Beneath the Stagnant Sky

CHAPTER VI

A GLIMPSE OF THE PAST, A DESPERATE FUTURE

Caelum's POV

Darkness has always been my most familiar companion. It lingers in the corners of my mind, whispering reminders of what I am, what I've lost, and what I can never have. I learned a long time ago that hope is a dangerous thing—it makes you want, makes you dream. And for someone like me, dreams are nothing but cruel illusions.

Yet, here I am, chasing after one.

I first saw Eli—Eliana Maeve Almeda—weeks ago, standing on the rooftop of her university's main building. It was mid-afternoon, the sun high above, casting light on a world she didn't seem to belong to. She wasn't crying, wasn't trembling, but there was something in the way she stood there—still, distant, as if she were somewhere else entirely. She had everything a person could ask for, yet she looked as though she had nothing at all.

That made me pause. And I never pause.

Most people, when faced with the idea of wishes, hesitate. They overthink, fear the consequences, or try to find a loophole. But Eli? She made her first wish without a second thought, without fear.

A wish to sleep without dreaming.

That single wish told me everything I needed to know.

She wasn't afraid. People fear the unknown, but she didn't even hesitate. That meant she was either reckless or indifferent to consequences—both useful qualities for me. She had everything, yet something was missing. She wasn't looking for wealth or power—she already had those. This meant her wishes wouldn't be predictable, which intrigued me. It also meant she wasn't driven by selfish greed. She wasn't trying to escape, just survive. If she wanted to disappear, she could've wished for it. If she wanted to forget her pain, she could've asked. But instead, she only wished for dreamless sleep, as if she had accepted her reality but just wanted a brief respite from it.

But more than anything, I chose her because she was easy to manipulate.

She didn't ask too many questions. She didn't pry into things that weren't her concern. Most importantly, she didn't read the contract properly. And even if she did, she wouldn't figure out what I was truly after—because I concealed its true concept within our contract.

That made her the perfect candidate.

The real challenge now is keeping her from uncovering too much. If she knew what I was truly after, she'd run. They always do.

But not yet. Not until she's made all her wishes. Not until I've finally found my own way out.

And if I have to play this little game with her to make that happen, then so be it.

>>

Caelum stared blankly at the sky, sipping his beer, the cold glass resting against his fingers. In his other hand, he held a worn photograph—one of Amara, the woman who had given him a reason to try again, to fight for a normal life. Decades had passed since time had abandoned him, leaving him frozen at the age of twenty-five.

He never thought love was something he could experience, not after everything he had been through. But Amara had been different—his light in the darkness. If only she could wait for him, despite how cruelly he had pushed her away.

Caelum had to fix this. He had to return to normal before she ever found out the truth. That was the only way. Fortunately, Amara had left for another country to manage their family business, giving him time to break the curse without her interference. He could only hope he would succeed before she came back.

Before it was too late.

>>

Eli sighed as she wiped down the counter of Maeve's Corner, the scent of freshly brewed coffee filling the café. It was a slow afternoon, the usual crowd already gone, leaving her with a rare moment of peace. She pulled off her apron, deciding to step outside for a breath of fresh air.

As soon as she pushed the door open, she nearly collided with someone.

"Leaving already?" a familiar voice teased.

Eli's eyes snapped up, and there he was—Caelum, leaning against the café's entrance like he had all the time in the world. His usual smirk played on his lips, but something about his eyes seemed distant, as if he had been lost in thought.

"You again?" she muttered, crossing her arms. "Do you just appear out of nowhere, or do you actually have a life outside of pestering me?"

Caelum chuckled. "I like to think I'm good at making an entrance."

She rolled her eyes but couldn't deny the curiosity creeping into her mind. It had been days since their last meeting, and she had spent every single night in uninterrupted sleep. No dreams. No nightmares. Just peace.

"You didn't answer my question," she pointed out.

Caelum tilted his head. "I was in the neighborhood."

"Liar."

He smirked. "Fine. I was waiting for you."

Eli narrowed her eyes. "Why?"

"To see if you're ready to make your third wish." He leaned in slightly, watching her reaction. "So, what's it going to be?"

Eli hesitated. The first two wishes had been so simple, so instinctive. But now, as she stood before him, she realized she had no idea what to wish for next.

***