The morning light filtered through the thin curtains of Aria's chamber, casting a golden hue on the stone walls. She sat curled up on the edge of the bed, already awake. Sleep had been a stranger to her that night, chased away by the whirlwind of memories, fears, and unanswered questions.
Every time she closed her eyes, images of the forest, the escape, and Kael's haunted expression would come rushing back. She wasn't sure what this fortress meant to her yet—safety, danger, or just another kind of cage—but she knew one thing: she couldn't be weak anymore.
A gentle knock pulled her from her thoughts, and the door creaked open before she could respond.
Kael stepped inside, dressed in a black training shirt and dark pants, his hair slightly damp from the early morning air. He paused when he saw her already awake, a flicker of surprise crossing his face.
"I didn't expect you to be up so early," he said softly.
Aria offered a small shrug. "I couldn't sleep."
Kael's eyes softened. He stepped further into the room, closing the door behind him. "I came to wake you."
"Well, I beat you to it."
A small smile tugged at his lips. "I guess you did."
An awkward silence settled between them for a beat, but it wasn't the kind that stung. It was more like two people searching for footing in a world that had shifted beneath them.
Kael cleared his throat. "I wanted to check how you were feeling. How was your night?"
Aria hesitated. "Quiet. Strange. I kept thinking someone would barge in and drag me out."
"They won't," he said, tone firm. "No one will hurt you here. Not while I'm here."
The conviction in his voice made her chest tighten. There was something about the way he said it—like it wasn't just a promise, but a personal vow.
"I want to believe that," she admitted, looking down at the necklace. "But I still feel like I'm… pretending. Like I don't belong."
"You don't need to pretend." Kael stepped closer, his voice low and steady. "But there's something else I came to talk to you about."
Aria looked up, curious.
"You need to train," he said, voice firm now. "You have to learn how to protect yourself."
She blinked. "Me? Train?"
"Yes. You're not just some ordinary girl, Aria. Whether you realize it or not, there's something in you—something powerful. I saw it when you used your flames."
Her eyes widened. "I don't even know what I did. It just happened. I was angry. Scared."
"Exactly," he nodded. "And that means you have potential. Power, if harnessed, can be controlled. You don't have to live in fear of it."
She frowned. "So you want me to be some kind of warrior?"
"I want you to be ready," Kael said. "Not because you should fight every battle, but because you deserve the choice. You should never be helpless again."
Those words struck something deep within her. Helplessness had been her reality for so long. Being pushed around, used, tossed aside—she didn't want that anymore.
"Okay," she whispered. "I'll train."
Kael smiled faintly. "Good. We'll start in the courtyard. Wear something comfortable. I'll be waiting."
As he turned to leave, Aria called after him, "Kael."
He paused at the door.
"Thank you. For not treating me like I'm broken."
His gaze held hers. "You're not broken, Aria. You're just beginning."
Then he left, and Aria felt—for the first time in a long while—that maybe she could become something more than a frightened girl with a mysterious past. Maybe she could be someone strong.
Someone worthy of the legacy buried deep in her blood.