Page 21 of Eluvonia (Rift of Ages #1)

AERIS

T he sharp sting of salt on my lips pulls me from the abyss. My throat feels scorched and raw, like I’ve been chewing on sandpaper dipped in seawater. A warm breeze whispers across my skin, carrying the rhythmic lapping of waves. Somewhere nearby, a gull cries out, sharp and lonely.

I crack open my eyes, squinting against the blinding sunlight.

Everything around me is bathed in golden haze, the heat pressing down like a heavy, oppressive blanket.

Slowly, the blur sharpens into reality. Sand clings to my damp skin, the grains gritting between my fingers as I push myself upright.

The ocean stretches endlessly before me, its surface shimmering like molten glass under the sun. Behind me, a pale stretch of beach curves away into the distance, barren and unfamiliar. My chest tightens as memories slam into me with the force of a tidal wave. Shit we went over a cliff.

“Kaida? Declan?” My voice is cracked and hoarse, barely more than a rasp,each syllable heavy with a mix of fear and desperation. I scan the beach, heart pounding in my ears, but there’s no sign of them. Only the endless shoreline and the slow, steady hiss of waves meeting sand.

I should feel relieved. I should feel grateful that I’m still alive, that I somehow made it through. But the relief is bitter. It churns in my stomach, sour and unwelcoming. Alone. The word echoes in my mind over and over.

Alone.

But the truth is—I’ve always been alone. My own kind wants me dead. I’m the traitor, the outcast. My blood is Fae, but it doesn’t belong to them anymore. I should be hunted, should be put down like a dog that’s strayed too far from its pack . The thought gnaws at me, filling my chest with coldness.

I have nowhere to go. No one to turn to. No one who wants me . The Dragons? Kaida and Declan? They’re not my allies, no matter what fleeting peace I feel beside them. They’re just as much my enemy as the Fae who would tear me apart if given the chance.

But I can’t stop. I can’t stop moving, not now. If I stop, I’ll be swallowed whole by all the grief, the fear, the confusion. I’ll be devoured by everything I’ve lost. No. I can’t stop. I have to keep pushing forward, one foot in front of the other.

I stagger to my feet, the world tilting as the shifting sand slips beneath me.

My legs wobble like a newborn deer’s, but I grit my teeth and force myself upright.

Brushing off the gritty grains clinging to my arms, I stagger forward, every step slow and unsteady, my body fighting against the exhaustion pulling me down, but I move forward anyway.

Desperate. Looking for something. I don’t know what exactly.

A sign of life? Hope? Something to cling to, something to remind me that I’m not completely lost.

After what feels like an eternity, a dark shape catches my eye. My heart leaps as I focus on the figure lying motionless in the sand ahead. Without hesitation, I break into an unsteady run, the squelch of sand loud under my feet.

“Kaida!” I drop to my knees beside the figure, grunting as I flip him onto his back. Relief and fear war within me as I take in his broken wing, bent at an unnatural angle.

“Kaida!” I lean closer, pressing my ear to his chest. The steady thump of his heartbeat greets me, and I let out a shaky sigh of relief. “Thank the stars, I’m not alone,” I whisper, sitting back on my heels.

I grasp his shoulder and give it a gentle shake. “Kaida, wake up!” Nothing. I shake him harder, frustration bubbling up. “Come on, lizard boy! Get up!”

Still no response.

My patience snaps, and I slap him hard across the cheek.

His eyes fly open immediately, locking onto mine with a mixture of shock and indignation.

“Did you just slap me?” he asks, his voice a mix of disbelief and irritation.

I cross my arms, huffing. “Yes. And?”

He grits his teeth, pushing himself upright. His movements are slow, and stiff with pain. His gaze sweeps over our surroundings before settling on me.

“Where are we?” he asks, grimacing as he adjusts his injured wing.

I shrug, brushing a stray strand of hair from my face. “No idea. Somewhere with a lot of sand.” My eyes flicker to his wings, curiosity overtaking my worry. “Why don’t you just make them disappear like before? ”

He lets out a low groan, running a hand through his disheveled hair. “It takes an enormous amount of energy to retract my wings completely. And I can’t do it when they’re injured.”

Before I can respond, he rises to his feet, favoring one side. Without a glance back, he starts trudging down the shoreline.

“Hey, wait!” I call, stumbling after him. “Where are you going?”

He glances at me over his shoulder, one brow raised. “Why are you following me? Isn’t this the perfect chance for you to escape?”

I stop short, my hands balling into fists.

“Normally, yes,” I admit, folding my arms behind my back.

