After what felt like hours, the fever finally broke, and the heaviness in my body began to lift. Bit by bit, I felt like myself again.
The room was quiet, except for the soft crackle of the fire above the fireplace. The smell of herbs still lingered in the air from Mira's earlier visit to the market. It was calm, peaceful....too peaceful for what lay ahead.
I sat near the window, staring out at the darkening sky. The last few days had been a blur. We'd learned about the Vellier family's execution, and Eric was preparing to leave. I hated the thought of him going, but I understood. His people needed him. He couldn't hide forever.
I was lost in thought when something caught my eye, a small trinket on the shelf across the room. It was an old pendant, gold with a faded engraving. It looked familiar, though I couldn't place it right away. I stood slowly and walked toward it.
The moment my fingers brushed against it, a strange feeling washed over me. The world around me seemed to blur, and for a second, I felt like I was somewhere else. The room faded, and I was standing in the grand hall of the palace. The sound of footsteps echoed around me, but I couldn't see anyone. My heart raced.
A cold breeze swept through the hall, and I heard a whisper, faint but clear.
"Aeris…"
I froze. The voice was distant, but it was unmistakable. My name.
The world around me seemed to ripple, like water disturbed by a stone. I wanted to step forward, but my body felt heavy. The sensation of being in two places at once was overwhelming. I clenched my fists, trying to ground myself, but the pull was too strong.
"Aeris…"
The voice came again, and this time, I could almost feel it. I took a hesitant step forward, but as soon as I did, everything went black. The pendant in my hand slipped from my fingers and fell to the floor with a soft clink.
I gasped and stumbled backward, my chest tight. My heart was racing. What had just happened? I pressed my palm to my forehead, trying to calm my breathing. I was still in Mira's cottage, not in the palace. But something lingered, the feeling of being so close to the past, like I could almost touch it.
I quickly picked up the pendant, holding it tightly in my hand. It was just a piece of jewelry, yet somehow it felt different now. More than just a trinket. I turned it over, but there was nothing unusual about it. The engraving was too faded to make out any details. But that whisper… It haunted me.
I needed to get a hold of myself.
I stepped away from the window and walked to the small table where Mira had left a few herbs earlier. I began sorting through them, trying to focus on something other than the strange experience. But my mind kept drifting back to the pendant. That voice. The feeling of the past reaching out to me.
The door creaked open, and Mira stepped in. She looked at me curiously, sensing something was off.
"You okay?" she asked, her eyes narrowing slightly as she saw the pendant in my hand.
I quickly tucked it into my pocket, not wanting to explain. "I'm fine. Just... thinking."
Mira raised an eyebrow but didn't press the issue. She set a small basket on the table and took a seat. "You've been quiet the past few days," she said. "What's on your mind?"
I forced a smile, though it felt stiff. "Just the future. What we're going to do next."
Her eyes softened. "It's hard, isn't it? Everything that's happened... the changes. But you're not alone. You have Eric. And now you have a chance to fight back."
I nodded, grateful for her kindness, but the weight in my chest didn't lift. I was still haunted by what I had seen. Or rather, what I hadn't seen. The voice, the feeling, the rush of something ancient and powerful that I couldn't shake off.
"I'm scared, Mira," I admitted quietly, my voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know if I'm ready to face Landre or anyone else."
Mira's gaze softened even more, and she reached over, placing her hand gently on mine. "You don't have to face it alone. We're all here for you. Eric, me, the people who still believe in the old ways. You'll find your strength when you need it."
Her words were comforting, but I couldn't help the nagging feeling in the back of my mind. Landre was growing more powerful by the day, and even if I stayed hidden, the world was changing around me. The Velliers' execution was just one example of how he was tearing everything apart. People like them didn't deserve to die. They were caught in the crossfire of his greed. If not for me, I would have to do something for them.
I stood abruptly, pulling my hand away from Mira's. "I need to take a walk. Clear my head."
Mira didn't argue. "Don't go too far. You know the woods aren't safe, especially with Landre's men still searching for you."
"I won't be gone long," I promised, though I wasn't sure I could keep that promise.
I stepped outside, the cool air hitting me as I made my way into the small garden. The flowers were starting to wilt now, their vibrant colors fading, but they still held a certain beauty. The garden was a place of peace, a place where I could think clearly. But even now, I couldn't escape the thoughts swirling in my head.
What was I supposed to do? I wasn't just fighting for survival anymore. I was fighting for a future, a future that seemed farther away with each passing day.
I walked through the garden, then beyond the cottage and into the trees. The quietness of the forest helped calm my nerves. The whispers from earlier had faded, but the lingering sense of something more, something dangerous, remained.
As I walked, I felt an odd pull again, like something was waiting for me. I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to center myself, but the sensation wouldn't leave.
The wind picked up, rustling the branches above me. I felt it in the faintest whisper. But this time, it wasn't a voice.
It was a presence.
I turned, expecting to see someone behind me, but no one was there. The trees were still. The air was still. But I could feel it. Something was watching me. Something ancient. Something… familiar.
My breath hitched. Was it my imagination? Or was I somehow tapping into something I couldn't explain?
I clenched my fists. This wasn't the time to question my sanity. I had to stay focused.
I turned back toward the cottage and walked quickly, trying to shake off the feeling. But even as I returned to the safety of the cottage, the unease remained. I just had a glimpse of something unnatural. Was it mine? Or was it something I would have to learn to control?
And if I could control it… what would I do with it?
The questions lingered as I stepped inside, but I kept them to myself. For now, I had more immediate problems to deal with.
One step at a time.