Chapter 15
The wind that swept across Dravencourt's towers felt sharper now, laced with a strange static that hadn't been there before. It was as though the mountain itself recognized her—no longer Elira Vexley, the forgotten pawn—but Eliendara, reborn, unsealed, and whole.
She didn't walk the halls anymore.
She commanded them.
And yet, even as her power settled inside her like a second skin, there was a presence in the manor she could not name. Something that pulsed faintly just beyond her reach—watching her, waiting.
Kael walked beside her as they returned from Emberfall. He had asked no questions about what happened during the merge. He didn't need to.
He could feel it.
"You're different now," he finally said as they passed through the western wing.
"I am now," she replied. "I remember everything. Who I was. What they did. And what still hunts me."
She paused.
"Someone is here," she added softly. "One of the Seven."
Kael stiffened. "You're sure?"
Eliendara nodded. "Their presence is faint… well-masked. But I can feel them."
She reached out with her senses—not the way she used to. Not just listening. Not just watching. But feeling magic at its source.
And then, she caught it.
A heartbeat.
Too steady. Too perfectly timed.
Not in panic.
But in preparation.
She followed it.
Down the servants' corridor, past the hidden hall that led toward the east storage rooms—unused for months. Every step drew her closer to something she didn't understand, yet instinctively feared.
The heartbeat paused… then vanished.
She stopped before an old wall.
Stone. Dusty. Unremarkable.
Except for the whisper curling from beneath it.
"Elira…"
The name echoed like it belonged to a dying world.
She touched the stone—and it melted away into darkness.
Behind it was a narrow stairwell, winding down into the cold earth.
"Kael," she said, voice low. "Stay here."
He stepped in front of her. "Like hell."
But she didn't wait.
She descended.
The air grew heavier with each step. Ancient magic clung to the walls like wet moss. At the bottom was a small chamber lit by a single flame suspended in air.
A cloaked figure stood in the center, back turned.
She didn't speak.
Neither did they.
But when the figure turned, the mask they wore—white, plain, blood-red crack down the center—told her everything.
One of the Seven Sealing Lords.
"It took you longer than expected," the masked figure said. Their voice was not male. Not female. Not human.
Eliendara's fingers glowed with magic. "Why are you in my home?"
"To watch the gate reopen," they answered calmly. "To see if you would survive the merge. And you did."
Their tone dropped. "But not for long."
The flame above them shattered.
And from the shadows behind the mask, a second presence stepped out.
Identical to the first.
Two.
There were two Sealing Lords inside the manor.
"You were warned," one said.
"You didn't listen," said the other.
And from behind her, the stairwell began to close.
🔮 Next Chapter Preview – Chapter 16: Sealed with Fire
Trapped underground with two of the Seven, Eliendara must unleash a forbidden spell stored within her reborn blood.
But breaking free comes at a cost—She will scorch part of the manor above…And someone she cares about won't escape the fire.