Page 14 of Eluvonia (Rift of Ages #1)

AERIS

K aida’s grip on my arm is vice-like, his fingers digging into my skin as he drags me down the long hallway.

His footsteps pound against the floor, echoing with the sharp cadence of a brewing storm.

His shoulders are stiff, his breaths quick and shallow, each one practically vibrating with suppressed rage.

He suddenly yanks me through a large door and shoves me forward.

I stumble, landing hard on my hands and knees against the plush red fabric.

Hate surges through me, burning hotter than any fire the Dragons have ever breathed.

It coils in my gut, tightening like a vice as I meet Kaida’s glare head-on.

My body aches from the rough landing, my hands sting where they struck the fabric-covered floor, but I refuse to acknowledge the pain.

I refuse to give him that satisfaction. Kaida paces back and forth, his movements sharp, like a predator deciding whether to pounce.

His chest rises and falls in uneven bursts, the muscles in his jaw clench so tightly I can see the flicker of tension in his cheek. He’s angry. Good. So am I.

I stay seated on the floor, forcing myself to keep still, to stay calm.

Abruptly, he halts mid-stride, spinning on his heel to face me. His eyes narrow, the intensity of his glare sharp enough to pierce through steel. “I should have just killed you and been done with it,” he snaps, his voice as cold and cutting as winter frost.

The words sting, but I arch an eyebrow, refusing to flinch. “Then why didn’t you?” My tone is light, sarcastic, deliberately poking at his frayed edges.

His hands ball into fists at his sides, and for a split second, his expression flickers—an odd mix of fury and something else, something I can’t quite pin down. Regret? No. I won’t be fooled. There is no part of him capable of remorse.

He crouches down in front of me in one fluid motion, close enough that I can feel the heat radiating off him.

His hand lashes out, grabbing my chin, his fingers firm but eerily controlled.

His nails barely press into my skin, but the force behind his grip leaves no doubt that he could crush me if he wanted to.

He tilts my head up, forcing me to meet his gaze. I want to rip his hand away. I want to spit venom in his face, to curse him, to remind him that no matter what power he holds, no matter what chains he wraps around me—I am not broken.

The shadows behind him stretch toward me, darkening the space around us.

His eyes burn like twin embers, his breath brushing against my face.

“Because,” he hisses, voice low and sharp, “I thought my father would finally see my worth. That capturing an anomaly like you would make him—” He stops abruptly, jaw tightening as if choking on the words.

I pull my chin from his grip, leaning back just enough to put some space between us and his shadows. A scoff escapes before I can stop it. “Aw, poor Dragon. Daddy doesn’t love you enough? Must be hard not getting those head pats.” My lips curl into a smirk, knowing I’m baiting him and not caring.

For a moment, he just stares at me, his breaths shallow and fast. Then, with a sharp exhale, he straightens to his full height, towering over me.

He runs a hand through his hair, his fingers trembling ever so slightly as he struggles to rein himself in.

Smoke drifts from his nostrils in thin, dark tendrils, curling ominously in the air between us, while the shadows slither ever closer, wrapping around his feet like protective snakes.

“Regardless of how it happened,” he finally says, voice taut with restraint, “you’re my responsibility now. And you cannot leave my side. Do you understand?”

I roll my eyes dramatically, letting out an exaggerated sigh. “Or what?” I sneer. “You’ll burn down my home? Kill my family?” My words drip with mockery and disdain.

Kaida bends down again, his movements deliberate and controlled, like a predator toying with its prey. He leans in close, his gaze locking with mine.

“I don’t have to do anything,” he murmurs, his voice so soft it’s chilling. “You are my Líer now. We’re tied to each other—bound in a way you can’t escape.” His fingers brush against my jaw, a mockery of tenderness, before tightening just enough to make my pulse spike.

His lips curl into a knowing smirk. “Soon, you’ll feel it.

The pull. The ache. We can’t be apart for long without it tearing through us, without it hurting.

” His breath is warm against my skin, but his words are ice, sinking into my bones.

“Soon, you’ll need to be near me.” His voice drops lower, rougher. Darker. “Soon, you’ll need me. ”

A low growl rumbles in his chest, vibrating between us, and for a moment, I forget to breathe.

