The cylinder puzzle turned out to be far more challenging than we'd anticipated. The mechanism's trick was to align the rings correctly so the inner tube would release its contents. From my father's letter, I gathered we needed to find something carefully hidden and clearly, this cylinder, which dad called a "cryptex", was either the key or held further clues.
The catch? The outer rings wouldn't budge. They were jammed stubbornly, as if something was blocking them. We tried every idea that came to mind—sigils, elemental forces, smearing it with chemicals and blood, even absurd attempts like playing music for it or reciting dad's favorite poems. The cryptex remained indifferent to all our efforts.
Soon, the infuriating puzzle began grating on our nerves. After yet another argument over it, we decided to set it aside and return later with fresh eyes.
The days grew colder and shorter, each one bringing Olivia and Alexander's engagement party closer, a fact they reminded us of by sending out formal invitations.
"Just look at this!" I grumbled, stepping into the kitchen with the mail in hand.
Kaiden was making us scrambled eggs. The kettle hissed on the stove, while bits of sausage and peppers sizzled and spat oil in the pan.
"Ready to dress in lilac?"
"Think it'll suit me?" He chuckled, his voice still sleep-rough, cozy and warm.
"There's also emerald."
Kaiden's face twisted.
"Also not my color."
"These aesthetes sent an invitation demanding we adhere to their specified color scheme."
Kaiden snorted, moved the pan off the heat, and braced against the counter, arms crossed.
"I don't see a single scenario where I'd agree to wear lilac or emerald, even if it's Her Highness's wedding."
I tossed the invitation onto the table and closed the distance between us, wrapping my arms around his waist and peering into his brown eyes.
"We can't ruin your brooding storm-cloud aesthetic with such cheerful colors, my friend. So in solidarity, I'll wear the blackest of all black dresses from my wardrobe."
Kaiden flicked my nose lightly.
"Down with conformity."
He pulled me closer, and for a moment, I relaxed, lost in the warmth of him.
On the day of the engagement party, we stuck to our plan and dressed in dark attire. Kaiden, all ready, waited for me perched on the bedroom ottoman while I wrestled with the lacing of my dress and the intricate twists of its wide sash. His contented gaze followed my movements tenderly, as if memorizing every detail of me scrambling to find misplaced bracelets and adjusting straps. All while he was sitting there, quietly taking me in.
"I love you in any form," he caught me mid-step, grounding me with his hands on my waist. "But today, you're especially radiant."
A flush of embarrassment crept up my neck. We weren't the type to shower each other with compliments.
"You don't look so bad yourself," I said, giving him a once-over.
Not so bad really meant absolutely devastating. Dressed in black, with those unruly waves falling over his eyes and that smoldering, heavy-lidded gaze of his, he made my heart flutter wildly all over again, just like in those early days of our relationship.
At the celebration, we stood out as the only dark silhouettes amidst a sea of lilac and green. Even the attending Inquisitors had been coerced into wearing deep emerald uniforms. Olivia, it seemed, was in seventh heaven, glowing like the brightest star in the sky. Of all the guests, only Kaiden and I sat at our table, gloomy as two rainclouds. It would've been hard to find anyone else in the hall who detested mass festivities as much as we did.
I did, however, take some solace in the menu and decided to at least indulge in the appetizers. The rest of the guests were thoroughly enjoying themselves. Soon arrived the part of the evening I dreaded most—the dancing. The bride and groom, of course, led the way. Kaiden and I had agreed in advance: no public humiliation. We intended to remain firmly planted in our comfortable chairs until the very end.
Our plan held strong. Right up until Olivia decided Kaiden simply had to honor her with a dance. And since she was the bride, refusal wasn't an option. Whether it was an act of mercy or cruel mockery, I couldn't say, but Kaiden had no choice but to escort her to the center of the hall, joining the swirling couples. I gave him a sympathetic nod (though not too sympathetic) and returned to my seafood salad.
I was chewing on a particularly rubbery tentacle, staring blankly into space, when that space was abruptly occupied by Kiron. I startled. He extended a hand, inviting me to dance.
The bride couldn't be refused, they said. Nothing about the groom.
