Page 84 of Eluvonia
Pain flares like fire beneath my skin, and I suck in a sharp breath, my entire body recoiling from the sensation.
A strangled noise escapes me as I instinctively curl in on myself, my arms wrapping around my middle. My ribs ache—bruised, maybe fractured—from where I was jostled in Declan’s grip mid-flight. Every inch of me feels battered, my muscles screaming with the strain of constant fear and adrenaline.
Slowly, I push myself upright, but my back protests violently. The torn skin pulls and burns, and my face contorts as a sharp cry escapes my throat.
I bite down hard on my lip, refusing to make another sound, but stars dance in my vision as my body screams for me to stop. The stone beneath me feels like ice, its unforgiving chill biting through the furs Kaida laid out for me last night. Shivers rack my frame, and I can’t tell if it’s from the cold or the lingering terror that still clings to my bones.
My skin feels stretched too tight, the wounds on my back raw and angry from the abuse they endured.
Forcing myself to breathe, I blink away the gathering moisture in my eyes and cast a glance around the cave.
The dark surrounds me, the remnants of warmth from last night’s fire barely clinging to the air. My gaze sweeps the space until it lands on Kaida, curled on his side with his wings wrapped around him like a cocoon. His shadows stretch outward, covering both Declan and me, faintly pulsing as if they have a heartbeat of their own. He’s protecting us, even in his sleep. That’s… kind of sweet, though I’d never say it aloud.
Standing, I feel Kaida’s shadows retract like the tide pulling back from the shore. The cold hits me immediately, the absence of the fire and those shadows making the chill seep deep into my bones. Wrapping my arms around myself, I walk to the cave entrance. My boots crunch against loose pebbles and frost as I approach the threshold. The sight that greets me is breathtaking—if only it weren’t so brutal.
The mountain range stretches endlessly, its jagged peaks cloaked in a blinding white veil. The blizzard outside rages, snow whipping through the air in chaotic swirls. The wind is a relentless force, screeching as it tears through the narrow passes. The sky is a dull, steel gray, heavy with clouds that promise no reprieve. I shiver, pulling my cloak tighter aroundme as I watch the world beyond the cave. It’s a dangerous beauty—lethal, untamed, and indifferent to whether we survive or not.
Behind me, the sound of shuffling feet pulls my attention. I glance over my shoulder to see Declan approaching, his golden hair disheveled and his wings drooping slightly. “Morning, Aer,” he mumbles, his voice thick with sleep.
“Morning,” I reply, managing a small smile.
He comes to stand beside me, rubbing a hand over his face as he stares out at the storm. His brow furrows slightly, and his sigh is barely audible over the howling wind. “What do we do now?” I ask, my voice quiet but steady.
Declan doesn’t answer immediately. His gaze remains fixed on the storm, his lips pressed into a thin line. After a moment, he shakes his head. “I’m not sure,” he admits, the honesty in his tone cutting through the frigid air.
I hum in acknowledgment, turning my eyes back to the blizzard. The silence between us feels heavy but not uncomfortable. It’s the kind of silence that carries unspoken understanding—an acknowledgment of shared burdens.
After a moment, I glance at him. “I’m sorry about your father, Dec.” My voice is soft, careful not to disturb the fragile quiet too much.
He chuckles dryly, his eyes dropping to the floor. “It’s alright. I knew he wasn’t going to live a long life. Royals like us… it’s not exactly in the cards.” His smile is tight, a pale shadow of his usual cocky grin.
When he doesn’t continue, I reach out and place a hand on his arm, squeezing lightly. He looks at me then, his golden eyes shimmering with something I can’t quite name. “He wasn’t really around much anyway,” Declan says, his voicequieter now. “Always off on some diplomatic mission or royal tour of the other realms. I barely saw him growing up. The Fae raised me more than he ever did.”
My fingers tighten slightly on his arm. “The Fae?”
He nods, a distant look settling over his features. “Yeah. They were the ones who tucked me in at night, taught me how to fly, how to fight. They weren’t just servants to me. They were… family. I think that’s why I’ve always been so neutral of them when I’m supposed to hate them. They cared when no one else did.”
I hesitate for a moment before asking the question that’s been lingering in the back of my mind. “What about your mother?”
Declan’s expression darkens, and he exhales a long breath. “She died in childbirth. It’s… normal for golden Dragon mothers. Too much power for their bodies to handle, especially if they’re not gold themselves.” He shrugs, but the motion is stiff, forced. “I never got to know her. Just stories from the Fae who served her. They said she was kind, though. Brave, too.”
Kaida emerges from the shadows like he owns the place—well, technically, he owns his shadows, so maybe that counts. His wings stretch out behind him in a slow, lazy arc, the faint whisper of sinew and leather filling the space. He stifles a yawn, sharp eyes flicking between Declan and me.
“Oh, sure. Let’s give the Fae all the credit.” His wings fold neatly against his back as he steps closer, his shadows curling around his feet like smug little snakes. “Let’s not forget who taught you how to fly, Declan. That wasn’t the Fae—it was me.”
Declan arches a brow, feigning surprise. “You taught me tofly? Really? I must’ve blocked it out. Probably because you screamed every time I lost control.”
Kaida crosses his arms, his eyes narrowing. “I didn’t scream.”
“You screamed,” Declan fires back, grinning. “It was very undignified. Sounded like a dying goat.”
Kaida’s shadows bristle, his voice dropping into a low growl. “You were dive-bombing into trees. I had every right to scream.”
“You could’ve been more supportive,” Declan shoots back, his tone teasing. “Like, ‘Great crash, Dec, but maybe next time aim for fewer branches.’”
Kaida rolls his eyes, muttering something about “golden idiot” under his breath. Then, with a glance between Declan and me, he straightens. “We basically raised each other, okay? Royal life doesn’t exactly come with attentive parenting. But you know what? We may not share blood, but Declan and I? We’re brothers. Always have each other’s backs.”
Declan’s smirk softens, the sharp edges replaced by something genuine. “You’re not so bad for a shadowy menace, Kaida.”
