The cavern quieted after Garrick and Kaelen finished combing through the shattered crystal beast.
Their voices echoed faintly, but Elara stood apart, her staff dimly glowing, gaze locked on the shadows where I lingered.
She wasn't guessing this time.
She knew.
I let my form ripple, just slightly, like smoke caught in a draft. Her eyes sharpened.
"I knew it,"
she whispered, voice steady but soft.
"You've been following us."
The warrior turned.
"Elara? Talking to yourself again?"
She shot him a look.
"Go keep watch with Kaelen."
Garrick frowned but obeyed, muttering something about
"reckless mages and their instincts."
Soon it was just her and me, shadows thickening between us.
I coiled, then let a fragment of my humanoid form slip forward—faceless, tall, eyes glowing faintly white.
She stiffened but didn't raise her staff. Brave.
"You're not… a normal monster,"
she said slowly. Her fingers tightened around her staff, though her knuckles weren't white with fear.
"What are you?"
"Oh, straight to the interrogation? No screaming, no fainting? I might actually like this girl."
I let my voice resonate low, rolling like a whisper carried by thunder.
"Hungry."
Her breath hitched, but she stood her ground.
"Hungry… for what?"
I tilted my head. Shadows shifted closer, coiling at her feet but not touching. She didn't flinch.
"Everything,"
I rumbled.
Her eyes flickered. Fear, curiosity, maybe even awe. She bit her lip, steadying her breath.
"Why follow us?"
she asked.
I considered lying. Or teasing. But instead, I leaned closer, shadow tendrils brushing faintly against her sleeve—light enough that it looked accidental. She gasped softly, cheeks flushing.
"Not planned. Totally not planned… okay maybe a little planned."
"I'm… curious,"
I admitted, voice curling like smoke.
"You didn't run. You didn't scream. Most humans would've."
She swallowed, her robe shifting slightly as she steadied herself.
"I don't run from shadows."
A grin spread across my unseen face.
"Spicy."
From the camp, Kaelen's voice called,
"Elara! You're not wandering off, are you?"
She jerked her head toward the noise, then back to where I was. But I'd already dissolved into the wall, only my voice lingering.
"Good answer, Elara Veylin."
Her eyes widened.
"You—know my name?"
The shadows whispered one last time as I retreated deeper into the cavern.
"I know… everything."