“But considering my own kind attacked me and now think I’m some kind of traitor, I’d say you’re the safer bet right now.

At least you can’t kill me without destroying your own soul. If what you said was true.”

He studies me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Finally he mutters, “If you didn’t spread the information, that means there is a mole in the castle. I’ll look into it when we get back,” before turning back to the path ahead.

The silence stretches between us, broken only by the crash of waves. I trail behind him, my feet dragging through the sand. Then, up ahead, I spot another shape—this one partially submerged in the surf.

Kaida stiffens, his body snapping to attention. Without a word, he breaks into a sprint, his injuries momentarily forgotten. I spot a flash of golden hair, “Declan!” I cry, stumbling to catch up.

Kaida reaches him first, flipping Declan over and hauling him out of the water. His hands move with urgency, patting Declan’s cheek. “Dec! Dec, wake up.”

Hovering anxiously, I wring my hands as Kaida leans in close, his ear near Declan’s mouth. “He’s breathing,” Kaida says, his voice a mix of relief and dread. But the look in his eyes darkens as he examines the jagged wound slashing across Declan’s chest.

“It’s deep,” Kaida mutters, his voice low, as though speaking more to himself than to me. His sharp eyes linger on the wound, and his brow furrows. “If it’s not treated soon, he could bleed out.”

Without thinking, I tear the bottom of my shirt off, pressing the cloth against the wound to slow the bleeding. My hands tremble as I tie it tight around his chest, my breath coming in shallow gasps.

Kaida looks at me for a brief moment, his eyes widening slightly, as if surprised by my sudden action.

My stomach clenches, a cold, twisting knot of fear gripping me. “Don’t Dragons have strong healing abilities? Why is he not healing?” I ask, my voice wavering.

Kaida’s jaw tightens, and he side eyes me before he exhales sharply. “Dragons heal fast, yes—but water is our weakness,” he admits, the words weighted with reluctant frustration. “We’re blessed by the fire Ymiral.”

“Fire Ymiral?” I echo, tilting my head, my confusion plain.

Kaida turns to me, his sharp features betraying a flicker of disbelief. “Do you seriously not know of the Ymirals?” His tone carries a hint of incredulity, though he tries to mask it.

Heat creeps up my neck as I shake my head. “No. What are they?”

Kaida’s gaze lingers on me, his eyes narrowing slightly, as if debating whether to acknowledge me or not. His lips twitch—probably in irritation—before he silently turns away.

With a sigh, he crouches, hooking his arms under Declan’s limp form.

In one smooth motion, he hefts him off the sand, shifting Declan’s weight effortlessly onto his back.

A soft grunt escapes him as he adjusts his grip, his shoulders flexing with the effort.

Then, without so much as a backward glance, he strides forward, leaving only footprints in the sand behind him.

“Kaida,” I call after him, my voice tinged with irritation. He doesn’t even flinch.

Fucking stubborn ass Dragons.

“Hey!” I shout, louder this time, but he just keeps walking. I scowl and break into a jog to catch up, sand slipping beneath my toes. My breath comes out in short bursts as I finally match his pace, his broad back looming just ahead of me.

We walk in charged silence, the soft crash of waves the only sound between us. I can feel the tension radiating from him, his entire posture screaming leave me alone . But I have nowhere to go, not until I figure out what the hell is going on.

Kaida sighs eventually as he repositions Declan on his back again, his hands flexing slightly as they grip his tattered pants.

His voice is low and begrudging, as though each word costs him something.

“Ymirals are mystical beings—one created for each element. Earth, water, wind, fire, light, ice, and shadow.”

His tone is distant, almost mechanical, like he’s reciting something he learned long ago. I sneak a glance at him, hoping for a flicker of warmth or… anything, really, but his face is as unreadable as ever.

“They bless every race in Eluvonia at birth,” he continues, his eyes fixed on the horizon. “Granting unique abilities.” He pauses, his tone sharpening, as if daring me to interrupt. I don’t.

“Dragons,” he says, his voice low with faint pride, “are blessed by the fire Ymiral. It gives us incredible strength, the ability to breathe fire, and rapid healing. It’s what makes us the strongest.” He casts a quick glance at me, the corner of his mouth twitching—a half smirk, half sneer.

“Not that we need it to deal with you Fae.”

I bristle at his words but bite back the sharp retort I want to throw at him. My eyes narrow as he turns his attention forward again, and I wait a beat before speaking. “What about your shadows? Are they from the fire Ymiral too?”

