Page 10 of Cursed Dreams (Shadow and Dreams #1)
B y the time the sun had fully dipped below the horizon, they arrived at the temple.
The structure was beautiful, made of white stone with intricate carvings of vines and celestial symbols that seemed to glow in the twilight.
Statues of Amara, Esku the god of fate and luck and Iku the god of death lined the outer courtyard, their expressions serene.
The craftsmanship was exquisite, the details so fine that even the folds of the goddess’s robes seemed to ripple in an invisible breeze, Esku’s statue stood tall and confident, draped in layered robes adorned with engraved runes and tiny etched stars.
His eyes, though stone, seemed lively and amused, as if he knew every outcome before it ever played out.
Iku’s statue was the most solemn of the three, carved from a darker stone veined with silver.
Cloaked in a sweeping mantle, his features were noble but shadowed beneath a hood.
Despite his role, there was no menace in his expression, only calm inevitability, and a quiet sort of mercy.
A group of priestesses awaited them at the entrance, their long robes flowing like water as they moved. The head priestess stepped forward, an older woman with gentle eyes and silver-threaded hair.
“Welcome, travellers,” she greeted warmly. “Our temple offers you shelter for the night. Please, come inside.”
They followed her through the grand entryway, where the scent of incense wrapped around them like a comforting embrace.
The walls were adorned with murals depicting old stories, scenes of Amara’s kindness, of blessings given to mortals, of protection and light overcoming darkness.
Thalia found herself momentarily entranced, fingertips itching to trace the ancient artistry.
The priestesses led them to the dining hall, where bowls of steaming stew awaited them on a long wooden table. The rich aroma of spices and herbs filled the air, and without hesitation, Thalia dug in. The flavours were warm, earthy, and new to her, but she severed every bite.
As she ate, her gaze flickered around the hall—searching before she caught herself.
What am I doing?
Annoyed, she forced herself to focus on her meal.
Why am I even looking for him?
She had barely seen Vaelith all day, and that was good , wasn’t it? He unsettled her. He was unreadable. Too cold, too intense.
Still… he was starkly different from Marcus and appeared to have an uncanny ability to know when she needed saving from his persistent unwanted advances.
He had the air of something untouchable, something from the stories she had cherished as a child.
Maybe that was it. Maybe it was her fascination with the old High Fae legends, and nothing more.
I’m only tired, she reasoned. And looking for anything familiar.
Shaking herself, she focused on the meal in front of her, determined to banish such foolish thoughts. There was no point wasting time thinking about someone who made her feel so uneasy for a sense of comfort. She just needed a decent night's sleep.
Thalia was running.
The forest stretched endlessly before her, a tunnel of towering emerald trees, their leaves shimmering in muted tones as though drained of life. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and something faintly sweet, almost like jasmine, but unfamiliar.
She didn’t know where she was going. Only that she had to get there.
Her bare feet barely made a sound against the soft forest floor as she pushed forward, heart pounding, breath coming in shallow gasps. The light filtering through the canopy above was dim, casting shifting shadows that seemed to move in the corners of her vision.
she heard it then.
A voice. A whisper.
"Thalia."
Her name drifted through the air, carried by the wind, soft yet insistent. It sent a shiver down her spine.
She turned her head, searching, but saw nothing. Just the endless stretch of trees, the never-ending path winding ahead, beckoning her forward.
"Thalia."
The whisper came again, closer this time, tinged with something she couldn’t place. Urgency? Longing?
Her pulse quickened.
She had to reach the end of the path.
Her legs burned, but she didn’t stop. Couldn’t. The desperate pull in her chest told her she had to keep moving, had to get to, to what ?
The answer remained just beyond her grasp, like the path itself, stretching on and on no matter how fast she ran.
Faster. Faster. She needed to be faster.
Her breath hitched as the whisper came again, wrapping around her like a ghostly caress.
"Find me."
The words sent a strange, aching pain through her chest. It was familiar somehow, this voice, this place, though she couldn’t understand why.
The trees blurred at the edges of her vision, the muted colours of the dreamscape swirling together as the whisper grew fainter, distant. Fading.
“No—wait!” she tried to call out, but her voice didn’t carry.
