𝐻𝐸𝐼𝑅𝑆 𝑂𝐹 𝑇𝐻𝐸 𝑇𝐻𝑅𝑂𝑁𝐸

𝐶𝐻𝐴𝑃𝑇𝐸𝑅 𝟏𝟎

-LYSANDER-

Seraphina had been acting weird lately. She was paler than usual, and I couldn't help but notice that she wasn't eating much during our meals together. Concern gnawed at me as I watched her, wondering what could be causing such a change in her demeanor.

One afternoon, as we were gathered in the garden, the warm sunlight casting dappled shadows through the trees, I decided I couldn't stay silent any longer. Seraphina was sitting on a stone bench, her eyes distant and unfocused, while Elowen and Thalasia chatted nearby.

I approached her, trying to keep my voice casual but unable to mask the worry that had been building up inside me. "Seraphina, you've been looking a bit under the weather lately. Is everything alright?"

She glanced up at me, a fleeting smile crossing her lips. "I'm fine, Lysander. Just tired, that's all."

Her answer didn't satisfy me. There was a fragility in her voice that set off alarm bells in my mind. "Are you sure? You don't seem yourself. If something's bothering you, you can tell me."

She hesitated, her eyes meeting mine for a brief moment before looking away. "It's nothing, really. Just... a lot on my mind."

I sat down beside her, lowering my voice so only she could hear. "Seraphina, I care about you. If there's something wrong, I want to help. Please, don't shut me out."

Her shoulders slumped slightly, and for a moment, I thought she might open up. But then she straightened, putting on a brave face. "I appreciate it, Lysander. Really, I do. But I promise, it's nothing serious."

Despite her reassurances, I couldn't shake the feeling that she was hiding something. I resolved to keep a closer eye on her, hoping that, in time, she would trust me enough to share whatever was troubling her.

As the days went by, my concern for Seraphina only grew. She continued to pale, her appetite dwindling further. The once vibrant and lively friend I knew seemed to be fading before my eyes. I knew I couldn't wait for her to come to me; I needed to take action.

An unsettling thought gnawed at the back of my mind—what if her bulimia had come back?

I needed to confirm my suspicions, so I decided to offer her some of my food, hoping to gauge her reaction. One evening, as we sat down for dinner, I carefully watched her as the servants brought out our meal. Seraphina picked at her plate, pushing the food around without really eating.

"Seraphina," I said, keeping my tone light, "I'm feeling pretty full already. Would you like some of my food? It's really good tonight."

She looked up at me, her eyes widening slightly in surprise. "Oh, no, thank you, Lysander. I've had enough."

I smiled, trying to keep the mood casual. "Are you sure? It's your favorite—roast duck with that special honey glaze. You always love it."

Seraphina hesitated, glancing at her own barely-touched plate. "I appreciate it, but I'm just not that hungry right now."

Her response only deepened my concern. "You've been saying that a lot lately. I'm starting to worry about you."

She sighed, her shoulders drooping slightly. "Lysander, please don't make a fuss. I'm just tired, that's all."

I reached out and gently placed a hand on her arm. "Seraphina, you know you can talk to me. If there's something going on, I want to help. But you have to let me in."

For a moment, I saw a flicker of something—fear, perhaps—in her eyes. But she quickly masked it, forcing a smile. "I'm fine, really. Just a little stressed."

Her response only deepened my concern. Taking a deep breath, I decided to be more direct. "Seraphina, it came back, didn't it?"

Her eyes flickered with a mixture of fear and guilt, and she quickly looked away. "Lysander, please don't..."

"Why would you skip your meals again?" I asked softly, my voice filled with concern rather than accusation. "I'm worried about you. You don't have to go through this alone."

She sighed, her shoulders slumping as the facade she had been maintaining started to crumble. "I thought I had it under control," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "But the stress, the expectations... it all became too much."

I reached out and gently took her hand in mine. "Seraphina, we're here for you. Whatever you're going through, you don't have to face it alone. Let us help you."

Tears welled up in her eyes, and she nodded, the weight of her struggle finally lifting, if only a little. "I'm scared, Lysander," she confessed. "I don't want to go back to that dark place."

"You won't," I promised, squeezing her hand reassuringly. "We'll get through this together. You have so many people who care about you."

"But why?" I asked once again, my voice filled with concern and frustration. "Why would you skip your meals again?"

Seraphina looked at me, her eyes haunted and pained. "I can't say it," she whispered, her voice trembling. "And don't continue it anymore." She abruptly stood up, her movements tense and hurried.

"Seraphina, wait," I called out, standing as well, but she was already moving away, her back turned to me. I watched her retreat, feeling a helpless knot of worry tightening in my chest. Something was deeply wrong, and she was shutting me out.

I went back to my friends, who were laughing at the antics of the other faeries. The old addiction of mocking others had crept back into our group. Seraphina was there, too, smirking at whatever Finnian and Thalasia were saying.

I settled next to Finnian, forcing a smile. "What did I miss?" I asked, trying to inject some normalcy into the moment.

Finnian snickered, pointing at a faerie who had just tripped over his own feet. "Just some classic entertainment," he replied, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

I glanced around, my thoughts drifting. Despite the laughter and camaraderie, something felt off. I found myself searching for any sign of Kael. It had been weeks since any of us had seen him, and his absence was becoming more noticeable with each passing day.

"Has anyone heard from Kael?" I asked, trying to keep my tone casual.

Thalasia shook her head, her expression turning serious for a moment. "No, it's like he vanished. I'm starting to get worried."

Seraphina's smirk faded slightly, and she glanced at me. "He'll turn up. He always does," she said, but there was a hint of uncertainty in her voice.

I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, not just with Seraphina but with the entire group. The old habits of mocking and laughing at others felt hollow now, a distraction from the underlying tensions and unresolved issues we were all facing.

It was suspicious of Kael. He had been acting strangely in the weeks leading up to his disappearance. He would often say he had something to do, becoming increasingly distant. Conversations that once flowed easily between us grew stilted, and he seemed to retreat into himself more and more each day. And now, he was nowhere to be seen.

"Maybe he is on one of his adventures again," Thalasia suggested, her voice tinged with a mix of hope and uncertainty.

I shook my head slowly. "It's different this time. He's been distant, avoiding us. It's like he's hiding something."

Finnian leaned against a nearby tree, arms crossed. "You're right. Normally, he would tell us about his adventures, or at least hint at them. This time, he just disappeared."

Seraphina looked around, her eyes narrowing with determination. "We need to think like Kael. Where would he go if he wanted to be alone, or if he was trying to keep something from us?"

We fell silent, each of us pondering the question. Kael had always been a mystery, even to us, his closest friends. He had places he went when he needed to think or escape, but none of them felt right this time.

***