Page 13 of Eluvonia (Rift of Ages #1)

AERIS

M y throat works to swallow, the weight of his words settling like a boulder in my stomach.

From the corner of my eye, I catch Kaida landing on his feet as his shadows cut the root at the base of his feet. He brushes himself off with sharp, irritated movements before shooting me a pointed glare and walking towards me.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I see Kaida’s father turn back towards the throne, his heavy boots echoing against the stone floor. My mind races, my pulse pounding so hard I can hear it in my ears. No. No, no, no—this can’t be happening.

I steal a glance at Kaida, who remains rigid, his eyes narrowed with barely restrained fury. Smoke curls from his nostrils, his hands clenched so tight at his sides that his claws dig into his palms.

Varek doesn’t spare either of us another glance as he lowers himself onto his massive, jewel-encrusted throne.

Beside him, resting on a small pedestal, is a red satin pillow. Upon it sits a delicate bell—gold, polished, and gleaming under the flickering torchlight.

Then, he lifts the bell and rings it.

The chime cuts through the tension like a blade.

It’s soft, almost gentle, but it vibrates deep in my bones, rattling something in my very core.

A rush of golden light floods the room, so bright I have to shield my eyes.

The air itself hums, charged with something ancient, something powerful.

My stomach twists in a way that has nothing to do with fear and everything to do with knowing—knowing that whatever happens next, there’s no turning back.

When the light fades, a figure stands in its place.

A woman.

She is radiant in a way that seems otherworldly, her golden skin glowing like polished sunlight, her long, shimmering hair cascading down her back like strands of molten metal.

Even her clothes seem woven from the light itself, flowing around her in weightless folds.

She looks around the room with eyes that gleam like molten amber, unreadable and knowing all at once.

“I have been summoned,” she says, her voice as smooth as flowing honey yet carrying the weight of something far beyond mortal comprehension.

Varek, the fearsome commander who had just spoken so casually about carving me open, bows .

“Ymiral of Light,” he addresses her with reverence, his tone starkly different from the commanding one he’d used on us. “My son has found his Líer. Please, join them.”

My stomach plummets. My eyes flick to Kaida, who stiffens like a taut wire ready to snap. The shadows at his feet curl and writhe, stirring restlessly as if responding to his anger .

The Ymiral of Light turns to me first, her gaze sweeping over me with quiet consideration.

There’s something unsettling about the way she looks at me, like she can see straight through me—beyond my skin, past my fears, right to the very core of who I am.

Her eyes soften slightly, but there’s something resigned in them, something that makes my stomach knot tighter.

Then, she turns to Kaida.

His face is a mask of defiance, his entire body is coiled like a predator about to strike, but he says nothing.

The Ymiral’s expression remains unreadable as she turns back to me. “I can see your fate, young Fae,” she says softly, her voice gentle. “And while this may seem unfair, it is your best hope.”

Hope? Hope?! I choke back a bitter laugh. This isn’t hope. This is a trap, a cage with gilded bars.

She turns back to Varek. “I will join them.”

She moves toward us with an eerie sort of grace, gliding across the floor like she’s weightless. Her hands begin to glow, the light radiating from her palms as she raises them between me and Kaida. The air thickens, crackling with unseen energy.

That’s when panic snaps me out of my stupor.

No.

It grips me, cold and suffocating, clawing up my throat like a living thing. My entire body locks up, then jolts into motion. My feet stumble backward, my hands shaking as I throw them up in a weak attempt to ward off the inevitable.

No, no, no—this isn’t right.

I shake my head violently. “No! They’re forcing me to do this!” My voice cracks, raw with fear, but no one moves to stop her .

I take a step back—only for Kaida to suddenly appear beside me, his grip locking around my arm like a vice.

“Let go!” I scream, thrashing against him, clawing at his fingers. His grip doesn’t budge.

The Ymiral looks at me with something almost like pity. “Child, please. Trust me.”

Trust her? Trust her?

Golden light explodes around us, swallowing me whole.

I freeze, my entire body locking up as something foreign crashes into me. My chest swells, then tightens like a rope is wrapping around my ribs, binding me in ways I can’t see or understand. My knees nearly buckle as my surroundings blur and warp.

Then the visions come.

Kaida—standing on a battlefield, his expression hardened, his blade slick with blood.

Kaida—as a child, curled in a corner, his small body shaking as silent tears streak his face.

Kaida—his arms bound in heavy chains, his back striped with fresh, bleeding wounds.

Kaida—screaming at a golden-haired boy, anguish twisting his features.

Kaida—gasping in pain as a blade sinks into his side.

Kaida—his gaze locking onto mine in the forest, something unspoken passing between us.

I suck in a ragged breath, my vision snapping back to reality. My entire body trembles, my chest rising and falling in sharp, uneven breaths. I feel like I’m drowning in something I don’t understand, something ancient and inescapable.

The glow around us fades, and the Ymiral lowers her hands.

“You are now tied,” she says solemnly. “Your fates are intertwined. You each make up for a part of the other. If one dies, half of you dies. For two make one whole.”

A low growl rumbles beside me.

I force myself to look at Kaida. His jaw is clenched so tight I can see the muscles twitching, his sapphire eyes burning with barely contained rage.

“Thank you,” he grits out, the words sounding like they physically pain him.

The Ymiral gives him a knowing half-smile. “I know this is not your choice,” she says gently, “but I have seen your fate as well, Shadow Commander. It is the best outcome.”

Golden light flares around her once more, and in the blink of an eye, she vanishes.

A heavy silence settles over the room. My heart is still racing, my breath still coming too fast. I don’t know what to do, what to say.

Then, Varek claps his hands together, the sharp sound making me flinch. His expression is smug, satisfied. “Welcome to the Family. ”

I don’t know whether to scream or collapse.

Kaida’s hands twitch at his sides, his breathing heavy. He looks like he wants to rip something apart.

And honestly?

So do I.