Chapter Twenty-Three
Annika
The town was unrecognizable. The once bustling streets were now lined with broken buildings and charred remains, the air still heavy with the scent of smoke. People walked about with a look of devastation, some standing still, as though they couldn’t comprehend what had happened. The silence hung heavy, broken only by the distant cries of those searching for their loved ones.
I felt a pang in my chest, a deep sadness for the people who had lost so much… homes, family, peace. This town had always felt like a place of warmth, a sanctuary for us, and now it was a ghost of what it used to be.
As we walked through the ruins, Lucas kept close to me, his hand brushing mine, grounding me in the chaos around us. He must have noticed the sadness in my expression, because he turned toward me, his eyes soft yet determined.
“Don't worry,” he said gently, his voice steady. “We’ll rebuild this, Annika. It’s going to take time, but we’ll do it. We’re stronger than this.”
I looked up at him, his words sinking in slowly. He was right. There was strength in the people here, in the ones who had survived. But the weight of what had happened felt like a crushing burden, one that I wasn’t sure could be lifted so easily.
But then Lucas smiled at me, that warm, reassuring smile that I couldn’t help but believe in. “We’ll make it right. We’ll rebuild everything, piece by piece.”
I nodded, forcing a small smile, though I knew it wouldn’t be easy. Still, his confidence gave me hope. We weren’t alone in this. We had each other, and with that, maybe we could face anything.
“Together,” I whispered, more to myself than anyone else.
As we walked through the town, the sound of voices reached us. My eyes fell on Callum, his broad shoulders set in a posture of quiet resolve, as he helped the townspeople clear the debris. As always, he was directing them with a calm yet unwavering authority.
The sight of him, moving among the survivors, brought a strange sense of relief. Despite everything that had happened, despite the chaos, there was still strength here. There were still people fighting to rebuild.
Lucas must have seen him at the same moment I did. Without a word, he quickened his pace, his hand tightening around mine as he led us toward Callum.
When Callum saw us, a brief flicker of something vulnerable crossed his face, but just as quickly, it was masked by his usual calm demeanor. His eyes lingered on Lucas for a moment, as though measuring him, and then, without a word, he pulled him into a tight hug.
It was brief, not overly emotional, but there was something in that hug, something unspoken. A silent acknowledgment of what they’d both endured, of the battles they had fought side by side.
“You’re still standing,” Callum said with a faint grin, clapping Lucas on the back. There was a lightness in his voice, but the weariness in his eyes told a different story.
Lucas gave a small, wry smile in return, though his eyes didn’t lose the intensity that had been there since we’d returned.
“Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve survived,” he said, his voice steady but soft, almost as if trying to hold back a wave of emotion. He stepped back, his gaze meeting mine for a brief second, and in that moment, everything else faded.
Callum gave us a nod, then he turned back to the townspeople. “Let’s get everything sorted out. We’ll rebuild this.”
Lucas, despite the emotions that flickered behind his eyes, nodded. “Right. We’ll get it done,” he agreed, his voice strong again. His hand found mine once more, and for a moment, the world seemed a little less heavy.
As we moved through the wreckage, working alongside the others to restore some semblance of order, something caught my eye. It was a figure stumbling through the debris, looking far too worn out for anyone to have survived what had happened.
My heart skipped a beat, and before I could even process it fully, I was already rushing toward him.
It was Kael.
He was limping, his clothes torn and stained with blood. His face, normally so composed, was twisted in pain, but there was a quiet determination in his eyes as he made his way toward us.
I couldn’t stop myself. I reached him in a few long strides, my breath catching as I saw how badly he was hurt. I grabbed onto his arm to steady him, feeling the tremor in his muscles as he leaned on me for support.
“Kael!” I breathed out, my voice filled with worry. “You’re hurt!”
He gave me a pained smile, but his eyes were dimmer than usual, exhaustion heavy in every line of his face. “Nothing I can't handle,” he said, though his voice lacked the usual sharpness.
Before I could say anything else, I felt a familiar presence behind me. It was Lucas.
He must have sensed my distress because his hand was on my shoulder, in a show of silent support. He wasn’t angry anymore, not with Kael, and I could feel that weight lifting from between us as he gave Kael a long, meaningful look.
Kael turned to him then, his gaze firm despite his obvious wounds. “I’m sorry it took so long,” he said quietly, his voice rough, and Lucas just nodded, his lips thinning.
“You did what you could,” Lucas replied, his voice steady. “We all did.”
And then, in that moment, I realized how far we’d all come, how much Kael had done for us, for me. The bitterness Lucas had held in his heart for him had been replaced with something softer, something I hadn’t expected. A quiet gratitude. And when I looked into his eyes, I saw the same recognition in him.
