ECLIPSED

CHAPTER 14

Lea's heart pounded louder with each step as she neared Azrath's study, her pulse drumming in her ears. The hall leading to his door felt suffocatingly long, the flickering lanterns casting eerie shadows along the walls. As she raised a trembling hand to knock, the heavy door groaned open on its own, as if welcoming her into the dark lion's den.

The study was dimly lit, and the heavy scent of incense lingered in the air. Azrath sat in a large, high-backed chair, facing the window, his silhouette outlined by the faint moonlight streaming through the glass. The aura around him was suffocating intimidating, dark, and dangerous. He didn't acknowledge her entrance, but his presence alone commanded every fiber of her being to stay alert.

Lea's knees felt weak as she stepped into the room. Her breaths came shallow and uneven, but she forced herself to walk forward. Each step echoed ominously on the polished wooden floor. Azrath remained perfectly still, like a predator waiting for its prey to come closer. When she finally stood a few feet from his desk, he turned, his sharp green eyes locking onto her like a hunter spotting his mark.

"Human" Azrath began, his voice low and smooth, sending an involuntary shiver down her spine. "Your purpose is simple."

He leaned forward slightly, his elbows resting on the armrests of his chair, those piercing eyes never leaving hers. "In four days, you will accompany me to the borderlands. There, we will meet with the humans to... discuss matters of importance."

Lea's heart skipped a beat as his words sank in. The borderlands. A flicker of hope sparked in her mind could this be her chance to escape? She knew it would be risky, but it might be the only opportunity she'd ever get to return to her world, to New York, and to her father.

Her thoughts raced, but she could feel Azrath watching her closely, waiting for her response. He was not a man easily fooled. One misstep, one flicker of deceit, and he would know. Still, she straightened her spine and slowly raised her gaze to meet his. Her heart pounded violently in her chest, but she made sure that fear would not cloud her expression. Nervousness, yes, but no fear.

Azrath's lips twitched, a flicker of something unreadable passing over his face. His green eyes narrowed slightly, as if he hadn't expected this boldness from her. The tension between them thickened in the room like smoke, wrapping around them both.

Lea clenched her hands into fists to stop their trembling as she took a step forward. And then another. She could feel the weight of Azrath's gaze, sharp and probing, as if he were trying to pry open her very soul. When she was only a few meters away from him, her voice came out soft but firm.

"I'll do it," she said.

Azrath smiled not out of kindness, but with the sharp edge of someone who knew he had just cornered his prey. "Wise choice, human," he murmured, standing from his chair with the fluidity of a predator stalking prey.

He motioned for her to follow, and Lea hesitated for a moment before her feet carried her after him. They crossed the room to the balcony doors, which swung open silently before them. Cool night air rushed in, carrying the scent of wildflowers and distant pine.

Lea gasped softly at the sight before her. The land beyond the castle stretched endlessly, a breathtaking vista of forests, lakes, and mountains, bathed in the soft glow of moonlight. Thousands of tiny orbs fireflies, danced through the gardens below, their light shimmering like stars on the earth.

Azrath glanced down at her, amusement flickering in his gaze as he took in her wide-eyed wonder. "What do you think?" he asked quietly, his voice low and dangerous, like a serpent's hiss.

"It's..." Lea whispered, searching for the right words. "Beautiful."

Azrath's smile deepened, though there was no warmth in it. As she stood mesmerized by the scenery, he moved closer, so close that the air between them felt heavy. Lea tensed as his hand reached out, his fingers brushing lightly along her jawline. She flinched but didn't pull away, the unexpected intimacy freezing her in place.

Azrath's touch was cold but strangely gentle, and for a brief moment, Lea found herself lost in the depth of his green eyes. They were the color of deep forests endless, dark, and dangerous. It was a gaze that could pull you under, like drowning in an ocean with no way to surface.

"You see now," Azrath whispered, his voice low and smooth. "This land... so beautiful." His hand lingered on her skin a moment longer, then shifted slightly, tracing her jaw until her face tilted upward to meet his gaze fully.

"But humans," he hissed bitterly, his eyes darkening, "try to destroy it."

With a flick of his fingers, green magic curled in the air around them, forming a vision that floated before Lea's eyes. It showed the borderlands trees being felled in droves, rivers running red with blood, animals hunted mercilessly, their bodies discarded like waste. It was a horrifying display of greed and destruction.

Lea's chest tightened painfully as tears welled in her eyes. The cruelty and waste were too much to bear. "No," she whispered, the word escaping her lips like a broken prayer.

Azrath's hand dropped from her face with a sharpness that startled her, as though her tears had burned him. He turned his back to her, his posture stiff, his breathing shallow and controlled.

Without looking at her, he spoke in a low, dangerous tone. "You will not betray me, human. Do not even think of escaping."

His voice dropped to a near growl, cold and devoid of sympathy. "For if you do... your punishment will be worse than death."

The finality in his words made Lea's heart sink, and as he left her standing alone on the balcony, tears silently streamed down her face. She wrapped her arms around herself, feeling small and powerless beneath the weight of his threat.

The cool night wind kissed her skin, but it didlittle to comfort her. Azrath's presence lingered like a shadow, even though hewas gone. And as Lea stared out at the dark, beautiful land before her, sheknew one thing for certain, escape would not come easy.