Uneasy Guidance
Over the following days, Kaelen made cautious attempts to connect with Isla. He showed her artifacts tied to her bloodline, explaining their significance and sharing fragmented stories of Xyla.
“She always saw you as stronger than you believed,” he said one afternoon, holding up a delicate silver pendant etched with crescent moons. “She believed this would guide us back to you one day.”
Isla’s fingers brushed the pendant, but her gaze was unyielding. “Then why didn’t she stay to guide me herself?”
Kaelen faltered. “Because we thought it was the only way to keep you alive. We were wrong, Isla. I see that now.”
His words felt hollow, unable to fill the void left by years of abandonment. Isla’s frustration grew with each vague explanation, and one evening, it boiled over.
“Why didn’t you protect Seraphine?” she demanded, her voice sharp and trembling. “She didn’t have my connection to the Moon Goddess. What excuse do you have for her?”
Kaelen’s expression hardened, shadows flickering across his face. “Seraphine had… a darkness in her,” he said cautiously. “Even as a child, it was there. We didn’t know how to reach her without risking you.”
The words hit Isla like a physical blow. “So you gave up on her to protect me. You let her become a monster, and she hated me because of it.”
Kaelen’s voice dropped, heavy with guilt. “And we failed. I see that now, more clearly than ever.”
The silence stretched between them, thick with unresolved anger. Finally, Isla stood, her silver hair shimmering in the dim light. “You had a lifetime to help us, and you chose not to. Don’t expect me to trust you now.”
Kaelen didn’t stop her as she walked away. From the shadows, Eira stepped forward, her eyes narrowing as she watched Isla’s retreating figure.
“You’re losing her,” Eira said simply.
Kaelen looked up at her, his voice barely above a whisper. “I’m trying.”
Eira’s gaze sharpened. “Try harder. She’s the key to everything.”
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