The house was far too quiet.
Kael's voice still echoed in Liana's head as she sat on the edge of the bed, twisting her fingers together.
He had told the clan no more activities, no training, no meetings, nothing.
His tone had been sharp—cold even—not because he was angry, but because he was afraid of losing her again.
And then he left.
The moment the front door closed, the room felt heavier… like the walls themselves were holding their breath.
Liana rubbed her arms, trying to chase away the chill that had settled under her skin.
She didn't notice the shadow in the corner—
Not until it moved.
A soft, familiar voice drifted through the room, smooth and cold like someone stirring memories she wished were dead.
"It's been a while, Liana."
Liana froze.
Her head snapped up.
Standing near the window was a woman—tall, elegant, dressed in black. Her skin looked like porcelain touched by moonlight, and her eyes glowed with an unnatural silver.
She didn't walk.
She glided.
Liana's breath hitched.
"You…" Her voice trembled. "You're not real."
The woman smiled, amused.
"Oh, Liana. I'm more real than the air you're breathing."
Liana stumbled back, but the woman didn't move toward her.
She simply watched, as though she had been waiting for this moment.
"Why are you here?" Liana whispered. "Kael said—"
"Kael isn't here," the woman cut in gently. "And that is why I can speak."
Liana's heart pounded.
She hated how familiar the woman felt.
Like a nightmare she had seen too many times.
Like a voice that had once whispered inside her head when the Darkness ruled her.
The woman tilted her head.
"You think you are safe now? You think the boy saved you? Removed the Darkness and freed your soul?"
Liana's stomach twisted.
Her voice came out small.
"He did save me."
A soft, pitying laugh.
"Oh, little one… he removed the Darkness from your body. But you cannot remove what you were chosen to carry."
Liana swallowed hard.
"I'm not carrying anything."
"Not yet."
The woman stepped closer.
"But soon… you will."
A cold wind blew through the room though the windows were closed.
Liana shivered. "What do you want from me?"
The woman's silver eyes sharpened, slicing straight into her spirit.
"I came to warn you."
Liana blinked. "Warn me?"
"Yes."
The woman's voice softened, but her words cut like knives.
"The moment you start a family with Kael… one of you must die."
Liana's world stopped.
Her chest tightened, breath frozen in her lungs.
Her knees nearly buckled.
The woman continued, mercilessly calm:
"The bond you two carry wasn't meant to exist. It breaks the balance of power. Your future together… it threatens everything."
Tears stung Liana's eyes.
"You're lying."
"I gain nothing by lying," the woman whispered.
"But listen well…"
She leaned closer until her lips nearly brushed Liana's ear.
"If you choose to leave Kael—
if you try to run from him—
the Darkness will come for you again."
Liana's blood turned to ice.
She shook her head violently.
"No… no, I'm not going back to that. Never."
"You won't have a choice."
The woman's voice grew colder, her gaze burning through Liana.
"The Darkness was removed from your body, yes… but it was never removed from your fate."
A heavy silence fell.
The woman straightened her cloak as though she had just delivered nothing more than a polite message.
"Our next meeting," she said softly, "will not be peaceful."
And just like that—
she vanished.
No smoke.
No sound.
Just gone.
Liana dropped to her knees, hands shaking uncontrollably.
Her breath came in broken fragments.
Her life…
Her future with Kael…
Everything was suddenly hanging by a thread.
A single tear slid down her cheek.
"Kael…" she whispered into the empty room.
"What are we going to do?"
Outside, the wind howled—
as if something ancient and hungry had heard her fear.