Elara
The sun hadn’t yet risen fully when Xavier and I slipped quietly through the palace gates. We told the guards we were going to inspect the patrol routes near the old borderlands, close enough to the truth to not raise suspicion.
But the truth? I was chasing shadows.
My cloak rustled against my legs as I mounted the horse Xavier had prepared for me. His own mount stood tall and dark beside mine, shifting impatiently.
“You sure you want to do this?” Xavier asked, tightening his gloves. His golden eyes held a mix of worry and something deeper, something that tugged at my chest.
“I have to,” I whispered, adjusting the hood over my head. “There’s something in that forest waiting for me. I can feel it.”
We rode in silence at first. The early morning air was crisp, biting gently at o
