Page 106 of Tower of Ash and Darkness (Tower of Ash #1)
LAILAH
A s I drift into sleep, the weight of the world seems to lift, and I find myself in a place of warmth and light.
The sun hangs low over a quiet, sprawling farm, casting a golden glow over the fields.
The sound of birdsong drifts through the air, mingling with the laughter of children playing near the barn.
I watch them, my heart swelling with love as my own little ones run through the grass. The girl, with dark red hair and a bright, fearless smile, pulls her brother along—his dark brown hair and green eyes sparkling with mischief as he chases after her.
I hear Gwyn’s voice in the distance, her laughter blending with Alias’s as they argue good-naturedly by the fire.
Malachi sits beside them, quiet as ever, his eyes half-closed as if he's too deep in his thoughts to hear their bickering. It’s a simple life, one of peace, one that doesn’t have to be overshadowed.
The children, so carefree, so innocent, are a world away from the darkness we know.
Callum sits beside the embers, his eyes twinkling as he watches the children play.
His laughter spills out effortlessly, blending with theirs, and it’s like the whole world is in perfect harmony.
He stands and scoops up the dark-haired girl, spinning her through the air with a joyful laugh.
The sound rings out, vibrant and full of life, filling the air around us.
Her brother joins them, his small hands tugging at Callum’s sleeve, urging him to keep playing.
They’re both caught up in the magic of the moment, their laughter infectious.
For the first time in what feels like forever, I feel a peace settle within me. The worries, the fears, everything that’s haunted me feels so far away. Here, now, I am free. Free from the constant danger, the pressure, the uncertainty. Free to just be .
I turn to see Casper walking toward me from the fields, his sleeves rolled up, dusted with earth.
His face is softened by the glow of the setting sun, and his eyes meet mine with a tenderness that takes my breath away.
I smile, my heart full, as he steps closer, wiping the sweat from his brow and kissing me gently on the cheek.
"How was the day?" I ask softly, as the children run past us again, giggling and tumbling in the soft grass.
"Busy," he replies, his voice warm and filled with satisfaction. "But worth it, when I come home to you."
He brushes past me on his way to clean up before supper, pausing just long enough to kiss me deeply.
The kids erupt with a chorus of disgust that fills the room, pulling a laugh from me I can’t hold back.
Smiling, I shake my head and corral everyone toward the table, the familial warmth lingering as we settle in for dinner.
We sit together as the sun sinks low, painting the sky with hues of gold and crimson, casting long shadows across the farm.
The fire crackles beside us, emitting a soft glow.
The children curl up in front of it, their faces lit with the warmth of the flames and the safety of this place.
The evening air is cool, but the peace inside me is warmer than anything the fire could offer.
I glance at Callum, his smile radiant as he watches the children, his joy shining through in a way that makes my heart swell.
I never imagined this kind of life, this kind of family, could be mine.
No more hiding. No more running. Just us—just this.
I lean back, resting my head against Casper’s chest, his arm around me, pulling me close.
The warmth soothes me, reminding me that no matter what comes, we’ve found something real here.
Something worth holding onto. We sit together, as the sun dips below the horizon.
It’s perfect. It’s everything I’ve ever wanted. A family. A future.
But then, the ground beneath me begins to tremble, just slightly at first, like the echo of something terrible creeping in.
The wind picks up, turning cold. The once-soft sky darkens, the stars vanishing, swallowed by an overwhelming blackness.
The joy in the air shifts, and I hear it—the faint sound of hooves.
I try to turn, but my body refuses to move.
Just moments ago, Casper was behind me, close enough to touch.
Now, in an instant, he’s near the children.
Panic grips me as I realize I can’t reach him, can’t even call out to him.
He stands frozen, his figure unnervingly still.
The children’s laughter has vanished, replaced by an eerie, suffocating silence that wraps around us.
The fire dies, and in the shadows beyond the barn, figures begin to appear.
Their eyes glow faintly, hungry, like wolves on the hunt.
It happens in an instant.
Callum’s laughter falters, morphing into a shout—but it’s already too late.
I see a dark figure emerging from the shadows.
