The morning light spilled across the courtyard, soft but heavy with unspoken tension. Iman sat across from Layla, her voice calm but insistent.
"Elara told me something... before you came. She said she has the right people with her. She wasn't talking about herself - she was betrayed by her own people. She meant me. She meant us."
Layla tilted her head, skeptical. "The right people? Or just words to make you feel special?"
Iman's eyes flashed. "No, Layla. She trusted me because she knows betrayal. She knows what it means to lose everyone. And she believes I won't fail her."
Layla smirked faintly, arms crossed. "You're too quick to believe. Trust makes you weak."
Iman's frustration boiled over. "You never listen. You never want to understand. Fine - believe what you want."
Layla blinked, momentarily stunned. It was the first time she had seen Iman truly angry. The sharpness in her voice, the fire in her eyes - it unsettled her more than she cared to admit.
Iman turned and walked away, leaving Layla alone in the courtyard, her shock slowly hardening into irritation.
That night, Layla lay restless in her bed. Shadows swirled, and Elara appeared in her dreams, cloaked in silver light.
Her voice was calm, echoing softly. "Layla... Iman is more important than you realize. Protect her. She will face trials that only you can shield her from."
Layla's breath caught, even in sleep. She wanted to argue, but her voice failed her.
Elara's gaze held hers, sorrowful yet firm. "Do not ignore her. She is the key."
Layla woke suddenly, heart racing, the dream lingering like smoke.
She had dismissed Iman's words earlier, even grown angry herself after seeing Iman's fury. But now Elara's voice haunted her.
And though she would never admit it aloud, Layla knew - her bond with Iman was shifting into something she could no longer deny.