Ariella's POV
KAEL'S ROOM
Morning came softly, the light slipping through the tall windows and resting across the dark walls of Kael's room. I woke slowly, my body still heavy with sleep, but the moment I moved, I realized something that made my breath catch. I was not in my room. I was in his.
The bed beneath me was wide, the sheets dark and smooth, carrying his scent so strongly it wrapped around me like something alive. I sat up quickly, my fingers gripping the blanket as I looked around. The room was empty. The large wooden doors were closed, the fireplace cold now, and the air quiet in a way that felt too still.
My cheeks grew warm as the memories from last night returned all at once. The way he had held me, the way his body had shaken as he cried, the weight of his head resting against me like he had nowhere else to go. I pressed my lips together, trying to calm the strange feeling rising in my chest.
Sky stirred lazily in my mind. "He came to you," she said, her voice soft but certain.
I looked away from the empty room. "It was just because of the nightmare."
Sky did not agree. "No. That was not just fear. That was something deeper."
I shook my head, even though she could feel my thoughts. "He needed someone at that moment. That does not mean anything."
Sky was quiet for a few seconds before speaking again. "Still… there is hope."
The word made something tighten inside me. I stood up from the bed quickly, pushing the thought away before it could settle. "There is no hope," I said. "He made it clear this bond means nothing to him."
But even as I said it, my mind went back to his face last night. The fear. The pain. The way he had held onto me like he would break if I moved.
Sky spoke again, more serious this time. "What scared him that much?"
I paused, my hands resting at my sides. I had been wondering the same thing. The fear I saw in him was not ordinary. It was something old. Something that had been there for a long time.
"I do not know," I whispered.
And for a moment, I wished he had told me.
PACK HOUSE CORRIDOR
The hallway was already filled with movement when I stepped out. Workers passed by carrying baskets, warriors walked through in small groups, and the sound of voices echoed softly against the high ceiling. The pack house felt alive again, as if nothing had happened the night before.
I walked through it quietly, heading toward Lysa's room. I needed to tell her everything. Maybe she would understand what I was feeling, even if I did not understand it myself.
Sky sounded amused. "You are going to tell her how he held you."
"Stop," I muttered under my breath, ignoring the curious glance from a passing maid.
As I turned the corner leading toward the inner section of the house, something caught my attention. The council room door was slightly open. I slowed down without meaning to.
COUNCIL ROOM
Inside, Celene stood alone.
She looked different today. Her silver blonde hair was neatly arranged over her shoulders, and she wore a fitted dark dress that shaped her figure perfectly, the fabric smooth and expensive. She looked like someone who belonged in power, someone who expected the world to bend around her.
I did not move.
She held something small in her hand, a glass vial that caught the light as she tilted it slightly. Then she poured its contents into a cup placed on the long wooden table.
The liquid was silver.
It shimmered for a second before disappearing completely into the drink.
Sky's voice turned sharp. "That is not normal."
I frowned slightly, watching as Celene placed the vial away and straightened like nothing had happened. Then she turned and walked out of the room without noticing me.
I stood there for a few seconds, thinking. Something about it felt wrong, but I could not explain why. Maybe it was nothing. Maybe I was just overthinking.
"It is nothing," I said quietly, more to myself than to Sky.
But Sky did not sound convinced.
Still, I turned and continued walking.
LYSA'S ROOM
Lysa was sitting on her bed when I entered. Her long black hair fell loosely around her shoulders, and she wore a simple light blue dress that made her look calm, almost peaceful. The moment she saw me, her face lit up.
"Ariella, where were you yesterday?" she asked quickly, standing up.
I hesitated before answering. "I stayed with Kael."
Her eyes widened in shock. "You what?"
I quickly moved closer and lowered my voice. "He had a nightmare."
Her expression softened slightly, curiosity replacing her surprise. "And?"
I looked down, my fingers twisting together. "He held me."
Lysa blinked, then a small smile formed on her lips. "That is something."
"It does not mean anything," I said quickly.
"You do not know that," she replied, clearly unconvinced.
Before I could respond, the door suddenly opened and a maid rushed in. She looked terrified, her breathing uneven, her uniform slightly out of place as if she had been running.
"Lysa," she said urgently.
Lysa stepped forward. "What is it?"
"It is Rohan."
My heart skipped.
"What happened?" Lysa asked, her voice already shaking.
"He collapsed during the council meeting," the maid said. "They think he was poisoned."
The words hit me hard.
Poisoned.
And then, without warning, the memory returned. The silver liquid. The cup. Celene.
My eyes widened. "It was her," I whispered.
Lysa turned to me in confusion, but I was already moving.
HEALING ROOM
The healing room was filled with tension when we entered. The air smelled strongly of herbs, and several healers stood around the large bed in the center.
Rohan lay on it.
He looked nothing like himself. His strong body was tense, his skin pale, and his breathing uneven. Sweat covered his face, making his dark hair stick to his forehead.
Lysa rushed to his side immediately, grabbing his hand. "Rohan," she whispered, her voice breaking.
One of the healers stepped forward. She was an older woman with sharp eyes and grey hair tied neatly behind her head. She wore a long dark robe, her hands stained slightly from herbs and medicine.
"He has been poisoned," she said.
My chest tightened. "With what?"
Her expression grew serious. "Bane's poison."
The name alone felt heavy.
"What does that mean?" Lysa asked, her voice filled with fear.
The healer hesitated before answering. "It is a rare and deadly poison. It destroys the body slowly from the inside."
Lysa shook her head. "Then cure him."
The healer's eyes softened, but her answer did not change. "There is no cure."
Silence filled the room.
My breath caught.
"He has seven days," she continued quietly. "After that, his body will not be able to fight it anymore."
Lysa broke down, her grip on Rohan tightening as tears fell from her eyes.
I stepped back slowly, my mind spinning.
Sky's voice was heavy with guilt. "We saw it."
I closed my eyes briefly. "I know."
"We should have said something."
My chest hurt.
If I had spoken. If I had stopped her. If I had just trusted that something was wrong.
Maybe this would not have happened.
But I did nothing.
And now, someone was going to die because of it.