The arrow flies through the air in slow motion, and I watch, helpless, as it pierces his chest. The impact is brutal, the sound of it a sickening thud, and he stumbles back, blood splattering against the darkened earth.
"Callum!" I scream, but my voice is swallowed by the rising wind, by the terrifying howl of something far worse than death.
He falls to his knees, his hand clutching at the arrow, his breath coming in short, jagged gasps.
His face contorts in pain, but he never looks away from me.
His eyes are filled with agony, with a silent plea for help that I can’t answer.
And then, he crumples to the ground, his body still, lifeless in the fading light.
I turn, searching for Casper and the children, but they’re gone—swallowed by the shadows as if they were never there.
The silence around me stretches, broken only by Gwyn’s distant screams echoing from the depths of the darkness.
I rush toward Callum, but the world seems to close in around me.
The barn is gone, the farm disappearing like smoke.
The shadows grow longer, stretching into every corner, and the air is thick with fear.
There’s no escaping this nightmare. No escape from the terror of seeing him gone, of losing everything in an instant.
The darkness presses in, and my heart is beating out of control, my breath ragged, as the nightmare drags me deeper into the void.
"Callum!" I cry out, my voice laden with panic.
I wake with a sharp gasp, lungs straining, heart racing as if trying to escape whatever evil still haunts the edges of my sleep.
My skin is cold with sweat, and the room around me feels suddenly unfamiliar, the walls closing in like the darkness in my dream.
But then, from the shadows, I hear a familiar laugh—sly and smooth.
“Well, well, do tell me how I am in your dreams, Your Grace.”
I blink, disoriented, and turn to see Callum standing there, his eyes glinting with that mischievous spark, his smile crooked and teasing. My heart races again, but this time with relief.
He’s here. He’s safe.
The nightmare fades like mist under the light of reality, and I find myself reaching for him, my hands trembling.
He sits beside me, brow knitted in concern, as he watches me catch my breath.
Then, without a word, he lifts my scarred hand, pressing it gently to his chest. I feel the steady beat of his heart beneath my palm, grounding me, reminding me that it was just a dream. But the fear lingers.
"Feel, Lailah," he says, his voice low and intimate as he says my name for the first time.
His heartbeat steadies beneath my hand. I meet his gaze as his thumb brushes my scarred hand.
“It appears you missed me,” he says, his lips curling into a smirk as he pulls me forward.
Callum kisses the back of my scarred hand, the gesture so gentle, so filled with understanding, that I feel a crack form in the walls I’ve built around myself.
I’ve only let him and Casper touch me so freely like this.
But with both of them, it’s different. For the first time, I wonder if this—this shared moment of tenderness—could be something more than the fear that binds us.
Footsteps begin to echo through the cave’s mouth, and my hand falls from Callum’s chest. Together, we turn, and our eyes meet Casper’s.
Without a word, he gestures toward the entrance, silently beckoning us into the cool embrace of the night.
As we step outside the cave's mouth, a familiar figure greets me—Zander, his sleek coat dappled with moonlight, his head bent as he savors the crisp bite of an apple.
A rush of warmth floods through me, a rare and fleeting happiness breaking through.
I step toward him, my hand outstretched, drawn to the comforting presence of him. Memories I cannot fully piece together stir in my mind, fragments of a forgotten past. But before my fingers can brush his mane, Casper’s touch halts me—a soft hand at my elbow, firm yet careful.
He shakes his head and his hand curls around mine as he leads me away.
I glance back once, offering Zander a silent promise, before following Casper.
Callum trails behind, the rocky path crunching beneath our feet as we climb toward a hidden trail winding through the darkened edges of the stone fortress.
Down below, I see Gwyn, Alias, and Malachi gathered in a small circle, their voices hushed.
Alias carries a flickering torch, its golden light a beacon of warmth in the cool air.
As we step down onto the solid ground below, Gwyn’s face lights up the moment she sees me, her dark eyes shimmering with relief and joy.
Her expression softens in a way I haven’t seen before, as if the agony of waiting has finally eased.
Without hesitation, she crosses the short distance between us, her arms opening wide as she pulls me into a gentle embrace.