Elara
The night carried a stillness that pressed on my chest like unseen weight. The torches outside the fortress gates burned low, their flames shivering as though they sensed something hidden in the darkness beyond. My ears strained for the smallest sound every rustle, every faint step, every uneven breath and my heart answered each with a nervous flutter.
Xavier stood near the window of the chamber, his back stiff, shoulders tight, as though the world pressed on him and he dared not bend. The faint silver glow of the moon lit the hard lines of his face. His jaw was set like stone, his hands flexing at his sides as though they longed for the comfort of a blade.
I whispered softly, almost afraid to break the silence.
“Another one will come, won’t they?”
His head turned just slightly,
