CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
elysia
The common hall is tranquil compared to the rest of the Tower. Where most of it looms aged and haunting, the common feels almost alive.
Light wooden floors stretch across the expanse, tall arched windows spilling the afternoon sun in fractured shards of golden light.
A great stone fireplace anchors the centre of the room, flames crackling and licking at its sides, pulsing like a living heart.
Greenery drapes where the chimney meets the stone mantle, curling in lazy vines that sway with each flicker of firelight.
Plush brown three-seater sofas fill the space, each paired with a carved wooden coffee table.
Candles and lanterns glow from every corner, their amber light dancing over the walls, shifting shadows into the illusion of movement.
Half-eaten fruit rests on the table before us beside a pot of steaming tea, ribbons of scent curling upward, mingling with smoke and warmth.
I’m sprawled across one of the sofas with Ronan, my head pillowed on his lap, plait spilling over the edge and brushing the floor.
His fingers drift lazily over the strands as he talks with Brynn about the state of the borders.
Each slow movement of his fingers pulls a relaxed hush over me, melting tension from my spine.
Odette and Enzo sit near the fireplace, boots stretched toward the flames as the cold bite of winter begins to creep into the Tower.
“Word from the border is that it’s getting worse,” Brynn says, voice edged with weariness. “I don’t know how long The Council plans to keep us here to ‘train properly,’ but I doubt it’ll be much longer.”
Her tone is calm, but her jaw is tight. Brynn has always carried herself with quiet authority, so it’s no surprise she leads an entire squad.
Despite her soft features, she’s sharp as cut glass. Even though she’s a shadow wielder like Kaden, she’s managed something most can’t: adapting her darkness to aid in healing. It’s a rare skill, one that keeps warriors alive when most would bleed out before dawn.
“We’ve already been here four months, so I can imagine they’ll deploy us soon. Is it veinborn again?” Ronan asks, his hand still moving over my hair.
Brynn shakes her head. “No, ossaryn. They’re coming in larger packs now, and for the life of me I can’t figure out why.” Her brow furrows, teeth catching on her thumbnail as she thinks.
Ronan exhales through his nose, his thumb tracing idle circles on my temple. “Usually, I’d wonder about that too. But with so many of our warriors gone, I’m more concerned with how the remaining troops are holding the line. Crushing their hearts isn’t exactly easy work.”
A chill threads down my spine.
Ossaryn have haunted the border for as long as I can remember. No one knows where they came from, or why they’re so desperate to break through Celestria’s walls.
They’re grotesque things, four-legged beasts of exposed muscle and bone, their bodies slick with constantly dripping blood that evaporates into a crimson mist before it can stain the ground. The air itself seems to recoil from them, thick with iron and rot.
They can sense you by your heartbeat alone, and once they’ve found your rhythm, there’s no outrunning them. Their pace doubles, tripling until you catch the glint of bone and tendon and too-wide grins before they strike.
But it isn’t their claws or teeth that make them monstrous.
It’s the sound.
Their howls mimic the screams of the dead, human voices fractured and hollow, crying for help that never comes. Even the most seasoned warriors can be lured toward that familiar echo, mistaking it for a comrade in need. And by the time you realise the truth, it’s already over.
I shift slightly, the warmth of Ronan’s hand grounding me, but the image of those creatures refuses to fade.
“I’ve been told they have enough fire wielders to keep them at bay for the meantime. Some cadets from Celestrian Academy have even been deployed to help… poor bastards.” Brynn shakes her head, and her words cut through the haze of my thoughts, snapping my attention back to her.
I lift slightly to turn onto my side, “Did you just say cadets are being sent out into the field?”
She hesitates for a heartbeat, long enough for me to see the worry mirrored in her eyes. “Yes, mainly shadow, fire and water wielders. Those abilities are necessary to take them down.”
I exhale, tension easing only a fraction. Cole is a lightning wielder; it’s unlikely he was deployed. Still, the question burns at the back of my throat. I sit up, tracing my thumb over the cool metal of my ring.
“Do you know the names of the cadets who were sent out?”
Brynn lets out a frustrated sigh. “No, unfortunately not. The Council keeps us at arm’s length when we’re not out on the field. They don’t want what’s happening at the border to be a distraction during training.” Her gaze meets mine, softening. “I’m sorry, Elysia. If I knew, I’d tell you.”
I give her a small smile and lean over the table, squeezing her hand lightly. “I know.”
A voice cuts through the common, soft and familiar. A voice that hits like sunlight after a storm.
“Were you worried about me, Sparks? Because I hate to break it to you, but it’ll take more than a few ossaryn to rid you of me.”
