The next morning, Kael's room was quiet and dark, just like always.
He was sleeping deeply. His face looked calm, as if a heavy weight had finally been lifted from his chest. For the first time since waking up, his sleep felt real, not broken or painful.
A soft knock came at the door.
Kael did not hear it.
He was too deep in sleep.
After waiting a moment, a voice spoke from outside.
"Brother… are you awake?" Zara said gently. "I'm coming in."
The door opened slowly.
Zara stepped inside and paused.
The room was still dark. The air was quiet. Kael lay on the bed, unmoving, his breathing slow and steady.
She walked toward the window and pulled the curtains aside.
Bright sunlight rushed in.
The sudden light fell directly across Kael's face.
He frowned slightly, then slowly opened his eyes. His vision was blurred at first. A shadow stood near the window, surrounded by light.
He blinked once. Then again.
His sight cleared.
"It's… you," he said softly.
Zara stood there, her red hair glowing in the sunlight.
"It's morning," she said.
Kael pushed himself up and sat on the bed. He raised his arms and stretched slowly, his body stiff but obedient. The sleep drained from him bit by bit.
For the first time since he woke from the coma, the morning felt… normal.
And that feeling scared him more than the darkness ever had.
Kael looked at her and asked quietly,
"What time is it?"
Zara crossed her arms and answered in a soft but scolding, almost mother-like tone,
"It's already ten in the morning."
Kael let out a small breath and raised his hand, rubbing the back of his head.
"…I slept too long today," he said, half embarrassed.
Zara shook her head slightly, watching him with a faint smile, as if she had grown used to taking care of him already.
Zara stepped closer and spoke gently, but with a tone that allowed no argument.
"Go freshen up and come to the dining hall for breakfast," she said. Then she added, looking at him seriously, "Everyone is waiting for you there."
Kael nodded slowly, the words sinking in.
Waiting for him.
It still felt strange… but warm.
Zara left Kael's room quietly and went down to the dining hall. Her footsteps faded along the corridor, leaving the room silent once again.
Kael sat for a moment, then slowly stood up and went to take a shower.
When he finally came out and made his way downstairs, he was dressed in a dark brown suit. It fit him well, but on his still-weak body it felt heavier than it should have, like clothes meant for a life he had not fully stepped back into yet.
The dining hall greeted him with stillness.
It was vast and old, built for nobles. The ceiling was high, supported by thick pillars carved with worn designs. Long chandeliers hung above, their light soft and dim. A massive dining table stretched across the center of the hall, polished smooth by time.
It felt like a place where, centuries ago, a powerful family once gathered. A place filled with voices, laughter, arguments, and pride.
Now, that great family had been reduced to only three people.
Rowan Ravenshade sat at the head of the table. Zara was seated nearby. Empty chairs surrounded them, silent reminders of what was lost.
The Ravenshade name still carried weight across the country. Their wealth, their port, their legacy still stood strong.
But inside this grand hall, the truth was clear.
Only three remained.
Kael took his seat beside Rowan.
Rowan Ravenshade sat at the head of the long dining table, his posture straight, the weight of the family name resting on his shoulders. Kael sat to his right, while Zara took her place on his left.
The arrangement felt formal, almost ceremonial, as if the table itself still remembered the rules of nobility.
Around them, servants stood in silence, spaced evenly along the sides of the hall, their hands folded, their eyes lowered. They waited for orders that did not need to be spoken.
Behind Rowan's chair stood Steward Thaddeus Mercer. His back was straight, his hands clasped behind him, watchful and composed. As the steward of the Ravenshade estate, it was his place to stand there, overseeing every detail, ensuring that nothing disturbed the order of the house.
The hall remained quiet.
Only the soft clink of tableware and the faint echo of breathing filled the space, as the Ravenshade family gathered for breakfast for the first time in seven long years.
A servant stepped forward from the line, moving quietly, careful not to break the calm of the hall. One by one, the servants began to serve the table.