I was about to shake my head, still working my jaw to conquer what I suspected was an elderly octopus or squid, when—for some unfathomable reason—I took his hand and accepted. I washed down the nearly whole chunk of cephalopod with a full glass of champagne before rising to my feet.
Kiron guided me confidently into the whirl of the dance, turning me to face him, his right hand resting on my waist while his left held mine. His lead was flawless. I didn't even have to think about where to step, which was a blessing, given the champagne had gone straight to my head, leaving my legs sluggish and my limbs heavy with drowsy lethargy.
"Enjoying the festivities?" Kiron asked, leaning back slightly to study me with that infuriating top-down gaze.
"You've outdone yourselves."
"That's not an answer to my question."
"I don't like celebrations. Any of them."
"Neither do I," he smirked.
"But Olivia does."
We swayed in silence for a few more measures.
"I wanted to return something you lost." He leaned in, far too close to my ear, close enough that I stiffened at the sudden shift from formal to more intimate addressing.
A hot coil of dread tightened in my chest. Kiron pulled back just enough for me to see the glint of jewelry in his hand. My stomach dropped.
My bracelet.
The power-stone bracelet I'd lost in the explosion.
Or had I?
Kiron watched my face for a beat, visibly savoring my horror, before yanking me closer and resuming the dance.
"Where did you get that?" My voice was low, all pretense of cheer gone.
"Took it off your wrist."
"When?"
"Before the blast. Isn't that what you're really asking?" His thumb traced the bracelet's metal, smug. "Before our little healer patched me up with her clever fingers."
He pried open my clenched hand, laced his fingers through mine, and pressed the bracelet into my palm. The power stone at his throat flared and the metal seared my skin. I tried to jerk away, but his grip was iron.
"How long have you known?" I tugged at my trapped hand, but his fingers only dug deeper.
"That you're a bearer?" His gaze dropped to our locked hands, the bracelet still branding my skin. "Since the moment I first laid eyes on you. And your pretty boy." A nod toward Kaiden.
"Then why the bracelet charade?"
"Confirmation." A shrug. "Entertainment."
"The restaurant explosion—?"
The corners of his mouth curled.
"Perceptive. The blast served three purposes: identifying you and a few other bearers, diverting attention, and stirring tensions with the rebellion."
"Let go." I twisted my wrist again.
His grip tightened. A quiet gasp escaped my lips.
"Then why haven't I been arrested yet?"
"We don't just lock up every bearer we find. That would be... impractical."
The music ended. Kiron finally released my hand, leaving the bracelet in my grasp.
"Thank you for the dance." He gave a polite bow and strode off toward Olivia, who'd already freed Kaiden from her clutches.
A burn throbbed on my palm. I stormed back to our table and slammed the bracelet down next to my plate.
"Everything alright?" Kaiden's fingers brushed my shoulder. It was gentle, probing.
"That bastard!" I hissed, collapsing into my chair. I snatched a napkin, dunked it into the water pitcher, and pressed it to the seared flesh.
"I didn't do anything, I swear!" Kaiden raised his hands in surrender but then saw my palm. His expression darkened. "What the hell is that?"
"That damn Kiron!" I channeled healing energy into the burn with my good hand. "He's known all along. About us. About what we are."
Kaiden gave a silent nod.
"Did you know about this too?" I snapped, irritated by his lack of reaction.
"I assume the Inquisition has methods for identifying bearers they don't publicly disclose."
He reached for my hand, examining the burn, then picked up the bracelet from the table and arched a questioning brow.
"He stole it from me before the explosion!" I kept my voice low, avoiding drawing attention. "And like a complete fool, I rushed to heal him afterward."
"What does he want from you?"
"No idea."
Kaiden shot a dark glance toward Kiron.
"Want to leave?"
I'd gladly vanish into the woods right away but I wouldn't give Kiron the satisfaction.
"We're staying."
"You sure?"
"I intend to eat every last one of these ridiculous little appetizers." I downed another glass of champagne in one go. "He won't get the pleasure of seeing us slink away like cowards."
Kaiden stopped me with a light touch to my shoulder.
"Anna, slow down..."