My head snaps toward the tall arched doors.
Cole leans casually against the frame, the slight breeze whispering through and catching in his hair.
It’s a little longer than it was four months ago, brushing over his brow.
Stubble shades his jaw, and though that signature crooked smile still tugs at his mouth, there’s a hollowness behind it, a tiredness he can’t quite hide.
My feet move before my mind catches up, heart hammering in my chest as I launch myself at him. His arms wrap around me instantly, solid and familiar, lifting me from the ground as he spins us in a blur of laughter and relief.
When he finally sets me down, we stay tangled together for a heartbeat longer than necessary. I breathe him in, the scent of mandarin and rain; he smells like home.
Pulling back, I look up at him, eyes wide with shock and barely contained joy.
“What are you doing here?” My eyes search his as the smile tugging at my lips widens.
“Cadets get a week's break every four months, remember? I requested permission from The Council to spend it here with you. Luckily, they said yes, otherwise…” his grin turns teasing, “I might’ve had to sneak in.”
I scoff and nudge his shoulder. “Yeah, like you could sneak into the Tower. Stealth is not exactly your strong point.”
His grin widens as he flicks my nose. “Hey! My two left feet have gotten me this far.”
A laugh slips from my throat as I hook my arm through his and tug him toward the sofas we’ve claimed as our own. Cole drops his bag beside an armchair with a sigh that sounds equal parts exhaustion and relief.
“Feels good to finally breathe,” he mutters under his breath, running a hand through his hair.
I nod, warmth spreading through my chest just having him here. Then I glance up, and every pair of eyes in the room is on us, curiosity written clear across their faces. It hits me then that I’ve never actually told anyone about Cole.
I clear my throat and gesture between them. “Everyone, this is Cole Sanchez… my best friend and constant pain in my ass.”
Cole bumps his shoulder into mine, his smirk widening.
Ronan stands first, crossing the space to shake his hand. “Ronan Washburne,” he says, before sliding his hands back into his pockets. “I take it you’re the cadet she was worrying about a second ago.”
Cole chuckles and throws his arms wide. “The one and only.”
Ronan grins. “Well, man, it’s good to see you in one piece, and it’s nice to meet you.”
Enzo and Odette glance over from their spot near the fireplace, small smiles on their faces as Enzo calls over his shoulder, “I’m Enzo, and this is Odette. Come warm up before you freeze.”
“Gladly,” Cole says, already making his way over, but not before pausing beside Brynn. That roguish, crooked smirk pulling at his lips.
“And you must be Brynn Olsen…” he pauses, letting his eyes roam over her slowly. “I’ve heard stories from the border, something about the infamous squad leader who commands shadows and soldiers alike.” He takes her hand and kisses it with exaggerated charm.
A faint blush creeps up Brynn’s neck, a tight smile tugging at her lips. “You heard correct, cadet.”
Cole’s grin widens at her blunt tone, no doubt seeing her fake hostility as a challenge. “You really are painstakingly beautiful in person. It almost hurts my eyes.”
Brynn looks shocked for all but a heartbeat before her features soften. She peeks around his shoulder and throws a pointed look my way. “Where have you been hiding him, Elysia?”
I laugh and roll my eyes. “At Celestrian Academy, apparently. Don’t let his flattery fool you; he’s a nuisance once you let him under your skin.”
Cole feigns offence, pressing a hand dramatically to his chest. “Again, you wound me, Sparks.”
He saunters over to the fire, rubbing his palms together as the flames lick warmth back into his fingers. I settle once more in Ronan’s lap, his hand resuming its lazy path through my hair.
The conversation drifts easily after that, talk of border training, first deployments, and old stories spilling out between sips of tea and laughter. The firelight flickers softly across familiar faces, smoothing the edges of tension that always seem to cling to the Tower’s walls.
Once Cole’s warmed through, he drops onto the sofa beside me, tugging me from Ronan’s lap and into his side. His arm curls around me with a squeeze that says I’ve missed you without the need for words.
“So…” he starts, glancing around the room, “how’s the soulbond with Kaden going? Haven’t met the guy yet, I take it he’s not here?”
Before I can answer, Brynn chimes in, a smirk curving her lips. “Kaden’s out with Thane and Sirena. If they didn’t have a meeting with the High Council, they’d be here. If only so Kaden could scowl at Ronan and Elysia from a dark corner.”
A ripple of laughter rolls through the room.
Cole’s brow arches as he turns to Ronan, mischief bright in his eyes. “Not a fan of you, huh?”
