Morning in Carfein rose like a secret whispered by the wind.The sky above the floating island was soft gold, its clouds veiled in silver threads. From the highest towers, the vast roots of Skyria shimmered faintly in the distance, stretching toward the unseen earth below — old veins of a living sky.
Aria awoke to music.
It came faintly through her cell's window — a slow rhythm of bells and chimes that rolled across the air. She blinked against the pale light seeping in through the narrow opening. Her hands still trembled slightly; she'd dreamt of the diary again — of the Amoths' dying fields and of the name she could not speak aloud.
The morning was quiet in her room, but beyond it…Carfein was alive.
Voices rose in the lower courts, laughter mixed with the rustle of silk, banners unfurled across balconies, and for the first time since her capture, Aria felt the city celebrating something.
The return of Kael Almoth — firstborn son of King Julian, heir to Carfein's golden throne.
She leaned closer to the window. From where she stood, she could see the faint glimmer of distant flags, the reflection of hundreds of Quarties gathering near the central avenue. Their skin caught the sunlight — blue, silver, green, copper — every tone glowed as if the morning itself had come to watch.
And the Tree…The Tree of Life in the distance shimmered with faint light.Even in daylight, it glowed — as though it already knew what the day would bring.
A soft knock came at her door.
Before Aria could respond, the door opened, and Sira stepped in, her lavender hair tied in soft waves, a half-smile dancing on her lips.
"You're awake early," she said, setting a small tray near the bed. "The cooks are losing their minds. The kitchen smells like fifty festivals at once."
Aria smiled faintly. "Why? What's happening?"
Sira raised a brow, mock disbelief bright in her eyes. "Don't tell me you forgot. Today's the day. Kael Almoth returns from the wandering."
"Kael…" Aria murmured. "Lirien's brother."
"The firstborn," Sira corrected, plopping herself down on the chair beside her. "The pride of Carfein. The one everyone's been waiting to kneel before again." She grinned, half fond, half teasing. "He's bringing his chosen too."
"His chosen?"
"Jessica."The name hung like light itself."Kael's beloved," Sira said softly. "They say she's touched by the Tree — her hair glows under moonlight, her skin like gold when it rains. The people call her the Blessed One."
Aria turned back toward the window, quiet. She didn't know why the thought unsettled her, though she had no reason for jealousy — not yet, not in the tangled web she was caught within.
Sira sighed. "You'll see her soon. Lirien's already losing his calm. He's been at the gates since dawn."
"Of course he is," Aria muttered, recalling Lirien's sharpness, the precision in every step, the way even silence obeyed him. "He probably polished the stones himself."
Sira laughed, a burst of sound like bells."You know," she said, "for a human, you're not half bad at mocking princes."
By midday, the sound of trumpets echoed through the halls.
Aria had been summoned to stand among the scholars — a privilege, Lirien said, though his tone left no kindness in it. Two guards escorted her through the upper galleries, where sunlight streamed through colored glass, painting the marble floors with waves of green and blue.
Outside, the courtyard was vast — paved with white stone and framed by golden arches. The air shimmered faintly with magic. Hundreds of Quarties lined the path, their faces alight with expectation.
Then came the sound —Wings.
From the far edge of the horizon, a fleet of winged creatures appeared, soaring through the skies, banners of Carfein trailing behind them. At the center of the formation was a chariot of silver light, pulled by six beasts of crystal feathers.
The chariot landed with grace upon the marble dais.The crowd's murmur swelled like the tide.
Kael Almoth stepped out first.
He was nothing like Lirien.Where Lirien carried sharpness — a blade of shadow and reason — Kael was light itself. His eyes were golden amber, his expression open, his stride noble yet gentle. He smiled as he greeted the people, a warmth that made even the guards lower their heads in respect.
And then she saw her.
Jessica descended next — not walking, but floating as if the air itself dared not touch her. Her gown was woven in shades of silver and sky-blue, glinting with fine veins of light that mirrored the Tree's glow. Her hair — pale as snow — framed her face in perfect serenity. She was radiant in a way that seemed to silence the world.
"The Blessed One," someone whispered behind Aria.And Aria believed it.
Jessica turned to Kael and smiled — a soft, genuine smile that reached her eyes. When their hands touched, the Tree's light pulsed faintly in the distance. A sign, the crowd murmured, a blessing of the roots.
Inside the great hall, celebrations began.
Tables were lined with silver fruit and luminescent wine, music danced through the air, and laughter filled the vaulted ceilings. Yet for all the light, Aria couldn't shake the tension that laced beneath it — an invisible thread, drawn taut and waiting to snap.
Lirien stood near the throne, his expression perfectly carved, his eyes tracing every gesture his elder brother made. His smile was thin — too measured, too still.
King Julian sat beside the Tree-carved dais, aged yet proud, his crown of living vines glinting under the chandeliers. When Kael approached, the king rose — his voice filled the hall, echoing off the marble.
"Welcome home, my son."
The hall erupted in cheers.
Kael knelt, and Jessica beside him, her head bowed in grace. "I've seen the skies of Skyria, Father," Kael said, "but nothing shines brighter than Carfein."
Julian's laughter rumbled softly. "Spoken like a true Almoth."
Lirien stepped forward then, bowing stiffly."Brother," he said. "The kingdom stands brighter with your return."
Kael smiled. "And colder without your warmth, Lirien."
The hall rippled with soft laughter — but the brief flicker in Lirien's eyes did not go unnoticed by Aria. She stood among the scholars, watching every movement, every glance between the brothers. There was history in their silence. Rivalry, maybe. Or regret.
Jessica turned then — her gaze, calm as moonlight, fell briefly upon Aria. For a heartbeat, their eyes met. Jessica smiled — faint but kind, as if to say she saw something familiar in her.
And for reasons Aria couldn't name, her chest ached.
Later that evening, when the hall had quieted and the guests had dispersed into smaller gatherings, Aria found herself near the balcony again. The Tree's glow painted the horizon in slow waves of green-blue light. Below, the city shimmered like a sea of stars.
Footsteps approached behind her.She turned — Lirien.
His usual composure seemed sharper now, more deliberate. He stood beside her, looking down at the city.
"You watched him," he said quietly.
"I watched everyone," Aria replied, wary.
He glanced sideways, the corner of his mouth curving faintly. "Careful, human. In this court, watching is an art. One wrong look can start a war."
She folded her arms. "You'd know."
A faint sound — something like laughter, though it never reached his eyes."The king grows weak," Lirien said softly. "Kael returns with light, and the people adore it. But light blinds. It hides shadows… and secrets."
"Then you must enjoy living in them," she muttered.
Lirien's gaze turned to her fully now, intense and unreadable. "You'll understand soon enough," he murmured. "The roots of this kingdom run deep, Aria. Deeper than you think."
He left her with that, his cloak trailing behind him like smoke.
Aria remained there for a long while, her thoughts a storm.Music drifted faintly from below — laughter, celebration, joy — yet all she could feel was unease.
Then, from the corner of her eye, she saw a movement across the courtyard — a familiar figure slipping between the crowd, dark cloak catching the faint glow of torches.
Xyren.
He didn't look back, but for a moment, she thought he might have felt her gaze. His head tilted slightly, just enough to send a chill through her. Then he disappeared into the corridors beneath the Tree's shadow.
The Tree glowed brighter.
A faint pulse trembled through the ground — soft, subtle, almost like a heartbeat. The same rhythm she had felt before, back when she'd read the diary and the pages had whispered of roots that moved.
Something was waking beneath Carfein.
And for the first time, Aria wondered —if the light she saw today was truly a blessing…or a warning.