Chapter Who are you?
“Hello?” my voice trembles as I call out, cold sweat slicking my skin despite the night’s chill.
In response, singing fills the air. The haunting melody comes from every direction, as though the very wind carries the voices, whispering in a language that is familiar but also completely alien.
I stand frozen for a moment, my heart pounding in my ears.
Slowly, I begin to turn in a circle, searching for the source, but what I find makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.
Several ghostly figures materialize from the mist, their faces obscured by swirling fog.
They hover at the edges of my vision, the song growing louder, more hypnotic, until I feel my body swaying, almost involuntarily, to the eerie rhythm.
“Who are you?”
“We are the White Witches,” comes the reply, the voices overlapping in a strange harmony, as if they’re all speaking as one.
“The guardians of the land,” another voice adds, this one deeper, more resonant.
The magic feels both ancient and powerful as it moves over me, prickling my skin and sending shivers down my spine. The air feels thick, charged, like the calm before a storm.
Something feels wrong.
How did I even get out here?
A creeping unease twists in my stomach, and I instinctively take a step back, gripping the fabric of my nightdress tightly in my fist.
“Why are you here?” I ask, my voice barely a whisper, more to steady my own nerves than to demand an answer.
Tendrils of mist begin to snake their way up from the ground, curling around my ankles like icy fingers, reaching for me before they dissipate, floating away into the night like autumn leaves caught in the wind.
The figures don’t move closer, but their presence presses down on me, heavy and foreboding.
“It is you who seeks us, druid,” the voices reply softly.
I blink, confusion flickering through my mind.
Me? Seek them?
My breath catches in my throat, and I can’t seem to form a coherent response. I tighten my grip on my dress, feeling the cool fabric damp with dew as my pulse quickens.
“Everly!” Raiden’s voice shatters the spell, booming through the night with a force that makes me jump.
My pulse skitters wildly as I spin around, nearly losing my balance.
My feet slip on the wet grass, and for a heart-stopping second, I think I’m going to fall.
I manage to catch myself, but the ghostly figures are gone, swallowed by the mist as if they were never there.
Only the faint echo of their singing remains, fading into the night, leaving me alone in the eerie silence.
“Everly!” more voices now ring out into the night.
Several torches flicker into view, their warm light breaking through the thick darkness.
I let out a deep sigh, running my hands over my face, trying to ground myself after what just happened.
The bramble bush behind me rustles, and I turn to see Kian stepping through, holding up a torch, his silhouette familiar and steady.
“Princess?” His voice carries a mixture of relief and confusion.
“I’m here.” My answer is quiet, almost embarrassed by the situation.
Kian’s eyes sweep over me, and even in the dim light, I can see his brow furrow. “I can see that, but why are you out here in the dead of night . . . barely dressed?” His tone is teasing, but there’s concern laced in it.
I glance down, suddenly realizing the state I’m in.
The sheer nightdress, pale pink and almost translucent in the moonlight, leaves little to the imagination.
My heart skips a beat, and I feel the heat rush to my face, my ears burning with embarrassment.
I cross my arms, trying to cover myself, but it does little to help.
Kian steps forward, placing his torch on the ground.
Without a word, he shrugs off his soldier’s jacket and drapes it over my shoulders.
The fabric is rough but warm, the scent of leather and the forest clinging to it.
He helps me slip my arms into the sleeves, tucking the jacket snugly across my chest, making sure I’m covered completely.
“Thank you,” I whisper.
He grins, his usual charm returning as he looks down at me, the dimple in his cheek making an appearance. “Did Nix teach you nothing?” he teases lightly, but there’s an affection in his voice that makes the words feel like less of a rebuke and more of a gentle reminder.
“Look, I can’t help it. In my world–”
“This is your world,” Kian cuts me off, his tone suddenly serious. The reminder hangs in the air between us, heavy with meaning.
I open my mouth to respond, but before I can say anything, another figure emerges from the bushes, moving with purpose. Fenris. His eyes lock onto mine, sharp and filled with anger, the torchlight casting harsh shadows across his features.
“What are you doing out here?” he snaps, his voice colder than the night air.
I square my shoulders, my embarrassment quickly turning to frustration. “None of your business,” I snap back, meeting his gaze head-on. There’s a challenge in my voice, a stubborn refusal to be scolded like a child, especially not by him.
Fenris’s jaw tightens, and for a moment, the air between us seems to crackle with tension.
I can see the barely-contained fury simmering beneath the surface, but I refuse to back down.
Kian, standing between us, glances from one to the other, his smile fading as the atmosphere shifts.
Fenris’s gaze drops as he takes in Kian’s jacket, his posture stiffening.
Sending Kian a chilling look, he turns, walking back the way he came.
“The whole castle is looking for you. Get your ass moving,” Fenris snaps over his shoulder.