I try to hold his gaze, but the weight of his words settles in my chest like a stone. I feel my pulse quicken, the barest flicker of fear crossing my face. Damn him—I hate that he sees it.

He straightens with a satisfied smirk, brushing invisible dust from his shirt as if the exchange meant nothing to him.

“Good girl,” he says mockingly, reaching out to pat my head like a child.

My fists clench, nails digging into my palms as I bite back the sharp retort on the tip of my tongue. He doesn’t deserve the reaction.

He strides to the wall, yanking a long cord. A faint chime echoes somewhere in the distance. Within moments, a small Fae enters, her head bowed low, her movements quick and precise. Her hands clasp tightly in front of her plain black dress as she waits for instructions.

“Bring her some proper clothes,” Kaida commands without looking at me. “Something a Dragon female would wear.”

The Fae glances at me briefly, her brows furrowing in confusion, but she nods and hurries off. He turns his attention back to me, giving me a dismissive once-over. “You need to bathe,” he says flatly, gesturing toward a door on the left. “The clothes will be brought in. Don’t make me wait.”

He spins on his heel and storms out, slamming the door behind him with enough force to rattle the walls. The shadows recede with him, releasing the room, and the air feels momentarily lighter .

The silence that follows is deafening. I let out a long breath, my gaze sweeping over the room. It’s a world so far removed from mine it feels like stepping onto another realm.

I cross to the door he indicated, opening it to find…

a marvel. Surfaces smooth as ice catch the warm glow of strange, suspended lights.

A massive white basin, shaped from what looks like polished stone, stands beneath a curved silver protrusion.

Shelves filled with peculiar bottles and vials line the walls, their contents glinting like captured sunlight.

My gaze drifts to the basin, and I spot strange knobs beneath the silver spout.

Tentatively, I reach for one, fingers trembling as I twist it.

A sudden gush of water bursts forth, splashing against my fingers.

I flinch back with a startled gasp. It’s like the river—but not.

The water flows steadily, a gentle stream, warm against my skin instead of icy and wild.

I lean closer, hesitantly letting my fingers dip back into the stream.

The warmth seeps into me, soft and soothing, almost like the water itself has been tamed.

My eyes widen in wonder, my mind racing to make sense of it.

It’s unnatural—too perfect, too controlled.

I glance at the spout, then back at the water as it pools and swirls. Is this what Dragons use?

For a moment, I just stand there, staring at the water, letting its quiet rush drown out the chaos in my mind. My chest feels hollow, an empty cavern where warmth used to be. The weight of everything crashes down on me all at once—my clan, my home, the people who made me who I was. Gone.

Leynard’s face flashes before my eyes—his determined smile, the way he always had my back, the way he threw himself in front of the Dragon male, so I could escape. My breath catches, my fingers curling into fists. He should still be here. He should have made it .

And Esra… I bite down on my lip, trying to hold back the sob building in my throat. She was ripped away from me, torn from my grasp like a cruel joke, leaving behind only an aching void. I hear her laughter in my head, soft and bright, a ghost of something I’ll never have again.

I squeeze my eyes shut, but it doesn’t stop the tears. They come in slow, silent streams, slipping down my cheeks, carrying pieces of me with them. I don’t wipe them away. I let them fall, let the grief settle in my bones. I won’t forget them. I can’t.

I step into the basin and sit down under the stream, the warm water washing over me. Even through the pain, one thing is clear—I won’t let Kaida win. I won’t let anyone take anything else from me.

If I have to burn the realm to the ground to make things right, so be it.

KAIDA

I stomp down the hallway, my boots striking the stone with deliberate force, each step like a battle drum, echoing through the corridor.

The shadows at my feet flare, stretching upward as if eager for a fight, responding to the tension coiling in my chest. Every inch of me feels like it’s crackling with energy, and the darker my mood, the more they come alive, crawling across the walls in long, angry tendrils.

By the time I reach Declan’s door, my control is slipping.

I shove it open with a force that rattles the hinges, the wood groaning under the pressure.

Declan’s head jerks up from his desk, his quill clattering to the floor.

His brows lift, but there’s no real surprise in his face—just mild exasperation and that ever-present amusement dancing in his eyes.

“Still haven’t learned to knock, I see,” he drawls, pushing himself away from his desk and crossing his arms over his chest.