Chapter Three - A SKY OF SECRETS
393 Words
The Stormchaser lifted from the docks of Elaris just as the first rays of dawn painted the sky in gold and violet. Sylwen stood at the railing, her heart pounding as the village faded into the distance. She had dreamed of this moment—leaving the island, touching the sky itself—but reality felt far heavier than she had imagined.
Auren leaned beside her, arms crossed. “Well, we’re officially criminals now.”
Sylwen shot him a look. “We’re not criminals.”
“We did sneak onto a smuggler’s ship and flee under cover of darkness,” he pointed out. “That’s at least a little illegal.”
Before Sylwen could respond, footsteps approached. Kael Varos, their enigmatic captain, stood at the helm, watching them with the sharp gaze of someone who saw more than he let on.
“You two aren’t the first runaways I’ve taken aboard,” he said. “But you might be the strangest.”
Sylwen straightened. “Why?”
Kael tilted his head. “Because my ship reacted to you. The runes on the hull lit up when you stepped on board. That doesn’t happen unless the Aether itself takes notice.”
Sylwen felt a chill run down her spine. She had always known she was different, but if Kael was right, then the very magic of Aetheria was tied to her in a way she couldn’t yet understand.
Auren, ever the skeptic, scoffed. “So what? Maybe she just has some weird magic. That doesn’t mean the world’s going to explode.”
Kael’s expression darkened. “No, but it does mean she’s dangerous.”
The air between them tensed, but before Sylwen could argue, a voice called from the upper deck.
“Captain! We’ve got company—Skyguard patrol, heading straight for us!”
Sylwen’s stomach clenched. The Skyguard—the ruling force of Aetheria. If they found her, there would be no escape.
Kael cursed under his breath. “Hold tight. If they board us, we’re all in trouble.”
The ship lurched as he spun the wheel, the Stormchaser banking sharply toward a bank of thick clouds. The sound of approaching engines roared behind them.
Sylwen gripped the railing, heart pounding. She had barely begun her journey, and already, danger was closing in.
Would she run from it—or face it head-on?
- Writer
