9. Vera
9
VERA
M y heart pounds against my ribs as I descend the worn stone steps. The darkness wraps around me like a shroud, but I force myself to breathe steadily, remembering Aurel's teachings. "Stay calm. Focus on each step. Listen to your surroundings."
The map he showed me in our dreams burns in my mind as I navigate the twisting corridors. Left at the broken sconce. Right at the statue with the missing arm. The air grows colder, damper with each step deeper into the mansion's bowels.
A door creaks somewhere above. I press myself against the wall, holding my breath. Footsteps echo, then fade. Once silence returns, I continue my descent.
"You're doing well," I imagine Aurel's voice guiding me. "Remember what I taught you about the shadows."
I whisper the incantation he showed me, feeling the magic ripple over my skin. It's not much - just enough to blur my edges, make me harder to notice. My legs tremble with the effort of maintaining the spell, but I push through the weakness.
The corridor opens into a wider chamber. Torches flicker in iron brackets, casting dancing shadows on ancient stone. I pause, listening for guards. Nothing but the quiet drip of water.
"Three more turns," I mouth to myself, checking each intersection against the map in my memory. "Left, right, then down the final stairs."
My chest tightens as I near his prison. After weeks of dreams, of training, of yearning - I'm finally going to see him in the flesh. The thought makes my pulse race faster than fear of discovery.
I press myself against the cold stone wall, my heart threatening to burst from my chest. Footsteps echo from around the corner – the steady rhythm of dark elf guards on patrol.
"Steady your breathing," Aurel's voice whispers in my mind, as familiar now as my own thoughts. "Remember what I taught you. In through your nose, out through your mouth."
I follow his instruction, forcing my racing pulse to slow. The spell of concealment flickers around me, and I struggle to maintain it.
"Focus on the shadows," his voice guides me. "Let them embrace you."
The guards pass by, so close I can smell the leather of their boots. My legs quiver with the effort of standing still, but I don't dare move. One of them pauses, and I bite my lip to keep from gasping.
"Did you hear something?" he asks his companion.
"Just the water dripping. This place always makes noise."
They move on, their footsteps fading into the darkness. I wait until I can't hear them anymore before releasing my held breath.
"Good," Aurel's praise warms me despite the dungeon's chill. "Now, three more corridors."
My hands shake as I trace the wall, using it to guide my steps. The stone is slick with moisture, and the air grows heavier with each descending step. I've never been this deep in the mansion before. Never dared.
"You've got this," he encourages, and I draw strength from his confidence. Even if it's just in my mind, his voice steadies me.
A rat scurries past my feet, and I clamp my hand over my mouth to muffle my startled squeak. The concealment spell wavers again, but I manage to hold it this time.
"Almost there," Aurel whispers. "You're doing so well, Vera."
The cold seeps through my thin dress as I descend deeper into the dungeons. Each step feels heavier than the last, and my legs tremble - not just from weakness, but from fear. The shadows press in around me, and even with Aurel's concealment spell, I feel exposed.
A drop of water hits my neck, making me flinch. The stone walls seem to close in, and my breath comes in short gasps. The magic flickers around me, threatening to fade.
"Aurel..." I whisper into the darkness, my voice barely a breath. "Are you sure I can do this?"
His voice fills my mind, warm and steady despite the chill. "You've already proven stronger than you know. Remember the first time you held the magic?"
"But that was different. That was just in dreams." My fingers trace the damp wall, seeking something solid to ground me. "This is real. If they catch me-"
"They won't," he cuts in, his tone leaving no room for doubt. "I've taught you well, little one. Your magic may be weak, but your mind is sharp."
Another water drop hits my shoulder, and I shiver. "What if I fail you?"
"Look how far you've come," he says, gentler now. "From a slave who couldn't meet anyone's eyes to someone brave enough to venture into these depths. You won't fail."
The conviction in his voice wraps around me like a warm cloak, steadying my nerves. I straighten my spine, just as he taught me, and take a deep breath.
"Keep moving," he urges. "I'm waiting."
My hands tremble as I stand before the final door, its ancient hinges crusted with rust and age. Aurel's words from our dreams echo in my mind: "Use your mind, not just your body."
The lock is intricate - a dark elf design meant to repel brute force. But Aurel taught me to look closer, to see the patterns within patterns. My fingers trace the metalwork, feeling for the catch he described.
