in a way that felt almost unnatural. Sunlight streamed into the palace corridors, yet it seemed muted, as if the walls themselves were still digesting the resonance of the memories the House had shared. Illyen walked beside Cael through the eastern garden, their steps slow, careful, almost ritualistic, as though the earth itself remembered their passage.
Everywhere, lilies nodded gently in the breeze, petals catching the light and shimmering faintly as though aware of the change within them. Illyen's chest ached with a mixture of awe and exhaustion. The sphere had shown him and Cael something so profound, so painfully intimate, that the ordinary world felt almost alien afterward.
"I can still feel it," Illyen admitted quietly, staring at a cluster of silver-tipped petals. "The House… the memories… like they're inside me now, but not all of it belongs to this life."
Cael's hand found his, fingers intertwining. His eyes, usually so calm and controlled, reflected a rare vulnerability. "I know. I feel it too. Every fragment we saw… it leaves a shadow behind. And yet, I feel more… complete."
Illyen let himself lean into the touch, grounding himself in the warmth of Cael's presence. "I never thought… that remembering could feel like this. So… heavy. And yet, light."
A soft rustle from the bushes drew their attention. Lysa emerged, brushing morning dew from her cloak. "You two look like you've been swallowed by your own hearts," she said lightly, though her eyes held a touch of seriousness. "The palace hasn't seen you like this since… well, ever. Even the Queen noticed."
Illyen forced a small smile. "It's… more than just exhaustion, Lysa. The House changes you. Not just the memories, but… everything you carry with them."
Cael nodded, gaze sweeping over the horizon. "And it doesn't let go easily. I feel threads of it tugging at my mind, reminding me of what was lost… and what we've found."
From the palace doorway, Elyndra appeared as if drawn by the conversation. Her silver hair shimmered faintly in the morning light, her amber eyes calm but piercing. "You have returned," she said softly, "but the House does not release its visitors completely. Echoes linger, sometimes in ways you cannot yet name."
Illyen shivered slightly. "Echoes…" he repeated. "I feel them. In my chest. In my mind. Something is… stirring. But I don't understand it yet."
Elyndra inclined her head. "That is the nature of what you've touched. Memories are never merely yours to bear. Some are old, older than your current life. They will call to you, little by little, and one day you will see them clearly. But for now, walk gently. Let your bond guide you."
As Elyndra faded back into the shadows, Maerin approached, scrolls tucked under her arm. "The Queen wishes to speak with you both," she said. "About the House, about what you saw… and about the threads it left behind. She believes the Loom's influence on you is stronger than she anticipated."
Illyen glanced at Cael, and a quiet understanding passed between them. Whatever came next, they would face it together. Always.
The council chamber was alive with quiet urgency when they entered. Queen Lyrienne's gaze fell on them immediately, a mixture of concern and awe. "You returned," she said softly, "and yet, I sense the House has changed you more than you realize."
Illyen bowed slightly. "It has, Your Majesty. The memories… they are vivid. And yet, they feel like pieces of something even older, something beyond this lifetime."
The Queen's amber eyes softened. "You are correct. The Loom remembers more than the present. And you… you carry a resonance that is rare, even for those chosen by the House. It is your bond that keeps it from overwhelming you."
Cael's hand found Illyen's under the table, fingers entwining instinctively. "We will carry it together," he said quietly. "Whatever comes, we face it as one."
Astrae stepped forward, her monocle catching the light. "There will be ripples," she warned. "Even the smallest threads of memory can disturb the palace, the Council, and even the Loom itself. You must be careful."
Illyen exhaled slowly, trying to steady the swirl of emotions inside him. "Careful," he repeated. "But we cannot ignore it. Not now. Not when the House has shown us… truth. Not just fragments, but the weight of it all."
The Queen inclined her head, a faint smile touching her lips. "Then walk carefully, but walk boldly. And remember—truth and love are not enemies. They are your compass."
After the council meeting, Illyen and Cael returned to the gardens, the first light of morning turning the dew into a soft silver glow. They walked in silence for a time, letting the quiet wrap around them.
Then, without warning, Illyen's vision blurred. A flash of sun-drenched grass, a hand reaching for his, laughter that was achingly familiar—but not from this life. He stumbled slightly, gripping Cael's arm.
"Illyen?" Cael asked, concern etching his features.
"I… I just saw something," Illyen whispered, heart racing. "Something that feels… older. Stranger. But… familiar."
Cael's grip tightened, and his expression softened with understanding. "It's okay. Whatever it is, we'll face it together."
Illyen exhaled, feeling warmth spread through him at Cael's words. "I don't understand it yet," he admitted. "But… I feel like I'm supposed to."
Cael nodded. "The House opened a door. Perhaps the threads of your past lives are beginning to stir. We just need to walk through them… slowly, together."
The wind rustled through the lilies, brushing against Illyen's cheek. For a moment, he thought he heard laughter—soft, like a memory that had lived long before he was born. A whisper in the wind that promised truth, love, and a connection that time could not erase.
And for the first time since touching the sphere, Illyen smiled. Not with certainty, but with hope. Because whatever was coming, he knew they would face it side by side. The echoes were not just memories—they were a bridge.
A bridge that would lead them, eventually, to what had been lost… and to what they were meant to reclaim together.