanted to see if you were still in denial.
Raikuto clenched his jaw.
— Denial of what?
Abraham stopped near the table and touched his fingertips to the stone he had just placed.
— About what you are.
A silence settled.
Raikuto stared at him without blinking.
—And what do you think I am?
Abraham smiled, but his gaze remained unreadable.
— Something exceptional.
Raikuto felt a shiver run down his spine.
Abraham walked away from the table and towards the door.
— Rest. Tomorrow we will start.
Raikuto followed him with his gaze as he disappeared into the corridor.
He clenched his fists.
Tomorrow…
He knew this day would mark the start of something.
But was it a rise…or a fall?
****
Idriss walked down a palace corridor, his boots clicking softly on the polished marble. He had learned to read silence, to discern the slightest anomaly in the atmosphere of a place. And in that moment, something was wrong.
A presence.
He didn't need to turn around.
—How long have you been following me?
His voice was calm, but firm.
Behind him, a figure stopped.
— You are too suspicious, Idriss.
The steward Abraham had just appeared in the trembling light of the torches. His step was as light as a shadow sliding across the ground, his expression impassive.
Idriss slowly turned to face him, crossing his arms over his chest.
—And you, you're too discreet.
The silence stretched between them, heavy with innuendo.
The two men sized each other up like predators assessing their respective strengths.
"I've been watching you," Idriss declared, bluntly. You seem… interested in Raikuto.
An imperceptible smile touched Abraham's lips.
— He is a fascinating case.
—Or an asset.
Abraham's smile faded slightly.
—What are you implying?
Idriss narrowed his eyes.
— That you have your own motivations.
Abraham tilted his head slightly, as if considering the best response to give.
—And if that were the case?
Idriss did not respond immediately. He knew that the steward was not an easy man to pin down. Too smart, too calm.
But he was not invincible.
"Then I'll keep an eye on you.
His voice was cold, sharp.
Abraham did not flinch. He just stared at her, a strange glint in his eyes.
Then, slowly, he gave a discreet smile.
— Do so.
Idriss stared at him a moment longer before turning on his heel and walking away, his steps measured.
Abraham remained motionless in the shadows, his smile gradually disappearing.
He knew that Idriss was not an opponent to be taken lightly.
But that didn't change anything.
He had already started to weave his web.
****
The flame of the oil lamp flickered suddenly, casting moving shadows on the office walls.
Ghadib, absorbed in reading a parchment, felt a presence even before it manifested itself. A shiver ran down his spine.
He raised his head slightly, his hand clenching on the edge of the table.
The air had just gotten heavier.
A figure emerged from the darkness, moving noiselessly through the dimly lit room.
He tensed.
— You came in person...
His voice wanted to be assured, but a shadow of doubt touched him.
The man who had just appeared was not just anyone.
He never moved without reason.
"I shouldn't have had to do that.
Ghadib forced himself not to show his trouble.
The man walked forward slowly, his imposing figure silhouetted against the luxurious carpet. Each step was measured, heavy with innuendo.
"I hope it's important," Ghadib said, crossing his arms across his chest.
The intruder gave a warm smile.
"Don't pretend you don't know why I'm here.
He continued forward, his shadow stretching across the ground like a silent threat.
"We had an agreement, Ghadib.
His tone was icy.
—And you're breaking it.
Ghadib didn't blink, but inside his mind was analyzing every word, every movement.
— I have the situation under control.
A light sneer, but without amusement.
— Non.
The man placed a hand on the desk, touching a piece of parchment with his fingertips.
— You're losing control.
A heavy silence settled.
Ghadib felt a cold sweat slide down the back of his neck.
The man tilted his head slightly, observing her like a hunter sizes up his prey.
— The boy.
Ghadib stiffened.
—What, the boy?
The man's smile faded slightly.
— He shouldn't attract attention.
Ghadib remained silent.
— And yet, here I am obliged to come in person to remind you.
His gaze darkened.
— Do you think the others won't ask questions?
He let a calculated silence settle in before adding:
— They're already wondering why he's still alive.
Ghadib's heartbeat increased slightly.
He knew he was walking a tightrope.
The man straightened up slightly, as if satisfied with the tension he had just created.
— Do what you want with your daughter. But the boy...
He let the end of his sentence hang, letting Ghadib himself fill the threatening void of these words.
Then he stepped back, his movements as precise as a well-oiled mechanism.
—Shouldn't be here much longer.
He stared at him one last time, his gaze piercing through the shadows, then slowly turned on his heel.
No noise. No trace.
As if he had never been there.
Ghadib slowly released the air he was holding in his lungs and ran a hand over his face.
