Page 39 of Eluvonia
I glance at Kaida, feeling awkward under the weight of the silence. “So… I guess goodnight?” My words come out hesitant, my hand half-lifting in a weak wave.
Kaida grunts, his blue eyes flicking to me briefly before he turns and steps into his room without a word, the door clicking shut behind him.
I blink at the closed door, momentarily thrown off by his lack of an argument about sleeping in separate rooms.Well, escaping isn’t exactly an option right now. I could try to run, but where would I even go? According to him, he’ll be able to find me no matter where I go. Plus, my kind know about the bond and want to kill me. Making him my only option right now… isn’t he?I ask myself.
Shaking my head, I let out a small huff and open the door to my own room. The space is sparse but clean, the bed neatly made, and the faint scent of salt lingers in the air, mixing with the bitterness of the night. I close the door behind me, the soft click echoing in the silence, and step further into the room. Everything feels foreign, but there’s a sense of relief in the stillness, a brief moment of peace that I can’t help but cling to.
I sit on the edge of the bed, exhaustion settling over me like a heavy blanket, suffocating yet comforting in its own way. The weight of everything—the losses, the fear, the uncertainty—presses down on me, pulling my eyelids shut despite my best efforts to stay awake. Even in this strange town, sleep comes quickly. But it’s not the kind of rest I need.
I dream of shadows.
They move like living things, swirling and shifting around me, wrapping themselves around my limbs, dragging me deeper into their darkness. I try to scream, but no sound escapes my lips. I try to fight, to break free, but the shadows only tighten their grip. In the distance, a pair of glowing sapphire eyes watch me, burning with an unholy fire, andI know—I know—they belong to him.
Kaida.
My breath catches in my throat as the shadows pull me under, and the last thing I hear before everything fades is his voice, low and dangerous, whispering my name.
I wake up groggy, my head pounding like someone’s been using it for target practice. My body feels like it’s been flattened by a falling tree. The room is too quiet, but faint voices drift up from somewhere below. It takes a moment to register them, my brain slogging through molasses. Then, one voice clicks—Declan.
I sit up too fast, and the world tilts alarmingly, my vision swimming.Probably should have asked for food before I went to sleep.I press a hand to my forehead, willing the dizziness to pass. Declan’s voice grows clearer—cheerful, even. Relief prickles through the fog, enough to propel me to my feet. If Declan’s fine enough to be chatting, then he’s okay, right?
Laughter filters into the hallway as I shuffle toward the kitchen, drawn by the sound like a moth to flame. The warm scent of food fills the air, stirring a small, involuntary smile. Peeking around the corner, I spot Declan and Kaida at the small kitchen table.
Declan’s grin practically lights up the room, his energy buzzing as he gestures wildly, clearly in the middle of some elaborate story. Kaida, on the other hand, leans back lazily in his chair, arms crossed, looking like he has better places to be. Still, there’s a faint smirk tugging at his lips, softening the usual sharpness of his features.
For a moment, I just stand there, soaking in the sight.Declan’s okay.Relief washes over me in a heady wave, leaving me almost lightheaded. “Dec! You’re okay!” The words burstout before I can stop them.
Both heads snap toward me. Declan’s face splits into a wide, toothy grin, and he practically bounces in his seat. “Yup! All better!” he announces, puffing his chest out like a proud kid showing off a prize.
I hurry over, relief washing over me. “You had me worried for a second,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady. I haven’t known him long, but his infectious energy is impossible to ignore. The thought of this realm losing his light—it saddens me.
Kaida ruins the moment with his usual impeccable timing. “Dec?” he drawls, dragging out the nickname with a sarcastic edge. “Are you two that close now?”
I whip my head toward him, rolling my eyes so hard it’s a miracle they stay in my skull. “No,” I snap, “but he’s definitely better company than you. And unlike you, he’s easy to like.”
Kaida huffs, leaning back even farther in his chair with an exaggerated scoff. Before he can fire back, Declan jumps in, his mischievous grin splitting his face.
“Hey, be nice to her, Kaida,” Declan teases, nudging him with his elbow. “Maybe, she’ll give you a nickname too.”
Kaida shoots him a glare, jaw tightening, but I’m already laughing. “Oh, he already has one,” I say, barely holding back a grin. “Lizard boy.”
Kaida’s glare swings to me, sharper than ever and the room grows slightly darker. “Dragon,” he snaps, his voice slow and deliberate like he’s explaining to a child. “Let me sound it out for you: Dra-gon. Not lizard. I don’t do that tongue thing.”
My laughter spills out before I can stop it. Kaida’s expression changes, the corners of his mouth curving into a wickedsmile that sends a shiver down my spine.
He leans forward, closing the distance between us just enough to make my breath hitch. “Unless you want me to do a tongue thing,” he murmurs, his voice a low, suggestive purr. “We’re going to be stuck together for life, after all. Might as well make it interesting.”
My brain short-circuits. Heat rushes to my cheeks, and I stammer something incoherent, but it’s lost under Declan’s booming laughter.
Kaida straightens, snickering as he turns back to Declan, leaving me to simmer in mortified silence. My fists clench at my sides, and I shoot him a glare sharp enough to cut stone. But he doesn’t notice—or worse, he ignores me completely.
Declan recovers enough to launch into something serious—plans, next steps, something I’m clearly not invited to contribute to. Kaida listens, his smugness creeping back as they fall into an easy rhythm.
I hover for a moment, feeling like a third wheel, before deciding I’ve had enough. Turning on my heel, I leave the kitchen, their voices and laughter fading behind me.
Outside, the rough sand pathway crunches beneath my feet. The air is alive with the hum of conversation, bursts of laughter, and the clinking of trade goods. The sight stirs something bittersweet in me—an ache for my own home, my cave, my clan.
But the memory sours quickly. I square my shoulders and push the emotions aside. Kaida destroyed everything I once held dear. He and his kind are nothing more than cruel, greedy beasts. Their smiles are masks; their promises, lies.
