Shadow Bound Fate

Nightmares In The Shadows

**Lira's POV**

My eyes snapped open to the sound of shouting, loud and sharp enough to jolt me from my sleep. I sat upright, heart pounding, and rubbed the haze from my eyes. The darkness outside the window confirmed it was still the dead of night.

"No!" The anguished yell echoed through the quiet halls, unmistakably Caius' voice.

My heart plummeted. Something was wrong. I felt fear run through my body, causing me to to shudder.

I kicked off the covers, adrenaline surging through me as I swung my legs over the side of the bed. My magic flared to life instinctively, warm and ready. Beside me, Vespera stirred, his smoky form coalescing into a wolf.

"What's happening?" His voice brushed through my mind, tinged with grogginess.

"I don't know yet," I replied, already heading for the door. My bare feet barely touched the ground as I flung it open.

"Stop!" Caius' desperate shout tore through the silence again. It came from down the hall.

I bolted, my breath coming in shallow gasps as I followed the sound. The door to his room loomed ahead, slightly ajar, shadows leaking out like a living thing. I pushed it open without hesitation, the fire in my palm casting a flickering glow over the space as Vespera growled low beside me, ready to attack.

Caius lay on his bed, his face twisted in agony. His sheets were damp with sweat, clinging to his bare chest as his body jerked violently. Shadows slithered across the walls, drawn toward him like a dark tide.

"No! Stop it!" Caius screamed again, his voice hoarse and raw with pain. My heart clenched at the sound.

I didn't think; I just acted. I crossed the room in an instant, fire still burning in one hand as I grabbed his arm with the other. "Caius!" I called, shaking him lightly. His skin was burning hot under my touch, his muscles rigid.

The shadows coiled tighter, inching closer to the bed.

"Caius!" I shouted again, louder this time. 

His face twisted further, a choked whimper escaping his lips. "Please, don't do this!" he begged into the void, his voice cracking with raw emotion.

It was too much. I climbed onto the bed, straddling his waist to keep him still. Gripping his shoulders, I shook him firmly. "Caius, wake up!"

He froze beneath me, his eyes snapping open. For a split second, they were wild, unseeing, and then the shadows lunged—fast and violent.

"Back off," I growled, my magic flaring. The shadows halted mid-air, quivering before retreating to the corners of the room.

"Lira?" Caius' voice was barely a whisper, shaky and broken as his dark eyes met mine.

"It's me," I said softly, my voice steady despite the thundering of my heart. "You're okay. I'm here."

Without warning, his arms shot up, wrapping around me tightly. He pulled me against his chest with a force that knocked the air from my lungs. His warmth enveloped me, his skin damp and trembling beneath my palms.

I didn't hesitate to wrap my arms around his neck, holding him just as fiercely. His breath was hot against my neck, uneven as he buried his face there, his body trembling with the aftermath of his nightmare.

"What happened?" I asked gently, one hand sliding up to thread through his hair, the other tracing soothing circles on his back. His muscles tensed under my touch before slowly relaxing.