I jerked away, shaking off his hand. He pulled back, exhaling sharply, as my reaction had stung. Picking up the bracelet again, he turned it over in his fingers before tucking it into his vest pocket.
"Why do you need it?" I grumbled.
"I want to check something later."
I scoffed and shoved a bite-sized tartlet, that was loaded with soft cheese and caviar, into my mouth, washing it down with champagne.
"I'm serious. Ease up on the drinks." A steely edge crept into Kaiden's voice as he slid my glass away and replaced it with water.
I knew he was worried, but right now, his concern only grated on me. I reached for the champagne again. Kaiden caught my wrist, his grip firm but gentle, and shook his head.
"Don't."
"Don't make me angrier."
"I'd rather you be mad at me than do something reckless."
I turned away, biting back my frustration. Everyone seemed determined to control me. The rest of the evening, I sat rigid at the table, ignoring Kaiden's attempts to speak.
When the time came for farewells, Olivia and Kiron raised a final toast, thanking everyone for the honor of their presence. I drained my glass in one go and instantly felt it: the weakness in my knees, the reckless ideas sparking in my mind.
Then that Kiron's mocking gaze lingered on me.
A fuse lit in my chest.
The champagne flute in his hand exploded.
Olivia gasped. Guests laughed. A waiter scrambled to collect the shards and spilled wine.
Kiron merely flicked droplets from his fingers.
Without breaking eye contact, he plucked a slender shard embedded in his palm. Not a muscle twitched as blood serpentined down his wrist, which only infuriated me more.
I shut my eyes for a heartbeat.
Something wild in me seized the frayed thread between us, the near-dead connection from when I'd healed him. A single drop would've been enough to reinforce it, weave it anew with strands of power, and make him regret crossing me.
A. Single. Drop.
My fingers moved on their own. A microscopic bead of his blood leapt to my skin.
The thread snapped taut. A harp string I plucked.
Kiron staggered. His eyelids fluttered; fingers pressed to his temple as pain lanced through his skull. Olivia fretted over him, chirping concern. Officers in the room tensed, hands drifting toward weapons.
Then Kaiden yanked me back, wrenching me from the trance, and the thread snapped.
"Have you lost your mind?" he hissed in my ear, with a fury and terror I'd never seen in him before.
I snapped out of the power's trance and instantly realized what I'd done.
"Let's go." He gripped my arm and hauled me toward the exit.
Most guests hadn't even noticed the incident, too absorbed in laughter and toasts for the happy couple. At the coat check, Kaiden drummed his fingers on the counter, jaw clenched so tight I could see the tendons flexing beneath his skin. Somehow, his silent rage scared me more than whatever consequences my recklessness might bring.
"Kai—"
"Not now."
I pressed my lips together and looked away. The attendant handed us our coats; Kaiden practically threw mine over my shoulders before storming toward the door—
—only for Olivia's shrill voice to stop us cold.
"Leaving without saying goodbye?" Olivia chirped with exaggerated hurt.
Behind her, Kiron loomed like a shadow. The doors clicking shut behind him, muffling the ballroom's noise into eerie silence. I kept my eyes fixed anywhere but his face.
"We're exhausted," I muttered apologetically. "The celebration was… magnificent."
"Congratulations," Kaiden added darkly. He caught my hand and pulled me closer, tucking me behind him.
"Oh, thank you!" Olivia beamed, oblivious. "Truthfully, we're worn out too. Alexander even has a headache."
"Pity," Kaiden said, tone glacial. "May rest ease your suffering."
"Don't trouble yourself over me."
Kiron's gaze slid from Kaiden to me. He exuded smug as a cat with a fat mouse between its paws. The unspoken threat hung thick in the air.
"We should go." I forced a smile at Olivia. "Thank you for the… lovely evening."
Without another moment's hesitation, we hurried out of the building. Kaiden flagged down a carriage and all but shoved me inside. I opened my mouth to protest his roughness, then thought better of it, scooting to the far side of the seat to put as much distance between us as possible. I stared resolutely out the window while Kaiden barked my address at the driver. The man nodded, activated the control panel's power circles with practiced hands, and the carriage lurched forward into the night.
Silence.
We didn't look at each other. Didn't speak. Just swept every unspoken grievance under the rug where they belonged.
