Chapter 948 — The Weight of Wanting
The Hollow basked in the slow burn of evening. The lanterns along the central promenade flickered to life one by one, their soft gold glow reflecting off glass and steel, casting long, honeyed shadows across the cobblestone. The air smelled faintly of rain and hearthfire—alive, but tranquil.
Kael had left the courtyard earlier, summoned to the outer wall to oversee the recruits' late drills. Lyria had remained behind in the gardens, pruning the soft lavender vines that grew up along the marble balustrade. It was one of her quiet rituals—something she did when her heart was full and her mind too heavy to rest.
The sound of footsteps broke the hush. Light, measured. Eris.
The witch of chaos had grown into her new body well. Her movements were almost too graceful, deliberate—an echo of something once constructed now made real. The lantern light kissed her pale hair as she stepped closer, her golden eyes calm but searching.
"Lyria," she said softly.
Lyria smiled over her shoulder. "Eris. You're up late."
"I do not require sleep," Eris answered, stopping beside her. "But… lately, I find I wish to."
Lyria set down her shears, giving the spirit her full attention. "That's because you're not just a voice in someone's head anymore. You're learning to live."
Eris nodded slowly, her gaze drifting toward the horizon where the training fields lay. "That is why I came. I wanted to speak to you—about… what living means."
Lyria arched an eyebrow, curious but cautious. "Go on."
For a moment, Eris seemed to hesitate—something she never used to do. Her hands flexed at her sides, as though searching for stability. "When I was within Kael's mind, I understood existence as logic. Equations, commands, impulses. I was content with that. But now… with this form, this heart—" she pressed a hand lightly to her chest, "—everything feels different. There are colors I cannot name, sounds that move me, sensations that frighten and… fascinate me."
Lyria's expression softened. "You're feeling emotions. That's a good thing, Eris."
"I wish to understand them," Eris said quietly. "All of them."
The way she said it—gentle, almost reverent—made Lyria set her tools aside completely. "And what does that mean?"
Eris met her eyes, steady, unflinching. "It means I wish to explore them. Love, joy, attraction… even arousal."
Lyria blinked, caught off guard by the bluntness, though she shouldn't have been. Eris didn't know subtlety—she only knew truth.
"And you want to explore those with Kael," Lyria said, voice even, though her heart gave a small, involuntary tremor.
"Yes."
The word hung between them like a suspended breath.
Eris continued, her voice low, thoughtful. "When I was part of him, I shared everything—his thoughts, his fears, his hopes, his dreams of you. I felt them, though I could not understand them. Now that I can… I find myself wanting to feel what he feels. To be what he feels. To know why his heart quickens when you touch him. Why his voice softens when he says your name."
Her golden eyes glowed faintly in the dim. "I want to know what it means to love. To want. To be wanted. But…"
She trailed off, glancing away for the first time. "You have been kind to me. More than I deserve. You have taught me, trusted me, called me a friend. You have been loyal to Kael, and to me, even when I was only a whisper in his mind. I will not betray that. If my desire offends you—if it hurts you—I will end it before it begins."
The words landed like glass—fragile, clear, impossible to ignore.
Eris bowed her head, her hair falling forward like a curtain of silver. "You deserve happiness, Lyria. You and Kael both. If my feelings would disturb that harmony, then I will bury them. Logic dictates that peace outweighs pleasure. I would rather remain hollow than cause you pain."
Lyria stared at her for a long time, her heart twisting. There was no deceit in Eris—no cunning, no manipulation. Just raw, uncertain honesty from a being learning how to be.
The silence stretched. The hum of the lanterns filled the air, and the scent of lavender grew stronger in the cool breeze.
Finally, Lyria spoke, her voice quiet, trembling with emotion.
"Eris…" she said, stepping closer, searching those gold, uncertain eyes.
And just as her lips parted to give her answer—
The chapter ended.