Chapter 939 — The Mind's Thread
The following morning dawned quiet and golden over the Hollow. The courtyard was empty save for Kael, standing in stillness, the sun casting sharp lines across his face. He wasn't training — not exactly. He was thinking.
He had seen the way Eris fought yesterday — not just the precision of it, but the joy that had overtaken her. It was human in every way, and yet… something beneath it unnerved him. Chaos was never meant to be guided by emotion, and the way it responded to her — like a loyal hound that might one day bite its master — was too familiar for comfort.
He exhaled slowly, drawing his own chaos magic into his palm. The dark energy shimmered and pulsed, matching the beat of his heart.
Then, a voice — clear, curious, and unexpectedly intimate — echoed through his mind.
You are worried about me.
Kael froze. The magic faltered and vanished, dissipating like mist. "Eris?" he said aloud, glancing around.
No need to look for me, came her soft, amused tone, the sound carrying directly through the space between his thoughts. I'm not there. Not in body, at least.
Kael blinked, unsure if he was imagining it. "How are you doing that?"
I don't know, she admitted. It just… happened. I was thinking of you. And then I felt you thinking of me.
Kael's brows furrowed as he felt her presence within the quiet corners of his mind — not invasive, but familiar, like a heartbeat overlapping his own. He could feel her curiosity, the brush of her emotion — soft, hesitant, tinged with wonder.
"So our connection… it runs deeper than I thought," he murmured.
It does.
Kael let out a small breath of disbelief. "And you can hear everything I think?"
Not everything, Eris replied gently. Only when your mind speaks to me — when you allow it. It's… like a door. You can open or close it.
He nodded slowly, though she couldn't see it. "Then keep it open. I want to test this."
There was a flicker of surprise through the link — then warmth. As you wish.
He focused, reaching out with thought instead of voice. Can you hear me now?
Yes, she replied instantly, her tone lighter now, almost teasing. And you sound far less gruff in here.
Kael chuckled despite himself. You're learning sarcasm too, I see.
Lyria taught me that one.
The amusement that passed between them was quiet, but palpable — a shared pulse of something that transcended words. Yet beneath it, Kael could sense a tension in her thoughts — a quiet turbulence, like waves against stone.
You're holding something back, he said gently.
Eris hesitated. Then, her thoughts turned softer, uncertain. When I fight, I feel… alive. More than I ever did before. I understand now why you fight — not just for protection, but for the way it makes you feel. The clarity. The… release.
Kael's chest tightened. Eris—
But it frightens me too, she continued, voice flickering in his mind like candlelight. Because I don't know where that feeling ends… and where I begin.
Kael exhaled slowly, his mind brushing against hers — not in command, but reassurance. That feeling doesn't define you. It's a part of you, but not all of you.
Is that what you tell yourself? she asked softly.
That stopped him. He didn't answer immediately, because the truth was harder than the comfort.
Sometimes, he admitted. But we learn to balance it — the chaos, the emotion, the duty. It's never easy, but it's worth trying.
Eris didn't respond right away. He could feel her thinking — the weight of her newfound emotions swirling inside her mind like a storm she couldn't quite control.
Then finally, she whispered through the link, Then I will try. I will learn control, just as you did.
Kael smiled faintly. Good. You'll learn faster than I ever did.
She laughed softly — an echo of a sound that brushed the edge of human warmth. That's not a high bar to clear.
Their minds shared a ripple of humor, fading into quiet comfort. Yet beneath the calm, Kael could feel something else growing in their connection — not just understanding, but synchronization. The magic that bound them pulsed in harmony, stronger and steadier than before.
For a brief moment, Kael could feel her heartbeat. And Eris could feel his.
It was as if the universe had tied two souls together — chaos and calm, logic and emotion — and dared them to remain whole.
As the sun dipped lower in the Hollow's sky, Eris's voice whispered faintly in his thoughts once more, tinged with something almost human.
Kael… thank you. For giving me a voice. For giving me form. And for letting me feel.
He smiled quietly, resting a hand against his temple. Always.
And for the first time since her creation, Kael realized the chaos inside him no longer felt so heavy. It was shared — evenly, beautifully — between two minds.