Elayne's ordinary life takes a drastic turn when she discovers she is part of an ancient prophecy tied to the mythical kingdom of Elyssanar. Guided by Solaris, a unique companion with secrets of his own, Elayne embarks on a journey fraught with chal...
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I was waiting, my body tense with anticipation. Thankfully, my dreams had been mercifully quiet; nothing leaped at me from the darkness, and my mind had settled into a strange kind of clarity. I grabbed hold of the bread and cheese, devouring them quickly, washing it down with the water. The food was gone in minutes, and though the guard seemed pleased to see me eat, I didn't care about appearances anymore. There was no time for dignity if I had a chance to escape.
Once the guard left, I waited for my stomach to settle, then lay down against the cold stone, planning my next move. I had seen the world through the bird's eyes. If I could tap into that power again, maybe I could reach beyond these walls and call for help—or at least gain some insight into the outside world.
When everything was quiet, I sat up and closed my eyes, trying to recall the sensation of flight. I pictured the outside world as vividly as I could—the sky, the ground rushing past, the freedom I had felt. But nothing happened.
I took a deep breath, pushing down the frustration bubbling inside me. Focus. I tried again, this time whispering into the silence, "Let me see through your eyes and guide your heart." I waited, listening for the faintest echo of the bird's call, for any shift in my awareness. But once again, there was only stillness.
Frustration surged through me. My eyes snapped open, the dark cell pressing in from all sides. I let my arms fall limply to my sides, the chains clacking against the stone in a bitter reminder of my captivity. I needed to try something else.
Desperation tugged at me as I stretched myself out across the floor, pressing my ear to the cold stone as if listening for its heartbeat. I wasn't really listening to the stone, though. Instead, I imagined the earth beneath me—its vastness, its endless depth. I pictured the veins of rock stretching out like a web, connecting everything together, each piece of stone linked to the next, and beneath it all, the slow, pulsing rhythm of the planet itself.
I let that image fill my mind, focusing on it with all my strength. There is power here, I told myself. Power in the earth, in the stone, in me. I just have to reach it.
At first, there was only silence, but then... a faint tremor. Not in the ground beneath me, but inside me. Like a small, flickering flame. I latched onto it, my pulse quickening. I closed my eyes again, reaching for that tiny spark, coaxing it to grow.
A warmth spread through my fingertips, crawling up my arms. It was faint, almost fragile, but it was there—a connection to something deeper. The chains around my wrists rattled softly, and for a moment, I thought I felt them shift, just slightly. My breath caught in my throat. Was it working?
But then, just as quickly as it had appeared, the warmth faded, leaving me cold and empty once more. I cursed under my breath, my hands balling into fists. I had been so close. Why couldn't I hold onto it?
