Elira pulled back from his embrace, breathless, the warmth of his lips still lingering, but now buried under a growing storm of unease.
Her brows furrowed.
"Who are you?"
The man's sapphire eyes shimmered like deep oceans, full of stories unsaid.
He smiled faintly.
"I told you. I'm your husband, Elira."
She blinked. "What?"
"King Edward ," he said softly, reaching for her hand again. "We were married under twin moons. You wore moonstone and lilac. You promised me forever."
Elira staggered back.
"That's not true… I—I don't remember that. I don't know you."
"You did," he replied calmly, the stars in his cloak glowing faintly. "Before they took you. Before he took you."
"Who?"
But her question never reached him.
Because the sky above them fractured like glass, and the palace began to shatter and dissolve. The world spun around her like a carousel of voices, broken stars, and fading images. King Edward's figure vanished into dust, reaching for her—
"You'll remember me soon, my queen…"
Then darkness again.
She landed hard on the cold floor, gasping.
When she looked up, the mirror in front of her glowed once more—but this time, it didn't show her.
It showed Elric.
He was bruised, bloodied, sword swinging wildly as he fought beside Auren. They were surrounded by hundreds of those feral monkey-like creatures—eyes red, claws flashing. They were outnumbered. Cornered. Fading.
"Elric," she breathed, her hands against the glowing mirror. "What is this? What's happening?"
She reached for the mirror again—trying to touch it, pass through it—anything.
But then—
A whisper.
Close.
Behind her.
Low. Mocking.
"Got confused, little princess?"
She spun around, heart in her throat.
Standing in the far corner of the room was a cloaked figure, half-hidden in shadows. She couldn't see the face—just the crooked grin and glowing crimson eyes beneath the hood.
"Who—who are you?" she demanded.
The figure stepped forward.
"Someone who's been watching you very closely."
"Where am I? What is this place?" she asked, her voice shaking.
The figure chuckled.
"You're in the in-between. The mind's maze. And if you're not careful, you'll lose track of which version of you was ever real."