When the front door closed behind us, I exhaled heavily, kicked off my shoes, shrugged out of my coat, and trudged to the kitchen. Had two glasses of water. Tomorrow's hangover would be brutal after all that champagne. Then I took a bracingly cold shower that finally cleared the last of the alcohol from my system.
Ready to face Kaiden at last, I found him by the bedroom window, shirt half-unbuttoned, swirling a glass of my father's whiskey. I tried for levity:
"Easy there, handsome."
"Don't."
He inhaled slowly, visibly reining in his temper.
"Look—" I started and stepped closer. "I'm sorry. That was stupid of me."
"'Stupid'? That's putting it mildly."
My defenses snapped back up.
"You want to fight? Fine! Go ahead! Scold me like some clueless child!"
"What's the point?" His voice was eerily calm, but every word dripped with suppressed hurt. "You'll do whatever you want anyway. You don't need anyone! You never have."
Each word thrown as a stone.
"That's not fair."
"What isn't fair, Anna?"
"Expecting me to rely on you again after you abandoned me for a whole year." The words tumbled out before I could stop them. A year's worth of pent-up resentment breaking free. "Who else do I have to count on? Only myself."
Kaidens' eyes filled with pain. I shouldn't have said it, but right now, his feelings were the last thing on my mind. I braced for him to defend himself, to say he'd had no choice, that I was wrong, that he cared. Anything.
But he stayed silent.
I exhaled sharply and stormed out of the room. My anger found its outlet in innocent victims: mugs, books, couch cushions, Kaiden's abandoned vest—all hurled to the floor in a meaningless rebellion. But the fury faded as quickly as it came, leaving me staring wearily at the mess I'd made. Now I'd have to clean it up. The weight of sadness pressed down even harder.
Then Kaiden's arms wrapped around my defeated figure from behind, his voice a quiet whisper against my ear:
"I'm sorry."
I let out a heavy sigh.
"And you..."
We didn't speak after that. We'd lost enough trust to dare voice our feelings aloud. Instead, we sought understanding in physical closeness, using it to mask the words we couldn't say.
This time, Kaiden was different—rougher, more desperate, yet detached. His arms held me tight, but it wasn't an embrace of love. It felt like restraint, as if he were trying to cage something inside himself. When I attempted to take control, he pinned me to the bed, refusing to let me pull away. I twisted, ready to shove him off, but he caught my wrists, flipped me onto my stomach, and pressed me down.
"Quiet," he whispered.
And I let him finish, knowing it was wrong. Afterward, we just lay there in silence, motionless.
"Did you decide to punish me?" I finally asked.
"What? I—" He cut himself off, the sentence left unfinished.
I turned to face him, staring into his eyes, dark in the dim bedroom light.
"Since when do you have that right?"
"Anna, I didn't—"
"Didn't mean to? Didn't intend it?"
He faltered, propped up on his elbows, searching for words that wouldn't come. I slid out of bed and reached for the robe draped over the chair by the vanity.
"I think you should leave."
"What? Where?" Kaiden looked stunned.
"Stay till morning. Then go."
I slumped onto the sofa, surveying the mess I'd made earlier. As I began gathering the scattered items, my fingers brushed against the bracelet that had fallen from Kaiden's pocket. Picking it up, I absently ran my thumb along its links while lost in thought until my fingers caught on the pendant's edge.
A sudden realization struck me with near-physical force.
That shape.
I bolted upright and sprinted to my father's study, to the safe where we'd stored the cryptex and letter. The indentation at its center matched my power stone pendant perfectly. How had I not seen it before? I'd fidgeted with that pendant for years, yet completely forgotten about it after losing the bracelet.
With trembling hands, I yanked open the safe and grabbed the cryptex.
Kaidens' shadow filled the doorway. He was fully dressed, expression grim, clearly preparing some apology.
"Anna, I—"
"Shh! Not now!" I waved him off, all earlier resentment forgotten in my excitement. "I've figured it out!"
"Figured what?" His confused gaze darted between my face and the cryptex.
Ignoring him, I pressed my pendant into the indentation. It fit like a key. A pulse of power through the stone.
Click.
The sound of long-awaited surrender.