Chapter 6

ELARA’S POV

Something cold brushed against my skin. I jerked awake instantly. For one disoriented second, I forgot where I was. When I looked around, I thought I was dreaming. 

Then I remembered everything. My wedding night, the massive bed, the dark curtains and the black stone walls. I was still in Bloodreaver Fortress.

My breathing turned uneven immediately.

The room was still dim, gray morning light barely slipping through the heavy curtains. The fire in the hearth had burned low during the night, leaving only soft crackling embers behind.

But that wasn’t what woke me. Something felt wrong inside me. The air itself felt strange and disturbingly heavy.

My pulse quickened as goosebumps crawled across my arms. It was like someone was standing beside the bed watching me breathe.

I sat up slowly. The room was in complete silence.

Then suddenly, a sharp violent pressure exploded inside my chest.

Pain shot through my body so abruptly that I gasped aloud, clutching at the blankets beneath me.

Something dark surged beneath my skin. The air in the room trembled. And then, a blinding light erupted from within me and I heard a loud crack. 

When I looked up, I froze. The mirror across the room shattered violently. Glass exploded everywhere. I screamed.

The sound ripped out of me before I could stop it while shards crashed across the floor in glittering pieces. My heart slammed wildly against my ribs.

What…What just happened? I stared at the destroyed mirror in complete horror. The force had not touched anything else. Only the mirror. Only that.

My hands trembled violently as I backed away across the bed, panic clawing up my throat.

No. No no no. Not again. The memory slammed into me so fast it made my stomach twist painfully.

I was thirteen the first time something strange happened like this. 

A rogue wolf had wandered near the lower forest while I was gathering herbs for the kitchens. Everyone else ran immediately the moment they saw it.

I couldn’t. The rogue cornered me against a tree, growling low enough to shake my bones. I remembered the smell of blood on its breath. I remembered its eyes.

It was golden, wild and he looked very very hungry. I thought I was going to die. But then something inside me snapped.

The world suddenly went quiet. And when the wolf lunged toward me, I looked directly into its eyes and whispered, “Leave me alone.”

The rogue froze instantly.

Its entire body stiffened violently like something invisible had wrapped around its throat. Then slowly, it lowered itself onto its stomach and made small whining sounds. 

It was afraid. 

I remembered staring at it in shock while my own heartbeat thundered in my ears. And then, without another sound, the rogue turned and disappeared back into the forest.

Just like that. Like I had commanded it. I ran home afterward shaking so badly I could barely stand. For once in my life, I thought maybe my parents would look proud of me.

Maybe they would.believe me, maybe I would be useful and important now. But that didn't happen. Instead, my father scoffed and he looked at me.like I had gone mad. 

“You expect us to believe that?” my father snapped.

My mother looked disgusted. “You never change, do you? You are always desperate for attention.”

“I’m not lying,” I whispered desperately. “I swear it happened—”

“Enough,” my father barked. His voice made me flinch immediately. Then Lyra stepped forward.

Sweet beautiful Lyra with sadness painted carefully across her face.

“Elara,” she said softly, “if it really happened… then do it again.”

I tried. Gods, I tried. But nothing happened afterward. No matter how hard I stared at the servants’ wolves outside the estate gates.

No matter how much I begged whatever strange force answered me in the forest to return, nothing happened. 

And I still remembered the look on Lyra’s face afterward. It was not disappointment, not confusion but complete anger.

Just for one second. Before she smiled gently and touched my arm. “It’s okay,” she whispered sweetly. “I believe you.”

Liar.

The realization hurt now in ways it hadn’t back then. Lyra always knew exactly what she was doing. And I—God. I had been stupid enough to love her anyway.

A sharp knock suddenly sounded against the bedroom door. Panic shot through me instantly.

The shattered mirror. The noise. Footsteps approached quickly outside.

Then the door opened and Sena stepped inside.

She froze immediately. Her sharp eyes swept across the destroyed glass covering the floor.

“What happened?” My mouth went dry. Think. Think. Fear tightened around my ribs violently. If I told the truth, they would think I was dangerous or insane. Or even both.

“I…” My voice cracked. “I thought I saw someone.”

Sena’s expression sharpened instantly.

“Someone?”

“I woke up and there was… there was a shadow near the mirror,” I lied quickly. “I got scared and threw something at it.”

My eyes dropped toward the shattered glass. “It hit the mirror instead.” Silence. Sena stared at me too long. Like she knew. Like she absolutely did not believe a word coming out of my mouth.

My pulse became unbearable beneath her gaze.

Then suddenly she turned sharply toward the hallway. “Guards!”

Heavy footsteps thundered almost immediately outside the room.

“Search the eastern wing,” Sena ordered coldly. “Now. If someone entered Lady Elara’s chambers without permission, I want them found immediately.”

Oh no. Oh God. I sat frozen on the bed while soldiers rushed through the hall outside. This was bad. This was very, very bad.

Because there was no shadow. No intruder. No attacker. Just me. And whatever terrifying thing lived inside me.

And I didn't want to cause any trouble. I couldn't tell her the truth. They would kill me immediately. Fear pounded in my ribs so hard I thought I would pass out. 

Then, Sena turned to me. “Are you hurt?” She asked and I shook my head immediately. 

“No, I'm…I'm fine,” I whispered slowly, not knowing what else to say.