What He Dosent Say
1371 Words
“You should not have brought her here.”
The voice echoed through the hall—low, distorted, wrong.
Aurelia froze.
Her breath caught somewhere in her chest as her eyes stayed locked on the figure at the top of the stairs. It looked like her father… but it didn’t feel like him.
Not even close.
The chain burned faintly.
Not pain.
Recognition.
Kael stepped in front of her again.
“Enough,” he said, his voice cutting clean through the tension.
The man at the top tilted his head slowly.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Then—
Kael’s hand found Aurelia’s wrist.
Firm.
Grounding.
“Come with me.”
No explanation.
No hesitation.
He didn’t wait for her to agree.
He pulled her gently—but decisively—away.
Aurelia glanced back once.
Just once.
The figure was still there.
Watching.
But it didn’t follow.
—
They didn’t stop until they were deep inside the palace.
Past long corridors and silent servants. Past doors that remained shut as they passed, like whatever was inside had no intention of welcoming her.
Only when they reached a quiet, dimly lit chamber did Kael finally release her wrist.
The door closed behind them with a soft, heavy sound.
And just like that—
The noise of the world disappeared.
Aurelia exhaled slowly, her body finally catching up to everything she had been holding in.
“What was that?” she asked.
Her voice was softer now.
Less steady.
Kael didn’t answer immediately.
He moved to the window, his back to her, his shoulders tense beneath the dark fabric of his coat.
“You’re not in danger,” he said.
Aurelia blinked.
“That’s not what I asked.”
“I know.”
She frowned slightly.
“Then answer me.”
Silence.
Again.
Aurelia felt something inside her tighten—not fear this time, but something closer to frustration. To being shut out.
“You keep doing that,” she said quietly.
Kael didn’t turn.
“Doing what?”
“Deciding what I need to know,” she replied.
Her fingers brushed lightly against the chain.
“It involves me too.”
That got his attention.
He turned then.
Slowly.
His gaze met hers.
Steady.
Unreadable.
“And what would you do with the answers?” he asked.
The question caught her off guard.
“I—” she hesitated. “I would understand.”
Kael’s expression didn’t change.
“Understanding doesn’t always make things easier.”
Aurelia held his gaze.
“I didn’t ask for easy.”
A pause.
Long enough to matter.
Something shifted in his eyes then.
Subtle.
But there.
He studied her like he was seeing something differently.
Or maybe for the first time.
“You won’t find comfort here,” he said at last.
His voice was quieter now.
Not cold.
Just… honest.
Aurelia’s chest tightened slightly.
“I’m not looking for comfort.”
“Then what are you looking for?”
The question came softer than before.
Not sharp.
Not guarded.
Just… real.
Aurelia didn’t answer immediately.
Because she didn’t fully know.
But after a moment—
“Truth,” she said.
Kael’s gaze didn’t leave hers.
“And if the truth is worse than what you imagine?”
Aurelia swallowed.
“Then I’ll deal with it when I get there.”
Silence settled again.
But this time—
It wasn’t heavy.
Just… quiet.
Kael looked away first.
Aurelia noticed.
And for some reason, that mattered.
—
A faint knock came at the door.
Neither of them moved.
“Enter,” Kael said.
The door opened slightly, and a servant stepped in, head bowed.
“Your Highness,” he said, careful and distant. “The council requests your presence.”
Kael’s jaw tightened slightly.
“Tell them I’ll come when I’m ready.”
The servant hesitated.
Then nodded.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
He left as quickly as he came.
The door closed again.
Aurelia exhaled softly.
“They don’t seem very welcoming.”
Kael gave a faint, humorless breath.
“They’re not.”
She glanced at him.
“Because of me?”
Another pause.
“Yes.”
The honesty didn’t surprise her this time.
But it still stung a little.
“Why?”
Kael walked past her then, stopping just close enough that she could feel the shift in the air between them.
“Because they don’t understand the Chains,” he said.
Aurelia turned slightly to face him.
“And you do?”
His gaze dropped briefly—to their wrists.
To the bond that connected them.
“More than they do.”
That wasn’t reassuring.
Aurelia studied him.
“You didn’t seem surprised when it happened,” she said. “When we were bound.”
Kael’s expression hardened slightly.
“I was prepared.”
“For this?” she asked.
His eyes lifted to hers again.
“For something like it.”
Aurelia’s brows pulled together.
“What does that mean?”
He didn’t answer.
Again.
But this time—
She didn’t push.
Instead, she took a small step closer.
Not enough to challenge him.
Just enough to feel the space between them change.
“You keep saying things halfway,” she said quietly.
Kael’s gaze sharpened slightly.
“And you keep asking questions you’re not ready for.”
Aurelia tilted her head just slightly.
“Then maybe you should let me decide that.”
Another pause.
Longer this time.
The chain pulsed faintly.
Aurelia felt it.
So did he.
Their eyes dropped at the same time—
To their hands.
To the space between them.
To something neither of them fully understood.
The silence stretched.
But it didn’t feel empty.
It felt… aware.
Kael’s fingers flexed slightly.
Not touching her.
But close.
Too close.
Aurelia’s breath slowed.
Her heart didn’t.
“Does it always feel like this?” she asked softly.
Kael didn’t look away.
“Yes.”
The answer was quiet.
But certain.
Aurelia swallowed.
“It’s… strange.”
A faint pause.
“Get used to it,” he said.
But this time—
There was no edge to his voice.
No distance.
Just truth.
And something else.
Something softer.
Barely there.
Aurelia noticed it.
And she didn’t know what to do with it.
—
A distant sound echoed through the palace.
Low.
Subtle.
But enough to break the moment.
Kael’s expression shifted instantly.
Alert again.
Guarded.
The distance between them returned just as quickly as it had disappeared.
Aurelia felt it.
The loss of it.
“What is that?” she asked.
Kael didn’t answer right away.
His gaze moved toward the door.
Focused.
Listening.
Then—
The chain tightened.
Hard.
Aurelia gasped softly, grabbing her wrist.
“Kael—”
He was already moving.
Crossing the room in two steps.
Opening the door.
The corridor outside was empty.
Too empty.
The silence had changed again.
He stepped out slightly.
Aurelia followed before he could stop her.
“Stay close,” he said.
She nodded.
This time, instinctively.
They moved down the corridor together.
Side by side.
The chain between them humming faintly.
The deeper they went—
The colder it became.
Aurelia’s breath slowed.
Her chest tightened.
Something wasn’t right.
The feeling crept in slowly.
Not fear.
Not yet.
Something else.
They reached the end of the corridor.
A single door stood there.
Closed.
The chain burned.
Aurelia winced.
“It’s coming from there,” she whispered.
Kael didn’t hesitate.
He stepped forward—
And pushed the door open.
The room inside was dark.
Empty.
Still.
Nothing.
Aurelia frowned slightly.
“There’s nothing here—”
The door slammed shut behind them.
Hard.
The sound echoed sharply.
Aurelia turned quickly.
Her heart jumping.
“Kael—”
But he was already looking ahead.
His body going completely still.
Aurelia followed his gaze.
And her breath stopped.
Because they weren’t alone.
There—
In the far corner of the room—
Something moved.
Slowly.
Unnaturally.
Aurelia’s fingers tightened around the chain.
Her voice barely came out.
“…what is that?”
Kael didn’t answer.
His grip on her wrist tightened.
Protective.
Dangerous.
Because whatever it was—
It wasn’t leaving.
—
And this time—
It wasn’t just watching them.
- Writer