He tilts his head slightly in my direction, that infuriatingly smug smile still firmly in place. “No. Occasionally, exceptional beings like me are blessed by two elementals. It’s rare, of course, but not entirely surprising in my case. My ability to command shadows comes from the shadow Ymiral.”

“Why?” I press, curiosity getting the better of me.

He lets out a long, exaggerated sigh, like I’ve asked him to solve the mysteries of the universe. “Why don’t you track down a Ymiral and ask them yourself?”

I huff, crossing my arms. “You’re impossible.”

“And you’re persistent,” he shoots back, strolling ahead as if he’s already won.

He lets the silence stretch for a few paces before adding, “But, to answer your earlier question, Eluvonia likes balance. Each race has a weakness to another, ensuring no one dominates.”

His tone carries a bitter edge, his hands tightening briefly on Declan’s legs as though the mere idea irks him. He picks up his pace, leaving me stumbling slightly to keep up .

I bite my lip, my brow furrowing as I struggle to piece this together. “But the Fae are part of Eluvonia. Why aren’t we blessed by an Ymiral?”

Kaida’s expression hardens, as he shrugs. “Don’t know, don’t care.”

I roll my eyes, muttering under my breath, “Nice chat.”

The crash of waves and the crunch of sand underfoot punctuate the heavy silence between us as we walk.

“So, since you’re weak to water, do you even bathe?” I ask, tilting my head, my tone dripping with exaggerated curiosity.

Kaida freezes mid-step, his entire body going rigid. Slowly, he turns his head just enough to give me a deadpan stare, one brow arched high.

I throw my hands up, palms out. “Hey, I’m just asking! I mean, for all I know, you just roll around in dirt and call it a day.”

Kaida snorts—a sharp, dismissive sound—before turning back around and continuing down the path, his footsteps a little heavier than before.

Silence stretches between us. Then, just as I’m about to assume he’s ignoring me, he mutters, “Yes, I bathe. I just don’t do it around others. I don’t trust anyone enough.”

I side-eye him, lips twitching. “You don’t trust anyone ?”

His only response is a low grunt, the kind that could mean no or drop it before I throw you into the ocean .

I let the silence hang, then shrug. “Sounds like a lonely life.”

Kaida’s back straightens, his steps faltering for just a fraction of a second—barely noticeable.

He doesn’t say a word, just keeps walking, as if my words didn’t land.

But they did. I know they did. The sun dips lower, the sky streaked with fiery hues, when a sliver of rooftops catches my eye beyond a distant dune.

My heart leaps. “There!” I blurt, pointing ahead. “I see buildings!”

Kaida grunts, his only acknowledgment, but his pace quickens.

As we crest the dune, a small seaside town sprawls below. Weathered houses cluster together, their wooden walls bleached and worn from years of salt-laden winds. The faint scent of fish and brine drifts toward us.

The narrow, sand-packed path we follow leads into the heart of the town. Everything feels eerily still, a wooden sign creaks in the breeze, its hinges protesting the movement.

“Hello?” I call, sticking close to Kaida, my voice cutting through the unnatural quiet. “Is anybody here?”

No response. My stomach tightens as my gaze flicks to a house with its shutters barely open. A face peeks out, and for the briefest moment, our eyes meet. Then the shutters slam shut with a sharp clack.

Kaida growls low in his throat, his irritation palpable. “We’re not welcome here,” he mutters.

“No kidding,” I reply, my shoulders hunching as I follow him further into the town. The oppressive silence presses down on us, broken only by the distant cry of gulls.

Just as I’m about to suggest turning back, a voice slices through the stillness. “You need a healer?”

I whirl around, my breath catching, to find an older female standing a few steps away. Her weathered face is partially hidden beneath a wide-brimmed straw hat. Her piercing gaze sweeps over us, assessing, dissecting.

“Y-yes,” I stammer, my voice embarrassingly high-pitched. I nudge Kaida sharply when he just stares at her, his eyes narrowed.

The female arches an unimpressed eyebrow. “Follow me,” she says simply, turning toward one of the houses without waiting for a response.

I glance at Kaida, my unease bubbling over. “We’re just gonna follow the creepy lady into her house?”

Kaida shrugs, adjusting Declan again. A low moan slips from Declan’s lips, and my heart skips a beat at the sound. At least he’s alive… for now. “Do you have a better idea?”

I glare at him but bite back a retort, trailing after the woman. The creaking porch groans under our weight as she opens the door, revealing a home steeped in the earthy scents of herbs and salt.

“This is how we die,” I mumble under my breath, earning a glance from Kaida that’s half-amused, half-annoyed.