Her legs faltered, her balance tipping, she woke with a sharp inhale. A cold rush of air against her damp skin.
Thalia blinked up at the ceiling, her heart still racing, her body rigid with the lingering urgency of the dream. The room was still cloaked in darkness, save for the faint slivers of moonlight spilling through the curtains.
That feeling, That ache.
It sat heavy in her chest, a longing so deep it left her breathless, yet she had no idea why.
She lifted a trembling hand to her forehead, pushing away damp strands of hair. It was just a dream. Just her mind playing tricks on her after such an exhausting day.
"Find me.
Thalia sat up slowly, her breath still uneven as the remnants of the dream clung to her like cobwebs. She ran a hand through her hair, scanning the dimly lit room.
The others were still sound asleep.
Lina was curled into a tight ball, her chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm.
Across from her, Nyla slept with one arm thrown over her forehead, her lips parted slightly as gentle snores filled the space.
Cellen, ever relaxed, lay sprawled out on his cot, his copper hair a mess against his pillow.
Everything was peaceful.
Everything should have felt safe.
But it didn’t.
An ache an unshakable feeling of loss, still pressed heavy in her chest, refusing to fade.
Thalia exhaled through her nose and dropped her head into her hands. Get yourself together.
She was being ridiculous. It was just a dream.
Just her mind acting out from stress, the whirlwind of emotions from leaving home, the weight of the exam, the uncertainty of the future. She had been running on nerves for weeks. Of course, it was taking a toll on her.
She swallowed against the lump in her throat and forced herself to think of home, the crackling warmth of the hearth, the scent of her mother’s cooking, the comforting weight of her cat sprawled across her legs.
Her chest ached even more.
No.
She needed to clear her head, before her feelings swamped her.
Carefully, she pulled her blanket aside and stood, moving with slow, deliberate steps
The stone floor was cool beneath her feet grounding her as she made her way toward the door, pausing only to glance back at the others once more before slipping outside.
The temple halls were quiet, cloaked in a stillness that should have been reassuring but instead made her skin prickle.
The sconces lining the stone corridors burned with a gentle glow, their flickering flames casting long shadows against the walls.
The temple itself was ancient, its lofty ceilings and intricate carvings.
Even in the dimness, the marble statues stood tall, their serene faces watching over the halls like silent sentinels.
Thalia took a deep breath, trying to let the peacefulness of the place soothe her, but the tightness in her chest refused to loosen.
She stepped out into the temple courtyard, the cool night air wrapping around her like a gentle caress. The sky stretched out above her, scattered with stars, and the faintest breeze rustled the trees at the edge of the grounds.
She was being absurd. There was no reason to feel like this. No reason for the quiet of the night to feel wrong.
She wrapped her arms around herself and stared up at the sky, the feeling didn’t leave her.
That dream. That whisper. That ache. It was all too much.
Stress, exhaustion, it felt like she had lost something she didn’t even know she was missing
Thalia exhaled, slow tears began rolling down her cheeks .
Her breath curling into the crisp night air.
The eerie quiet of the temple grounds settled around her, She sighed, tilting her head back to look at the sky, tracing the constellations with her eyes, trying to focus on something other than the way her heart still beat too fast from her dream.
A voice cut through the silence.
“You seem troubled.”
Thalia jolted, spinning around so fast she nearly tripped.
Vaelith stood a few paces away, watching her with his usual unreadable expression. His hair, pale as moonlight, caught the faint glow of the temple’s sconces, and his piercing gaze studied her as if he could read her thoughts.
She hadn't even heard him approach. Embarrassment creeped up her cheeks.
She clutched her chest, scowling. “Do you have to sneak up on people like that?”
One silver brow arched slightly. “I wasn’t sneaking.”
Thalia huffed, crossing her arms. “Then how come I didn’t hear you?”
Vaelith tilted his head slightly, as if the question amused him. “Perhaps you were too lost in thought.”
She pursed her lips, knowing he was probably right but unwilling to admit it. He was always so composed, so effortlessly sure of himself. Meanwhile, she felt like she was constantly stumbling through her own thoughts.
“Well?” Vaelith prompted.
She blinked. “Well, what?”
His bored stare remained intact, though there was the faintest twitch at the corner of his lips. “What are you doing out here?”