A Shared Moment
The gardens were a stark contrast to the cold stone halls of the sanctum. Vibrant flowers bloomed despite the misty air, their delicate petals swaying gently in the breeze. Isla hesitated at the entrance, watching as Kaelen stood among the blooms, his tall frame hunched in thought.
“Your mother planted these,” he said without turning, sensing her presence. His voice was heavy with memory. “She wanted a sanctuary—a reminder that beauty could exist even in the darkest times.”
Isla stepped closer, the soft crunch of gravel underfoot breaking the silence. “Do you miss her?” she asked, her voice hesitant.
Kaelen’s gaze remained fixed on the flowers. “Every day. Xyla was… everything to me. But love makes you do reckless things. I thought I was protecting her by keeping her at arm’s length, by trying to fight her battles for her. Instead, I lost her.”
Isla’s throat tightened, her own memories of her mother surfacing—hazy, fragmented, and full of unanswered questions. “What happened between you?”
Kaelen’s lips pressed into a thin line. His golden eyes turned distant, as though searching for a way to explain. “There are things I can’t tell you yet,” he said carefully. “But know this: we didn’t leave you because we didn’t care. We left because we cared too much. Because losing you was a risk we couldn’t take.”
The ache in Isla’s chest deepened. His words, though heartfelt, didn’t erase the years of abandonment or the pain of Seraphine’s fate. “Then help me now,” she said, her voice firm despite the tremor of emotion threatening to surface. “Teach me what I need to know. Show me how to protect the people I care about.”
Kaelen turned to face her, the lines of guilt and resolve etched deep into his face. “It’s not that simple, Isla,” he said quietly. “The power you carry isn’t just strength—it’s a burden. One that can consume you if you’re not ready.”
“Then make me ready,” Isla insisted, her silver eyes blazing.
Kaelen sighed heavily, his gaze dropping to the blooms at his feet. “There are truths you’re not prepared to face. Not yet.”
The tension between them hung thick in the air, a chasm neither seemed able to cross. Isla turned away first, her steps heavy as she left him standing amidst the flowers, a man burdened by the weight of his own choices.
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