The breakfast was rich, fitting for an old noble house, yet chosen carefully for Kael's weak body.
First came warm oat porridge, slow-cooked in milk, lightly sweetened with honey and crushed almonds. Steam rose gently from the bowls.
Next, soft-boiled eggs, their shells cracked just enough, served with thin slices of dark rye bread spread with fresh butter.
A silver tray followed with smoked river fish, lightly seasoned, its flesh tender and easy to eat. Beside it were steamed vegetables: carrots, turnips, and pale greens, cooked until soft.
For drink, the servants poured warm herbal tea, made from mountain herbs known to calm the head and strengthen the body. A small jug of diluted apple cider sat nearby, faintly sweet and mild.
Everything was simple, nourishing, and quiet. No heavy spices. No harsh flavors. Food meant to restore, not challenge.
When the servants finished, they stepped back into silence.
Rowan turned his head slightly toward Kael, studying his face with a careful eye.
"How are you feeling now?" he asked.
Kael lifted his spoon, paused for a moment, then nodded.
"Better," he said. "I feel… well."
It was a short answer, but it was enough.
Rowan gave a small nod in return. No smile. Just relief.
They began to eat.
The hall remained quiet as cutlery moved slowly. Zara ate carefully, glancing at Kael from time to time, as if afraid he might vanish again if she looked away too long.
Servants stood still along the walls. Steward Mercer remained behind Rowan's chair, watching over the table like a silent guardian.
For the first time in seven years, the Ravenshade family shared a meal together.
And though no one said it aloud, all of them felt the same thing.
This calm was fragile.
And it would not last forever.
They did not talk much during breakfast.
Only the soft sounds of spoons and cups filled the dining hall. When the meal ended, they washed their hands in silence. The moment the family left the hall, the servants moved at once. Plates were lifted, cloths were folded, and the long table was cleared as if no one had ever sat there.
Rowan left for his study room. His steps were slow but steady, carrying the weight of duty that had never left him.
Zara put on her coat and left for the academy with the driver, her figure disappearing beyond the tall doors of the château.
Kael walked alone through the long hallway toward his room.
The walls were lined with old portraits, faces of the past watching in silence. Then his steps slowed.
He stopped.
Before him hung a portrait of a woman with soft blonde hair and calm eyes. Her expression was gentle, almost warm, painted with care and love.
Elise Ravenshade.
His mother.
Kael stood there for a long moment, staring at her face. Memories tried to rise, but they came only as faint feelings, like echoes without sound. He felt something tighten in his chest, a quiet pain he could not explain.
After a while, he looked away.
Without another word, Kael turned and continued down the hallway, returning to his room, leaving the portrait behind—watching him go in eternal silence.
Kael returned to his room and gently closed the door behind him.
The room fell quiet again.
He walked to the chair near his desk, the one with the soft cushion, and sat down slowly. His body still felt unfamiliar, but calmer than before. Reaching for a book from the desk, he opened it without much thought.
It was a physics book.
His eyes moved across the page, stopping on a single line written in bold.
"Newton's Third Law: Every action has an equal and opposite reaction."
— Sir Isaac Newton
Kael stared at the words for a long time.
They felt heavier than they should have. Not just a rule of science, but something else. Something closer to life.
He leaned back in the chair, the book resting in his hands, and read the sentence again in silence.
After reading the line, Kael did not turn the page immediately.
He sat still for a moment, then slowly adjusted himself in the chair and began to read again. This time, with focus. With patience.
Minutes passed. Then hours.
The outside world faded. The long corridors of the château, the servants, the silence, even the weight of the lost years drifted away. There was only the book, the quiet scratch of pages turning, and his mind working steadily.
For the first time since waking up, Kael felt something close to balance.
He read with full dedication, letting knowledge flow back into him, page after page, as the daylight outside shifted without him noticing.