The cell was quieter than usual
Kael stood outside her door again
Just like the night before
And the one before that
He didn't speak
He didn't need to
Liora always felt him there
Inside
She sat with her legs crossed
Eyes closed
Hands resting gently over her knees
Like a priestess in silent worship
When he finally entered
She didn't look up
But her voice floated toward him like smoke
"You dreamt again"
Kael didn't answer right away
His heart was too loud
His thoughts too broken
"I saw fire" he said
"And a voice in the dark"
Liora opened her eyes slowly
They gleamed like polished amber
Ancient
Endless
"What did it say" she asked
Kael stepped closer
"The voice said my name
Not Kael
But something older
Something I don't remember"
Liora stood
Her chains brushed the stone softly
She walked to him
And this time
He didn't move back
"You're changing" she whispered
"I don't want this" he said
His voice cracked at the edges
"I don't want magic"
She reached up
Her fingers brushed his chest
Right above his heart
It beat faster beneath her touch
"You can't run from it
You can't cage it"
Her hand slid higher
To his neck
To his jaw
He looked down at her
Her lips
That impossible mouth that had undone him once before
"Don't" he said
"Please"
She leaned forward
Just a breath
And kissed him
Once
Soft
Slow
No hunger
No heat
Just a whisper
But that kiss
That single kiss
Was like fire curling through dry leaves
Kael gasped
Staggered back
His hands on the wall
His breath broken
Light exploded behind his eyes
Not golden
Not red
But violet
Electric
Raw
He felt his skin crackle
Felt something old uncoil inside him
Something sleeping for centuries
Woken by her touch
"What did you do to me" he whispered
Liora's chains fell from her wrists
They clattered to the ground
Metal melted like wax in the sun
He stared
Frozen
His palms burning with invisible flame
"You're awakening" she said
Her voice was low
Full of awe
And something like sorrow
Kael looked down at his hands
Violet light pulsed just beneath the skin
Rhythmic
Alive
"I'm not a mage" he said
"I'm not a king
I'm not…"
"You're more" she said
"You always were"
Outside
The walls trembled
The torches flickered
Magic stirred through the air like wind before a storm
Kael looked at her
Really looked
And in her eyes
He saw no lies
No manipulation
Only truth
And fire
And fate
And somehow
That was more terrifying than everything else