“Thank you, Kael,” Lucas said, his hand gently resting on Kael’s shoulder. “For everything. For helping us, for protecting Annika. I don’t know if we could’ve done it without you.”
He didn’t speak immediately, but the tension in his face eased just a little, and I saw a flicker of something close to appreciation in his eyes. Finally, he nodded, his voice low and sincere.
“I did what needed to be done.”
Lucas placed a hand on Kael’s other shoulder then, giving him a firm, reassuring squeeze. “We’ll get you patched up. Come on, let’s get you to our healer. We’re not leaving anyone behind.”
As we helped Kael into the healer’s cottage, I couldn’t help but notice the way he moved, somehow too stiff and labored. He was hurt, that much was clear, but there was something else there. A sadness in his eyes that I didn’t know how to read. It felt like he was slipping away, in more ways than one.
The healer was already at work, tending to his wounds. I watched her carefully, but my mind kept drifting to Kael, wondering what was going on in his head.
Lucas stood beside me, his shoulders tense, his eyes focused on Kael.
“You’re not leaving, are you?” His voice was low, hesitant. He didn’t want to push, but he needed to know. Me, too.
Kael looked up at us, and despite his exhaustion, there was clarity in his gaze. “I appreciate everything. Really. But my path’s different. I have my own destiny to follow.”
I could feel the weight of his words, the finality in them. I didn’t know what to say. We had all come so far together, and now… now it felt like he was just slipping away.
“You don’t have to leave,” Lucas said quickly, the urgency in his voice impossible to hide. “You’ve done so much for us. You belong here.”
Kael shook his head, a faint smile on his lips. “I’ve done what I came to do.” He paused, meeting our eyes. “It’s time for me to go.”
I felt something tighten in my chest. I didn’t understand Kael fully, but I knew what he’d done for us. He had fought with us, protected us, and now, he was leaving. It somehow didn’t feel right.
“But we’ll miss you,” I said, my voice quieter than I intended. “You’ve been part of this. Part of us.”
Kael’s gaze softened, and I saw a flicker of emotion I hadn’t expected. “I’ll miss you both,” he said, his tone quiet but sincere. “But there’s more I need to do. People to find. Things to face.”
Lucas let out a long sigh, like he knew it was coming but didn’t want it to. “I get it,” he said, his voice softer now. “But don’t be a stranger, Kael. You always have a place here.”
Kael nodded, his expression thoughtful. “I’ll remember that.”
As the healer finished bandaging his wounds, we gave Kael one last look. He was leaving, but I understood. He had helped us when we needed him most. And now, he had his own journey to follow.
I couldn’t stop him. It was his choice. All we could do was wish him well.
The healer finished patching him up and we sent him on his way. It felt strange, not knowing whether we would ever see him again. But we had to believe that our paths would cross, if it was meant to be.
That night, our cottage was barely standing, half of the walls torn down, the roof barely intact. Yet, it felt like the safest place in the world. We didn’t need the walls to feel at home, not anymore. Not with Lucas by my side.
He sat beside me on the bed, the dim light of the candle flickering between us. His eyes were tired, dark circles beneath them from the fight, the long days, the endless worry. But even in the dimness, I could see the warmth in his gaze as he looked at me. Like he was truly seeing me for the first time again, like we had both survived something impossible.
“You alright?” His voice was quiet and low, like he was afraid to disturb the silence that surrounded us.
I nodded, pulling the blanket up over my shoulders as I leaned back against the headboard. “I’m... I think I’m okay. Just a little tired.”
“Yeah,” he said, his lips curving up just slightly. “I can tell.”
There was something in the way he said it, something playful, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. His gaze lingered on me for a moment longer, and I could see the weight of everything we had just been through in the way he held himself. We hadn’t spoken much since the fight, since Kael had left. But in this moment, with the world outside seeming distant and far away, we didn’t need to.
I shifted closer to him, the cold of the room making me seek his warmth. He didn’t hesitate, his arm wrapping around me, pulling me into his side. We didn’t speak at first, just sat in the quiet together, his heart beating next to mine.
“You did good,” he murmured after a while, his fingers lightly brushing through my hair. “We all did.”
I smiled softly, my head resting against his chest.
“We’re not done yet,” I said, though the words didn’t feel as heavy as they might have once. There was hope in my voice now, something I hadn’t felt in a long time.
“I know,” he whispered, kissing the top of my head. “But for tonight, we’re okay.”
“Are we?” I asked playfully, lifting an eyebrow.
He smirked. “Maybe… maybe not…”
I chuckled. That was enough of an invitation for him to pull me even closer and lock his lips with mine.