LOGINThe question escaped my lips before I could stop it. I scrutinized her carefully, waiting for an answer.But she remained silent."Mother Elara?" I called.She cast down her eyes.This was not the answer I expected."You don't know," I whispered.She looked into my eyes. "I don't know for sure."I stared at her. "Then why have you been speaking as though she were alive?""I have not.""You said she must have been appearing in my dreams.""She could have been.""That's not the same thing.""No."I frowned.For the first time since our conversation had started, Mother Elara looked uncertain.I could not understand the reason.She had spent so much time talking to me about my mother. Her abilities. Her childhood. Why she had left me.And now that I was asking about the one thing I needed to know, she suddenly looked scared of the answer."Mother Elara."She sighed. "I have seen her."My breath caught. "What?""I have seen Elena."I stared at her. "Where?"Mother Elara looked at me for se
"Yes," she replied.My heart tightened. "How? We both know she’s usually right in that department.""Because love and jealousy can coexist."I looked at her.She continued. "I loved my sister. But I also resented her. And Elena could feel that."My breath caught. "So she knew.""She knew everything."My eyes widened."Then..." A thought suddenly flashed through my mind. "If you truly loved her, she knew that you loved her.""Yes.""Then why did she think that nobody loved her?"Mother Elara's eyes filled with tears again. "Because sometimes, Aria, people don't feel the love you give them when it is hidden behind everything else."I looked at her.Those words settled somewhere deep inside me.Then another thought occurred to me.One that had been bothering me since Mother Elara had told me about my mother's powers.I swallowed. "You said that she could appear in someone's dreams."Mother Elara nodded. "She could.""She appeared in mine." My heart began racing. "The woman I saw." I pres
I stared at Mother Elara. I couldn't move. I couldn't even think. Not only did i have a mother that I did not know where she was, I also had an aunt. It had never crossed my mind that I had other families.Now, there is a mother, Elena.Her sister, Elara.I looked at her face, searching for any similarity between the two.Any.Something.All I could see were the tears running down her face."You..." I tried but failed to find my voice. "You are my mother's sister?"Mother Elara nodded.Slowly.I looked at her.The room felt suddenly very small. There were too many things swirling inside my head. Too many questions. I had no idea where to begin.So, I asked the first thing that crossed my mind. "Why didn't you tell me?"Mother Elara shut her eyes. I felt something coming from her.Sadness.Guilt.Regret.She didn't even need to answer.She was answering my question without words."You knew who I was.""Yes.""You knew my mother.""Yes.""You knew I was her daughter."Her eyes opened. "
We both glanced at the door as Mother Elara entered into the room.Her eyes fell on me.Then Draven.And then back to me.She stopped.I noticed it. "What?"She blinked. "Nothing."I almost laughed. "Everyone keeps saying that," including me.Mother Elara's lips twitched. Then she approached the bed. "How are you feeling?""Fine."“Are you sure you are not feeling hurt somewhere?” She gave me a look. Then she proceeded to travel her gaze down my body, like she was looking for where I was hurt.I sighed. "Just weak."She sat beside me. Her hand touched my forehead. Then my wrist. Her eyes closed.She stayed like that for a few seconds.I watched her. "Mother Elara?"She opened her eyes. "Yes?""You know what’s going on with me." It might be like I was accusing her, but I have a strong feeling she knows more than she’s telling us.Like she’s more involved than these. I wished I could read her mind.Immediately, I wished that, i cautioned myself. Because the gift i think i have is alread
Aria’s POV"Your pain." The words lingered between us.Draven did not move.Neither did I.I was not sure who seemed more confused now. I sat there on his bed, trying to understand everything that had happened to me. My body was weak, but this was not what scared me.It was the memory.The pain.That pain that suddenly overwhelmed my body.I could remember it.I could feel it.Almost.I looked at Draven.He was observing me carefully."What did you feel?" he asked again.I swallowed. "I don't know how to explain it.""Try."I lowered my gaze at my hands. "It wasn't pain, exactly."His eyebrows furrowed. "Then what was it?""I don't know."I hated these words.I hated how often I found myself using them recently.I don't know.I don't understand.I can't explain it.As if my entire life became a set of these things I couldn't explain.The warrior at the festival and how he calmed down suddenly. Strange feelings I had before that. Emotions I sensed from people without knowing where they
My patience thinned. "What happened to her?""I don't know.""You're lying."Her eyes sharpened. "I said I don't know what happened to her."I didn't like that answer. But before I could continue questioning her, she got up. "Let her rest," then she looked at Aria. "She'll wake up."Not a question.Mother Elara looked at me. "Yes."Then she left.And I stayed.Time passed slowly, painfully slowly.So I sat by the bed. Hours passed and I didn’t move but every time Aria moved, my attention snapped to her. I would check on her.Her fingers.Her head.Her breathing pattern.With every single move, I would lean in further.I would observe how her chest would move.Up.Then down.Up.Then down.I would only relax again once I was assured that she was breathing normally. I was being ridiculous, I knew it but I didn't care. I had seen many wounded fighters. I had tended to men who were my comrades for years. I had waited for the healers to inform me if a man had survived or not through the n







