Shadow Bound Fate

Smoke and Shadow

Lira's POV

I woke up to the sight of Caius crouched in front of me, his face mere inches from mine. His lips curled into a teasing smirk. "Get up," he said, his voice low but filled with amusement.

Blinking the sleep from my eyes, I sat up slowly, glancing around. Kieran was leaning casually against a log, his eyes scanning the forest with an almost lazy vigilance. Thalia was still asleep, her breathing soft, completely undisturbed by the early morning.

It was still dark, the only light coming from the dwindling fire beside us. The sky above was an inky black, dotted with faint stars, giving no hint of what time it actually was. My body protested as I stretched, muscles stiff from sleeping on the hard ground.

"I want to show you something," Caius whispered, his voice cutting through the quiet.

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak as I stood and reached for my cloak. Pulling the hood over my head, I followed him into the dense, dark forest. Caius moved silently ahead of me, blending into the shadows with an ease that made him seem like a part of the night itself. His black armor and cloak made it nearly impossible to see him as he moved further away, swallowed by the thickening darkness.

The forest grew darker the deeper we ventured. The trees here were tall, their branches tangling together to block out what little light there was. My heart began to race as I lost sight of him entirely.

"Caius?" I whispered into the night, hoping for some kind of response.

Nothing.

"Caius?" I called out again, louder this time, feeling a cold knot of anxiety twist in my stomach.

A familiar warmth stirred within me, and I felt the rush of my magic, awakening like a slow-burning flame. Gray tendrils of smoke began to drip from my hands, twisting and curling like water falling from a stream. They coiled around my fingers, calm yet alive, moving with purpose.

"He's behind you," a voice whispered, soft but distinct, inside my head.

I spun around just in time to catch Caius sneaking up behind me, his hand inches from my arm. Instinctively, I drew my dagger, holding it to his throat as our faces came dangerously close. The sharp edge of the blade hovered against his skin, the gray smoke curling from my hands and slithering up my arms.

"You bastard," I hissed, my voice low, my breath mingling with his as we stood face-to-face.

Caius didn't flinch. Instead, he smiled—a wicked, knowing smile that sent a shiver down my spine. "How did you know I was behind you, little shadow?" His voice was a soft challenge, almost teasing.

I tilted my head slightly, studying his face, the way his dark eyes, flecked with gray, seemed to pierce right through me. His question lingered in the air, but I couldn't find the right words to answer him immediately.

"I was... told," I said finally, stepping back, the dagger still held at the ready. "Is now really the time for games, Caius?"

"Told?" He raised an eyebrow, stepping closer, his voice low and curious. "By who?"

"Me! Me, me, me!" The voice echoed in my head again, clearer this time, I can tell it was a male's voice now, playful but insistent.

I glanced around, my eyes darting through the trees, but there was no one there. Just the twisting shadows and the ever-present gray smoke sliding down my arms like a living thing.

Caius, sensing something unusual, scanned the surroundings, his posture tensing. He looked ready to fight or flee, watching for any threat in the darkness.