Arcane Dominion: The Rise of Shadows

"The Gift"

Nerina's POV-

I have been in my bed for about a week now and I feel much better but the boredom is killing me even when I asked lyriana to continue my lessons she flatly said no and i don't know what to do now because if i won't get out of this room soon I will go crazy.

There was a knock on my door and Lyriana stood in the doorway, her figure framed by the soft glow of the torches in the hallway. In her arms, she held a dress-black and red, shimmering faintly as if it were alive. The colors seemed to pulse with an energy that made my breath hitch. The crimson was as bold as blood, the black as deep as shadow. I couldn't tear my eyes away from it, and from her.

"Nerina," she said, her voice low and smooth, yet carrying that unmistakable authority. "I have something for you." She stepped inside, closing the door behind her with a quiet click. Her gaze locked onto mine as she approached, and for a moment, I felt pinned under the weight of it.

She held the dress out to me, and as I took it, my fingers brushed hers. The touch was fleeting, but it sent a shiver through me that I couldn't hide. Her eyes flickered at the reaction, her expression unreadable, though her lips curved in a faint, knowing smile.

"You want me to wear this?" I asked, my voice softer than I intended, almost shy.

"Yes," she replied simply, her tone laced with something deeper. Her gaze swept over me, slow and deliberate. "I think it will look..." she paused, her eyes lingering on mine before dipping lower, "...perfect on you. It's not just about how it looks. I want you to feel it. To understand the power it represents."

The weight of her words hung in the air, stirring something inside me. I nodded, clutching the dress tightly as I moved toward the dressing screen. My hands trembled slightly as I began to undress, the fabric of my old clothes slipping away as I stepped into the cool embrace of the dress. It slid over my skin like liquid fire, the material clinging in ways that made me feel both vulnerable and powerful. When I turned to face her again, my heart pounded in my chest.

She turned from the window, and the way she looked at me stole the breath from my lungs. Her eyes roved over me, unguarded for the first time, and in them, I saw something I couldn't name-admiration, perhaps, or something more dangerous.

"Come here," she said, her voice softer now, coaxing. I obeyed, the fabric whispering with each step as I closed the distance between us.

When her hands reached out, I froze. Her fingers brushed over the fabric at my shoulders, the warmth of her touch seeping through the dress to my skin. She adjusted it slightly, her hands sliding down my arms as she smoothed the fabric. Her touch was firm but gentle, sending sparks skittering along my nerves.

"It suits you," she murmured, her voice low, almost intimate. Her hands lingered, her fingers brushing over my sides, settling lightly at my waist. I couldn't breathe. The way she looked at me-it wasn't just approval or pride. It was something deeper, something that made the air between us feel charged, almost too heavy to bear.

"You look..." she began, her voice catching. One of her hands tightened slightly at my waist, pulling me just a fraction closer. "...incredible."

Heat rushed to my cheeks, but I didn't pull away. Her words sent a strange, unfamiliar thrill through me. I didn't know what to say, so I stayed quiet, letting her hands and her gaze speak for her.

"Do you feel it?" she asked, her voice softer now, almost a whisper. "The strength this gives you? The way it transforms you?"

I swallowed hard, my voice barely a whisper. "I... I think so."

Her hand rose to my face, brushing a stray lock of hair away. The touch lingered, her fingers grazing my cheek. My heart thundered in my chest, and I leaned into her touch without meaning to, my eyes searching hers. She looked back at me, her expression both tender and fierce.