The room had fallen silent again, but the echo of the man's words still echoed in his mind.
He turned his gaze to the oil lamp, whose flame was still flickering slightly.
His fingers absentmindedly tapped the wood of the desk.
For the first time in a long time...
He wondered if he was really making the right choices.
****
Aïsha had slipped through the corridors of the palace, her heart beating wildly. She knew she only had a short time before she was discovered.
The door opened slowly under his trembling hand.
In the darkness, Raikuto sat on the edge of the bed, his back hunched, lost in thought.
When he raised his head and saw Aisha, his eyes widened.
—Aisha? he breathed, surprised.
She quickly closed the door behind her, her gaze burning with painful determination.
"I couldn't let you go like that.
Raikuto looked down, avoiding his gaze.
"It won't change anything…" he murmured.
"Perhaps not," she replied, approaching him. But it matters.
She pulled a fabric bracelet from her sleeve and handed it to him.
- Hold. So that you remember.
Raikuto hesitated before taking the object between his fingers. The fabric was slightly worn, but it was sturdy.
— This is the one you had in town...
She nodded.
—I did it myself. It's not very pretty, but it holds up.
He turned it in his palm, feeling the rough fibers against his skin.
"I'll see you again, right? he asked in a lower voice.
Aisha clenched her fists.
- Obviously.
She placed a hand on his arm.
— No matter what my father decides, what they try to do... it doesn't mean it's over.
Raikuto swallowed hard, gripping the bracelet tighter.
—So it's not goodbye…
She smiled, although her eyes shone with emotion that she tried to contain.
— Non.
She took a deep breath, swallowing back the tears that threatened to fall.
—It's a promise.
A noise echoed in the hallway.
Aisha immediately turned her head.
The servants were approaching.
She grabbed the handle and slowly opened the door.
Before leaving, she turned around one last time.
— I will find a way.
Raikuto looked up at her, and for the first time since they had been separated, he smiled sincerely at her.
— I will wait for you.
Aïsha nodded, then disappeared into the shadows of the corridor.
The door closed gently.
Raikuto squeezed the bracelet in his hand.
He didn't know what awaited him...
But he knew one thing.
Aïsha would keep her promise.
****
The obsidian key turned slowly in the lock, producing a dull click that echoed through the deserted corridor.
Ghadib pushed open the heavy wooden door engraved with ancient symbols.
A shiver slid down his spine.
Inside, a dim light cast moving shadows on the walls covered with frescoes depicting a forgotten ritual.
Faceless figures surrounded a summoning circle, raising their arms towards a female figure haloed in light.
His gaze drifted to the central altar, where the sealed crystal urn rested.
This was where his wife's fragmented essence resided.
A whisper.
Or maybe just an illusion born from his obsession.
Ghadib moved forward, around the black stone vat that occupied the center of the room.
Its contents were a dense, dark liquid, imbued with forbidden alchemy.
The receptacle.
The envelope he had prepared.
A few steps from the tank, a woman stood motionless, her eyes closed.
Her breathing was calm, as if she were sleeping standing up.
His face...
Was the same one he dreamed of every night.
But he knew.
It wasn't her.
He was the host.
His mind was empty, a shell carefully crafted to hold the memories of his lost wife.
He stopped right in front of her.
- Soon…
His voice was a whisper, barely audible.
She doesn't react.
She had no reason to do it.
It was not yet complete.
He closed his eyes briefly.
There was only one thing missing.
The Gem of Memories.
With her, he could extract what remained of his wife from the depths of the past...
And bring her back.
Really.
More…
A doubt.
A fleeting moment, a flash of hesitation that he immediately pushed away.
He took a deep breath, then reached for the crystal urn.
A shiver ran through his skin as he touched the cold surface.
Behind him, the flames of the lamps flickered slightly.
As if something was watching him.
As if the past refused to be changed.
He opened his eyes, his gaze hard.
No matter the price.
He would make this woman… return to being the one he had loved.
And if for that he had to burn the world…
So be it.
He backed away slowly, carefully closing the urn before leaving the room.
The door closed behind him with a thud.
In the shadows of the forbidden room, the host remained motionless.
Attendant.
Soulless.
Without will.
Without memories.
But not for long.
****
The Samakhrystal Palace sank into the calm of the night.
Aïsha, sitting on a window sill, observed the city below, her thoughts elsewhere.
Raikuto, alone in his room, stared at the stone she had left him, his fingers playing mechanically.
Two souls separated by forces they did not yet understand.
And yet…
Destiny continued to move forward.
Two years passed.
And when the past came back to catch up with them...
Everything had changed.