ログインI looked back at him, something in my chest tightening as that familiar pull settled in again, the one I couldn’t seem to ignore no matter how hard I tried. “You don’t get to decide when I matter and when I don’t,” I said, my voice softer now, but heavier. “Not anymore.”That made him stop.Completely.His hands stilled, the object in his grip no longer moving as the silence shifted into something deeper, something neither of us seemed ready to break.For a moment, I thought he might say something.Explain.Step closer.But he didn’t.And somehow, that hurt more than anything else.I swallowed, the frustration still there, but dulled now by something heavier, something I didn’t want to carry with me any longer.“I should go,” I said quietly.He didn’t stop me.Didn’t turn.Didn’t speak.And that—That was what made it hardest to walk away.I turned and left the forge, the heat fading behind me with each step as I moved back into the cool quiet of the hall, the sound of the flames grow
I should have turned back the moment I reached the archway, but instead I found myself lingering in the shadows, my shoulder pressed lightly against the cool stone wall as I watched the scene unfold before me. The Ember Forge was far more alive than the rest of the hall, the air thick with heat that rolled outward in steady waves, brushing against my skin and settling into my lungs with every breath I took. The glow from the forges burned bright and constant, casting flickering light across the carved stone walls and making the embedded crystals shimmer with a deeper, more intense glow than I had seen anywhere else in Lunara. The entire space felt like it had a heartbeat of its own. Flames roared softly within the large stone hearths, their light reflecting off rows of weapons that lined the walls, some finished and gleaming, others still raw and incomplete, waiting to be shaped into something more. The scent of heated metal and ash lingered heavily in the air, mixed with something
“Well, that explains everything,” I muttered under my breath. He smirked slightly, still focused on his food. “It should.” I shook my head, not satisfied with that answer at all. Maybe for them, it was normal. Maybe for the fae, magic was as simple as breathing, something they didn’t need to question. But for me, coming from the human world, it wasn’t something I could just accept without understanding it. I turned my attention back to Garrick, who sat a few places down from us, his posture as steady as before. “What kind of magic is it?” I asked. “And who made it?” Garrick looked at me thoughtfully before answering, like he was deciding how much to explain. “The hall is held together by layered magic,” he said. “Not just one source, but many. Over time, each guardian has added to it, strengthening the structure, shaping it to what it is now.” I listened closely, leaning slightly forward without realizing it. “Each fae carries their own form of magic,” he continued. “Some
By the time training ended, my body felt the same way it had every day that week, sore, tired, and pushed just enough to remind me that I was improving, even if it didn’t always feel like it in the moment. The morning air had warmed, the quiet from earlier replaced with the distant sounds of the hall coming to life as people moved about their daily routines. I wiped my hand across my forehead, brushing away the sweat before lowering the wooden sword and setting it aside.Rhys stretched his arms above his head with a quiet groan before letting them drop back to his sides. “That’s enough for today,” he said, already turning toward the hall like he had made up his mind for both of us. “If I don’t eat now, I’m going to start making bad decisions.”I glanced at him, raising a brow slightly. “You’re already doing that.”He smirked without looking back. “Exactly my point.”I shook my h
Binding magic was not something done without reason. It was used when power became dangerous, when it grew beyond what the body could hold without breaking. It could seal magic away completely, forcing it into silence until the time came for it to return. The words settled heavier the more I read, each line making it harder to ignore the connection forming in my chest.There were different kinds of bindings. Some were temporary, meant to hold something back for a short time. Others were weaker, fading slowly over the years. But then there were stronger ones, deeper ones, the kind that could last through a lifetime if they were done correctly.My fingers stilled on the page as I read more carefully.Royal bloodlines carry ancient magic, often too unstable in early years. In rare cases, a full binding may be placed upon the child before their power awakens, sealing both their magic and physical traits until the time is right… or until the seal is broken.My breath caught slightly as I r
I didn’t need to look to know Corin was listening.Rhys did.And he was enjoying it.“Seems like all she needed was the right kind of push,” he added, his gaze flicking toward me again for just a second before moving past me once more.I clenched my jaw slightly, setting the bread down as I finally looked up, meeting his eyes properly this time. “Are you done?” I asked.“Not yet,” he said lightly.Of course not.“She listens well,” he continued, though now there was something else in his tone, something quieter, but no less intentional. “Takes direction without overthinking it too much. Makes a difference.”I knew exactly what he was doing.And I hated that it was working.The air around us had changed again, the quiet conversations at the table fading just enough that it felt like everything had narrowed down to this moment, to the words being said and the ones that weren’t.I didn’t look at Corin.I didn’t trust myself to.But I could feel it.The weight of his attention.Closer now
Slowly, I pulled my wrist from his grip. This time, he didn’t stop me. “This is what I mean,” I said softly. “You always stop just short.” For a moment, I thought he might reach for me again, that he might say something different this time, something that would finally change the way things were
The warmth of the water stayed on my skin long after everything settled, but it didn’t reach the heaviness sitting in my chest. The pool had gone still again, the soft ripples fading into nothing as the light from the crystals reflected against the stone walls around us. It should have felt peacefu
His lips crashed down on mine again, like they were seeking air and the only way they could find air, is by touching mine. My hands moved up and tangled into the hair at the back of his neck. Corin lifts me up in his arms once more as my legs folds around him. We decent into the lukewarm
The distance between us disappeared in a single step as his hand came up, firm and certain as it caught my arm, pulling me toward him before I could react. The sudden movement stole the breath from my lungs, my body colliding with his as he closed the space completely, leaving no room for hesitatio







