A Father’s Regret
The sanctum was eerily quiet, the soft hum of magic in the air the only sound as Isla sought out her father. She found him in the outer courtyard, sitting alone on a stone bench beneath a gnarled tree. The moonlight painted him in shades of silver and shadow, making him look older, wearier than she had ever seen him.
“You knew about the letters,” Isla said, her voice cutting through the stillness like a blade.
Kaelen looked up sharply, his golden eyes meeting hers. There was no denial in his gaze, only a deep and lingering sorrow. “I did,” he admitted, his voice low and rough. “Your mother asked me to keep them hidden until you were ready. She wanted you to understand her choices, but she feared the burden of knowing too soon.”
Isla stepped closer, clutching the letters tightly. “And you thought I couldn’t handle it? That I couldn’t handle the truth about who she was—or who I am?”
Kaelen’s shoulders sagged, and he ran a hand through his silver-streaked hair. “It wasn’t about doubting your strength, Isla. It was about timing. I thought I could guide you differently, give you the strength to face what’s coming without weighing you down with her regrets.”
Her chest tightened at his words, her emotions a storm of anger, confusion, and pain. “You keep saying you want to help me, but all you’ve done is hold me back. Do you even trust me?”
Kaelen flinched, the question hitting harder than any blow. He stood, towering over her, though his posture lacked the dominance she was used to seeing in her father. “I trust you,” he said finally, his voice breaking slightly. “But I don’t trust myself. Not after all the mistakes I’ve made.”
Isla’s silver eyes softened, though her frustration lingered. “Then trust me to make my own decisions. Let me decide what I’m ready for.”
For a long moment, Kaelen said nothing. The silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken words and unacknowledged wounds. Finally, he nodded, his gaze meeting hers with quiet resolve. “I’ll try,” he said. “But promise me you’ll be careful, Isla. The power you’re chasing—it’s not without cost.”
“I don’t have a choice,” she replied, her voice steady. “Everything I do is for my children. That’s a cost I’m willing to pay.”
Kaelen reached out, placing a hand on her shoulder. “You remind me so much of her,” he said softly, his golden eyes shimmering with emotion. “Your mother was willing to sacrifice everything for the ones she loved. But I don’t want you to make the same mistakes we did.”
Isla didn’t reply. Instead, she turned and walked back toward the sanctum, her heart heavy but resolute. Behind her, Kaelen remained under the tree, his face etched with regret as he whispered, “Forgive me, Xyla. I don’t know if I can save her.”
