Chapter Three: A Stranger I Shouldn’t Trust
325 Words
Kael walked ahead of her, careful not to move too fast.
Arin noticed it immediately.
He adjusted his pace to match hers, even when the ground grew uneven. When branches hung low, he pushed them aside before they could scrape her face. He never reached for her, never forced closeness—yet he never left her unprotected.
It confused her.
“You keep acting like you care,”
she said after a long stretch of silence. “But you’re the reason I’m like this.”
Kael stopped.
The forest felt heavier when he turned to face her. His expression was calm, but his eyes held something deeper—regret, maybe guilt.
“I don’t expect forgiveness,” he said. “I only expect you to survive.”
Arin crossed her arms, fighting the ache in her chest. “You talk like this ends badly.”
He looked away. “These things usually do.”
They continued walking.
As the day passed, the forest grew colder. Shadows stretched longer than they should. Arin stumbled more than once, unused to moving without magic steadying her balance.
Each time, Kael caught her.
He never commented on it.
When night finally fell, they stopped near a stream. Kael built a fire quickly, practiced hands working with ease. Arin watched quietly, studying him like a puzzle she didn’t yet understand.
“You’ve done this before,” she said.
“Too many times,” he replied.
She hugged her knees. “You said you were protecting me. From what?”
Kael stared into the fire. The flames reflected in his eyes.
“From the crown,” he said. “From Queen Selene.”
Arin stiffened. “The Queen protects magic.”
“She controls it,” Kael corrected. “And your moonlight is the key she’s been searching for.”
A chill ran through Arin. “Why me?”
Kael finally looked at her. “Because the moon chose you.”
- Writer