"Three notches to the left," I whisper to myself, remembering his patient instruction. "Then press the center until it clicks."
The mechanism fights me, stiff from disuse. My arms shake with the effort, and sweat beads on my forehead despite the chill. For a moment, panic rises in my throat - what if I can't do this? What if I fail?
"Focus," his voice whispers in my memory. "You're stronger than you know."
I close my eyes, steadying my breathing like he taught me. The lock's inner workings become clear in my mind - not just metal and springs, but a flow of energy waiting to be redirected.
"Magic isn't about power," he'd said. "It's about understanding patterns."
My fingers find the hidden lever, and I hear the satisfying click of tumblers falling into place. The door groans softly as it opens, revealing the darkness beyond.
"I did it," I breathe, barely believing my own success. Now comes the hard part - facing whatever lies beyond this threshold.
The stairs spiral down into suffocating darkness. My fingers trail along the damp stone walls, counting the turns just as Aurel taught me. One, two, three... The air grows thick, almost too heavy to breathe.
"Remember the pattern," I whisper to myself, recalling Aurel's lessons. The wards pulse with an eerie blue light as I approach the sealed door. My hands shake as I trace the intricate magical symbols.
"Counter-clockwise for binding spells," his voice echoes in my memory. "Feel the energy flow through your fingers."
The first ward dissolves under my touch. Sweat beads on my forehead as I move to the second one. The magic fights back, trying to repel my clumsy attempts to unravel it.
A footstep echoes behind me.
My heart stops. A dark elf guard stands at the bottom of the stairs, his silver eyes widening in recognition.
"You—" he starts, reaching for his weapon.
My body moves before my mind can catch up. The spell bursts from my hands without thought or intention – raw, instinctive magic fueled by pure terror. Blue light explodes between us.
The guard crumples mid-step, his sword clattering against the stone floor. I press myself against the wall, trembling as I stare at his unconscious form.
"I... I did it." My voice comes out as a breathless whisper. "I actually did it."
The realization hits me like a physical blow. I've attacked a guard. Used magic. There's no going back now.
The ancient door groans open, and my breath catches in my throat. There, in the darkness, two emerald eyes pierce through the gloom like twin moons. My heart stutters as Aurel's massive form emerges from the shadows, chains rattling against stone as he stretches his serpentine body to its full length.
"You did well," he purrs, his voice deeper and richer than in our dreams. The sound wraps around me like velvet, sending shivers down my spine.
I can't move, can't speak. He's magnificent – terrifying and beautiful all at once. His human torso ripples with strength, skin pale from centuries without sunlight. Dark hair falls past broad shoulders, and those eyes... they hold ages of wisdom and power that make my knees weak.
His serpent body coils and shifts, scales gleaming in the dim light like polished obsidian. The chains binding him look absurd now that I see him in person – like trying to contain a storm with spider silk.
Power radiates from him in waves, familiar yet so much more intense than in our shared dreams. It feels like coming home after a lifetime of wandering. My skin tingles with the proximity of his magic, drawing me toward him like a moth to flame.
The sharp sting hits before I hear the whistle of the arrow. Pain explodes through my side, and my legs buckle beneath me. The cold stone floor rushes up to meet me, but strong arms catch me before I hit the ground.
"Damn it," Aurel's voice rumbles above me. His chest is warm against my cheek as he lifts me. "Hold on."
My fingers clutch at his skin, leaving crimson streaks across his pale chest. The arrow shaft juts from between my ribs, each breath sending waves of fire through my body. "I can't... it hurts..."
"Keep your eyes open." His grip tightens as he moves, his serpentine body coiling protectively around us. "Focus on my voice."
Blood seeps between my fingers, hot and sticky. The edges of my vision blur, but I force myself to look up at him. His emerald eyes burn with an intensity I've never seen before, not even in our dreams.
"I'm sorry," I whisper, my voice catching. "I failed-"
"Shut up." His command is harsh, but his touch remains gentle as he cradles me closer. "You didn't fail anything. Just stay with me."
Footsteps echo down the corridor – more guards coming. Aurel's muscles tense beneath my hands, and I feel the rumble of a growl build in his chest.
"Don't let go," he says, and there's something in his voice I can't quite name. Fear? Concern? "Whatever happens, don't you dare let go."