Dreams of Shadows
The first dream came in flashes. Isla found herself in a moonlit forest, her silver hair glowing with an otherworldly shimmer as she moved through the mist. The trees were ancient and gnarled, their branches clawing at the star-speckled sky.
From the shadows, Malrik emerged, his gray eyes gleaming like the mist itself. His voice was soft, almost reverent, but the undertone carried an insidious weight.
“You’re more than what they see,” he said, stepping closer. “The Moon Goddess chose you for something greater. Don’t let anyone tether you to mediocrity.”
Isla jolted awake, her heart pounding. The words echoed in her mind, their seductive pull unsettling. She glanced at Draven sleeping soundly beside her, his protective arm draped over her. She didn’t wake him, unwilling to share the strange encounter just yet.
But the dreams persisted, growing darker with each passing night.
In another vision, the forest became a swirling abyss, and Malrik stood before her, his frail frame strangely powerful. “Your potential is limitless,” he murmured, his tone dripping with persuasion. “But you cling to chains disguised as love. Let them go, Isla. Let me show you what you could become.”
The dreams left her shaken. During the day, Malrik’s real-life presence seemed to reflect the whispers of the night. His words were veiled but deliberate, his focus often shifting to her growing belly and her connection to the Moon Goddess.
“Your strength,” he remarked one day during a meeting, his voice casual yet sharp, “isn’t just yours anymore. Those twins will draw power from you. And power divided is power weakened.”
Isla’s eyes snapped to his, her voice cold. “My children make me stronger, Malrik. Not weaker.”
He smiled faintly, his expression unreadable. “If that’s what you believe, Luna.”
The final dream of the week was the most vivid yet. Isla stood at the edge of a cliff, the moon’s light bathing her in silver. Malrik appeared behind her, his voice a whisper in her ear.
“You can be so much more, Isla. If only you’d let go.”
She woke with a gasp, her breath shallow and her heart pounding. The echo of his words lingered, chilling her to the core. This time, she turned to Draven, her voice shaking as she whispered, “I think something’s wrong.”
