The air was thick with the weight of the priestess's words, as if the very stones beneath their feet absorbed the darkness she had unleashed. Aerin felt the tension hum through her, a taut string ready to snap, her pulse quickening as the power between her and the priestess vibrated in the space around them. The string that had been formed between her and the priestess still hung in the air, it was almost as if she could tug on it, follow it somewhere. The priestess had vanished, like she hadn't been there at all. Mara had stepped forward to the spot where the priestess had stood. The ground was still untouched.

The silence that followed was suffocating, broken only by the distant sound of waves crashing against the cliffs at the edge of Thalindria.

Mara stood frozen, her eyes still wide, as if the silent truth itself had knocked the breath from her lungs. Aerin saw it—the conflict, the battle playing out in her friend's mind. She wanted to reach out, to say something, but the words wouldn’t come. They all stayed silent behind her. Mara’s face was pale, her jaw set.

Finally, Mara spoke, her voice trembling but determined. "I—" she began, but her voice faltered. She glanced back at Aerin, then back at where the priestess had stood. A moment passed, and then another, before she exhaled sharply, her shoulders sagging under the weight of memories long buried.

“I suppose there’s no running from it anymore,” she whispered, her eyes dropping to the ground, she shifted slightly between her feet. “No more pretending.”

Aerin exchanged a glance with Talon, who stood a few paces behind her, silent but watchful. He gave a slight nod, urging her to wait. Mara needed space to speak, to share what had been buried inside her for so long.

Mara turned away from them, her back to the low willows, her face half-shadowed by the pale light. "You asked me about Thalindria," she began, her voice so low, almost broken like a whisper. "About the things I left behind." She swallowed hard, the words seemingly stuck in her throat.

The air stilled around them, it felt almost like the trees leaned in to listen, the sound of the waves in the distance much quieter.

She took a deep breath, and when she spoke again, her voice was steadier, but laced with a sorrow that made Aerin's heart ache for her.

“Thalindria wasn't the sanctuary you all think it was.” Mara's eyes lifted, but it was far away, lost in the past. “It was supposed to be. A place of learning, of wisdom and magic. But that wasn’t the truth of it. At least, not for me.”

The air felt colder, as if the shadows of Mara’s past were creeping into the present. Aerin could feel the shift, the pulsations of the magic slowed, the heaviness of Mara’s words pulling her deeper into whatever darkness she had been hiding.

Mara hunched down, her knees touched the ground beneath her. She hugged her knees slightly. Aerin followed Mara, sitting next to her but keeping her distance.

Elden leaned against a tree behind them, watching wearily. His presence had quieted since they saw the priestess. Talon stood beside them, his hand resting on his sword at his side.

“They saw me as an opportunity,” Mara continued, her hands clasped tightly together, knuckles white. “A weapon they could mold. A girl with rare magic they could control.” She let out a bitter laugh, devoid of any humor. “And I let them.”

Stolen story; please report.

Aerin’s breath caught, but she said nothing, sensing that Mara wasn’t finished. Talon's eyes narrowed, his hand now on the hilt of the sword, holding it tight, hiding the tremors.

“I was young, naive... desperate to prove myself, to be someone worthy of their attention. And they took advantage of that.” Her voice shook, and for the first time, Aerin saw tears glistening in her friend's eyes. “I didn’t see it at first. How they manipulated me, how they used me. Physically, emotionally... in every way imaginable.”

Talon took a step closer, his hand reaching out slightly as if to offer comfort, but he stopped short, uncertain.

Mara didn’t notice as she stared down at the ground. She was lost in her own story, her own pain. “They made me believe I was nothing without them. That my magic, my very existence, was theirs to command. And I... I believed them. I let them control me, my every move, let them use me until I didn’t even recognize who I was anymore.”

Aerin felt her chest tighten, a surge of anger bubbling beneath the surface. How could they have done this to her? How could they have broken her so completely? Did the priestess have anything to do with this? She wanted to speak, to say something to ease Mara’s suffering, but she couldn’t find the words. Mara always had her walls up, put together, always ahead. It all clicked into place. She had taken control, control of everything.

“When I finally realized what they were doing, I told the Priestess” Mara said, her voice barely above a whisper now, “I tried to leave. But she didn’t let me go easily. I didn't know if i could trust her” She lifted her chin, but her eyes were shadowed with a pain so deep it was hard to look at. “I barely escaped. She hid me. I thought I’d never make it out of here alive. And I swore I’d never go back. I left everything behind—my past, my magic, my trust in people.”

Silence fell between them, heavy and suffocating. Aerin felt tears sting the corners of her eyes, but she blinked them away, forcing herself to remain strong for Mara. That was why the priestess seemed so cold, she was surprised that she came back here after all of what happened. She leaned forward, finally placing a hand gently on her friend's arm.

“You didn’t deserve that,” Aerin whispered, her voice filled with quiet resolve. “None of it.”

Mara looked up at her, her eyes filled with a sadness that seemed endless. “It doesn’t matter what I deserved,” she said softly. “What matters is that it happened. And I’ll carry it with me for the rest of my life.”

Aerin’s hand tightened on Mara’s arm, a silent promise. “Well… You’re not alone anymore.”

Mara gave her a faint, broken smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I know.” She looked back toward the willows, the wind tugging at her long dark hair, her face shadowed by the weight of her memories. “But some wounds never heal, Aerin. They just... fade.”

Aerin nodded, understanding more than she wanted to admit. “Then let’s make sure nothing like that happens again.”

They had been walking for what felt like hours when the shadow of Thalindria’s cliffs came into view, towering like silent sentinels over the sea. The wind carried the salt of the ocean, mixing with the crisp air. Aerin was tired, so tired, her legs sore from the endless miles, but she forced herself to keep moving.

Mara walked ahead, her stride purposeful, She looked tired, but relieved. Aerin could feel the tension radiating from her like a storm cloud. They were close now. The priestess awaited them once again, the woman who had trained Mara and given her sanctuary. But there was more between them—something unspoken, something sharp.

As they reached the ancient stone archway that marked the entrance to Thalindria, Kael appeared from the shadows, his dark curls tousled by the sea breeze. His presence was both a relief and a weight on Aerin's heart. He had been gone for too long, yet here he was—standing before them as if nothing had changed. Except everything had. Through all of those years he had been gone.

Mara’s eyes narrowed as she spotted the priestess, just by the edge of the cliff, her silver hair dancing in the wind. Her robes were the color of midnight, flowing like water as she approached. There was no warmth in her gaze, only a cold, calculating gleam that seemed to pierce right through Mara. Her, old yet young face turned towards them.

"You dare return?" Her voice was smooth, but laced with venom. "After everything?”

"I’ve done nothing but learn from the mistakes of the ones I called friends." Her words were sharp, like the edge of a blade. "You were the one who looked away and turned your back on me."

The priestess’s lips curled into a bitter smile. "Is that what you tell yourself? That I was the one who failed?" She stepped closer, her eyes never leaving Mara’s. "I gave you everything you asked and is this your thank you?"

Mara bristled, but before she could respond, Kael stepped between them, his presence a wall of calm amidst the brewing storm.

"This isn't the time for old wounds."* His voice was steady, but there was an edge to it, a warning. His height towered over the priestess, her chin tilted up as she looked at him. "We have more important matters to discuss."