Wings Of My Regret

[Bonus Chapter] The Scent of Ash and Rain

[Bonus Chapter]: The Scent of Ash and Rain

Lily’s biggest worry used to be her Tuesday morning Chemistry exam. She was a quiet student at North wood University, known for being a bit "cold" to the touch and having eyes that shifted from hazel to a burning amber whenever she got angry. She thought it was just genetics. She was wrong.

It happened in the campus library. The air suddenly turned heavy, smelling of ozone and ancient wood. Across the room, a man stood by the restricted archives. He was tall, wearing a tailored charcoal suit that couldn't hide the predatory grace of his movement. When he looked at her, Lily felt a physical jolt in her chest—a tether snapping into place.

The Revelation

She tried to leave, but her legs felt like lead. As she passed him, he leaned in, his voice a low, vibrating growl that echoed in her bones.

"You’ve spent twenty years breathing the air of sheep, Lily," he whispered. "But your soul smells of fire. It’s time to come home."

Panic flared. "I don't know you. I'm calling security—"

"Security cannot stop a King," he said, his eyes flashing a vertical, reptilian slit of gold. "I am Kalean, and you are the missing half of my soul. You are no human, little spark. You are the Crown Princess of the Obsidian Flight."

The Flight

Lily didn't wait to hear more. She bolted. She ran through the library doors into the pouring rain, her heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird. She reached her car, fumbling with the keys, but the air around her suddenly grew searingly hot.

The rain didn't hit the pavement anymore—it evaporated before it touched the ground. Kaelen was there, standing in the middle of the parking lot, unbothered by the storm.

"You can run, Lily," Kaelen called out, his voice booming like distant thunder. "But the bond is already waking up. You can feel me, can't you? You can feel the heat."