into the shadow

Chapter Five — The Morning After

Elara slowly opened her eyes.

For a few seconds, she didn't remember where she was.

Morning sunlight slipped through the curtains, falling across her bed. She blinked sleepily and pulled the blanket closer, still caught between sleep and wakefulness.

Then she remembered.

Auren.

Her eyes immediately moved toward the chair beside her bed.

He was still there.

Sitting exactly where he had been the night before.

For a moment, Elara simply stared at him.

Auren looked completely calm, as though spending the night beside someone's bed was the most normal thing in the world.

"You stayed," she whispered.

His eyes met hers.

"I said I would."

Elara sat up slowly.

She had expected him to disappear before morning.

She didn't know why, but some part of her had been afraid that she would wake up and discover that everything had been a dream.

But he was still there.

The contract was still on her desk.

The wooden box was still beside it.

And Auren was still watching her.

Elara looked at the clock.

Her eyes widened.

"Oh no."

She quickly threw the blanket aside.

"I'm late for school."

Auren raised an eyebrow.

"You should have gone back to sleep."

"I can't. I'm already late."

She hurried out of bed and grabbed her clothes.

Auren watched her rush around the room.

"You always move this quickly in the morning?"

"Only when I'm late."

"You were late yesterday too."

Elara stopped.

"How do you know?"

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"I told you. I've been watching."

She pointed at him.

"That's still creepy."

He smiled.

"Good morning to you too."

Despite herself, Elara laughed softly.

It was strange.

Yesterday, she had been terrified of him.

Now she was standing in front of a ghost, arguing with him about her school schedule.

And somehow, it felt almost normal.

Almost.

Then her eyes fell on the wooden box.

The smile disappeared from her face.

She remembered the contract.

The words.

The warning.

And the final thing Auren had said before she fell asleep.

The contract had chosen her.

Elara looked at him.

"What happens now?"

Auren's expression became serious.

"Now you go to school."

She frowned.

"That's it?"

"For today."

"And you?"

"I'll be here when you return."

Elara hesitated.

"You promise?"

Auren looked at her.

"I promised I would stay."

For some reason, those words made her feel safer.

She nodded.

"Okay."

She reached for the door.

Then Auren spoke again.

"Elara."

She turned.

"Yes?"

"Don't touch the contract while I'm gone."

Her eyes moved toward the wooden box.

"Why?"

"Because you don't know what it can do."

Elara frowned.

"But you do."

Auren's face changed slightly.

"I know enough to tell you not to."

She studied him for a moment.

Then she nodded.

"Fine."

She opened the door.

Before leaving, she looked back at him one last time.

Auren was still sitting beside her bed.

Waiting.

Watching.

And somehow, Elara knew that when she came back, he would still be there.