Ronan snorts, resting an arm along the back of the sofa. “Kaden’s not a fan of anyone in general. But yeah, he especially doesn’t enjoy my company.” He glances down at me, his expression softening, “It’s not my fault he’s too blind to see what’s right in front of him.”
Heat blooms across my cheeks, spreading slow and warm. Ronan and I have grown close over these past months, not quite lovers, but dangerously close to that line. I enjoy his company; he’s gentle, sharp-witted, and steady enough to quiet the chaos that lives beneath my skin.
Unfortunately, that only makes Kaden more insufferable. It’s becoming tiresome, enduring the flood of emotions he hurls down the bond whenever Ronan’s lips brush mine, or even when he pulls me close.
Cole watches me for a beat, realisation dawning. His lips part, and then that familiar crooked smile returns.
“Oh, this is rich. Ronan Washburne, the brave soul trying to court my Sparks? Never thought I’d see the day someone volunteered for that kind of punishment.”
Ronan raises a brow, amused. “You make it sound like she bites.”
Cole leans back with a smirk. “She does, just usually when she’s hungry.”
I elbow him in the ribs, hard enough to hurt but light enough to be playful.
“You’re an ass.” I laugh as his face twists from the pain.
He recovers quickly, flipping me his middle finger.
Gods, I missed this so much.
“So… clearly you two have known each other a long time. How did you meet?” Odette asks, nosey as ever.
Cole leans back, his arms resting on the back of the sofa “We grew up together. Our mothers were best friends, and because both our fathers were out on the field most of our lives, we’d always be around each other while my mum and Elysia’s kept each other company.
Same combat lessons, same scraped knees, same trouble. ”
“Mostly his trouble,” I say, earning a round of laughter.
He nudges me gently. “She’s lying, she once set the garden on fire trying to summon a flamebird.”
“It worked, didn’t it?”
“For about two seconds, right before it nearly roasted us both,” he says with a laugh, tipping his head in my direction. “That’s where her nickname came from.”
Enzo shakes his head. “Sounds like you two have been a handful since birth.”
“You have no idea,” Cole says with mock pride, flashing that crooked grin. “What about all of you? How did you meet?”
Ronan is the first to speak, nodding toward Brynn. “Brynn and I are cut from the same cloth. We grew up together, and once we turned seventeen, we were sent to train at the border. Our families have guarded it for generations, so it was only a matter of time before we did too.”
Brynn picks up where he leaves off, her tone warm but measured. “We rose through the ranks quickly. That’s actually how I met Odette and Enzo two years ago. I was serving as a combat instructor at the Academy back then, and they’d just joined as new recruits.”
Odette nods, a faint smile ghosting across her lips.
“Enzo and I hadn’t met before training, but we’d heard of each other.
Our families have always served The Council, so when we were requested to train and later chosen to soul-bind…
it wasn’t really a choice.” Her eyes flick to Enzo, softening slightly.
“Even if it had been, we’d still have done it. ”
Cole lets out a slow breath. “So, you’re all seasoned on the field then?” He pauses, glancing my way with a teasing smirk. “Looks like you’re the odd one out, Sparks.”
I shrug, feigning nonchalance. “I don’t plan on fighting. I’m here to research a cure, so I’m not too worried about that.” I pause, my lips curling. “Besides, you of all people know how well I can fight… without border training.”
His eyes roll as he gives my shoulder a light squeeze. “Yeah, I do recall getting my ass handed to me on more than one occasion.”
Laughter ripples through the group, soft and easy.
Conversation picks back up, flowing as naturally as the flames crackling in the fireplace.
The amber light casts everything in gold, wrapping the room in a sense of comfort that feels rare in the Tower.
Time slips by unnoticed until fatigue starts to pull at everyone’s edges.
Brynn leaves first, her movements slow, exhaustion written in her eyes as she bids us goodnight.
Odette and Enzo follow not long after, murmuring about their early synchronisation class in the morning.
Ronan lingers the longest, offering a feather-light kiss to my lips before giving Cole a polite nod and disappearing down the corridor.
When the door finally closes behind him, silence settles over the common room.
Cole turns to me, concern flickering in his gaze. “So… what’s got you wound up? You’ve been fidgeting with your ring since I got here.”
My brows lift slightly. It’s infuriating how easily he reads me.
I hesitate, Kaden’s voice echoing in the back of my mind. Keep this between us. Don’t tell a soul.
But Cole isn’t just anyone. He’s my brother in everything but blood, the only constant in a world built on lies.
I exhale softly, my voice dropping to a whisper. “I’ll tell you… but not here.”