Talon sat by Aerin’s cot, his hand resting lightly on hers. She had been unconscious for nearly four hours now. The room was dimly lit by the fireplace, the flickering light casting dancing shadows on the walls. The sound from outside rumbled through the sparse slabs on the house. The snow and wind swirled outside the windows and created a thick fig. It would be impossible to travel back with Aerin now. Eleara had done her best, and now it was a matter of waiting. He heard the door open behind him and turned to see Elden entering the room again, his imposing figure framed by the doorway.

Elden approached with a quiet, almost predatory grace, his dark eyes fixed on Aerin’s still form. “You’ve been through quite an ordeal,” he said, his voice low and resonant. “I’m glad you found Eleara. She’s the best healer in Bramhall.”

“We were lucky,” Talon replied, his tone heavy with gratitude. “Aerin wouldn’t have made it without her.”

Elden nodded, his gaze lingering on Aerin. “Tell me about her. She must be remarkable to have survived such a battle.”

Talon shifted slightly, considering his words. Had he seen her magic? Eleara had said it was an old magic, a rare magic. “She was… incredible. Strong, determined.”

Elden’s eyes narrowed slightly, as if trying to see beyond the surface. “You speak highly of her. It sounds like you’ve been through a lot together.”

Talon just looked at him. This was their first mission together and they had only known each other for nothing more than two weeks. Only training. But this fight tighter, felt like something else. His chest tightened at the thought of bringing her here and risking her life like that. “She’s not just a comrade; she’s a friend, someone I trust with my life.” He finally said. The truth. It felt more real as the words left his mouth. He would trust her with his life.

Elden crossed his arms, the muscles in his tattooed arms flexing. “It’s rare to find such loyalty.” His eyes fixated on Aerin made Talon feel uneasy. What was he after? They had never met before and he looked at her with what looked like starvation.

Talon looked at Elden as his eyes still lingered on Aerins body. He was a warrior, the greatest of Bramhall. Why did he feel like he couldn't trust him?

Talon moved and stood near the window, arms crossed, his eyes flicking between the frost-covered panes and Aerin’s still form on the bed. The room was silent, save for the crackle of the fire in the hearth. He glanced toward Elden, who had moved to Aerin’s side. Elden sat close, his gaze fixed on her, almost… possessive.

Talon narrowed his eyes. “You don’t have to sit that close.”

Elden didn’t look up, his hand resting on the edge of the cot. “She needs to heal.”

“And crowding her is helping, how exactly?”

Elden’s lips twitched into a small smile, though his eyes remained on Aerin. “I’m making sure she’s safe. Something you don’t seem too concerned about.”

Talon pushed away from the window, his irritation flaring. “I’ve done more to keep her safe than you even know. So why don’t you back off and let her rest?”

Elden’s fingers lightly brushed the edge of the blanket, almost possessively, before he finally looked up at Talon. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Talon’s jaw clenched. “You act like you own her.”

Elden raised an eyebrow, his voice low, almost too calm. “I don’t own her. But she needs someone who understands what she’s going through.”

Talon scoffed, taking a step closer. “And you think that’s you? You’ve known her for, what, five minutes?”

“I know enough,” Elden’s eyes darkened, a quiet intensity behind them. “More than you, it seems.”

Talon’s fists clenched at his sides. “She’s not yours to control, Stormblade. She’s her own person, and the last thing she needs is someone treating her like some prize to be guarded.”

Elden stood, his frame towering over the cot, though his expression remained calm. “I’m not treating her like a prize. I’m here because she needs me. Unlike you, I’m not questioning what she is.”

Talon took another step forward, his voice low and full of warning. “I don’t question what she is. I’m just not trying to claim her as some kind of possession.”

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The tension between them thickened, each man staring the other down. Elden’s eyes flickered to Aerin briefly before settling back on Talon. “You’re the one trying to make this a competition.”

Talon’s glare was sharp. “I don’t compete for people. Especially not her.”

Before Elden could respond, a soft sound came from the bed. Both men turned as Aerin stirred, her eyes fluttering, but she wasn’t waking up. The argument was forgotten in an instant as they moved toward her, though Talon shot Elden a look that said the conversation wasn’t over.

A brief silence fell between them, the crackling of the fireplace the only sound. Elden finally broke it, his voice dark. “I had hired you for a mission, but given the circumstances, it might be best to postpone it.”

Talon nodded, relieved. It was Elden that had sent for them. He was the one that called for them here and Talon was the one bringing her, risking her life. “I appreciate that. She needs me now, and I won’t leave her side.”

Elden uncrossed his arms and stepped closer to the cot, his gaze once again on Aerin. “She is so familiar to me. It feels like I have seen her before, do you know where she is from?”

The same question that Eleara asked before. Talon shook his head as an answer. “I don’t know,” He answered truthfully.

Talon studied Elden, noting the marks of battle etched into his skin and the depth of experience in his eyes. “You’ve been through your share of battles too. Your tattoos… they tell a story.”

Elden’s mouth twitched into a brief, grim smile. “Yes, they do. Each one a memory, a reminder of the lives I’ve lived and the lives I’ve taken. War has been my companion for many years.”

Talon nodded, feeling a strange link with the older warrior. “It changes you. Shapes you into someone you never expected to become.”

Elden agreed with him, his gaze intense. “But it also teaches you what truly matters. Honor, loyalty, the bonds forged in the heat of battle.”

The room fell silent again, both men lost in their thoughts. Talon looked at Aerin, then back at Elden. “She’ll wake soon, and when she does, we’ll figure out what comes next.”

Elden’s eyes softened as he looked at Aerin. “She’s strong. I can see that. I sense something in her. And when she wakes, I’d like to meet her properly. I have a feeling there’s much we could learn from each other.”

Talon nodded, a feeling of uneasiness sat in his chest. What was his plan? All he wanted was for Aerin to wake up and for the storm outside to settle so they could return to Yaveria again.

Elden placed a hand on Talon’s shoulder, a rare gesture of camaraderie. “Then we’ll wait.”

As the night wore on, the two warriors, bound by their shared experiences, stood watch over the sleeping form of Aerin. None of them slept, or ate. They only waited, and waited. Their breaths, the same with Aerin’s.

Aerin woke to the sound of low voices and the gentle crackle of a fire. Her ribs ached with each breath, but she felt the comforting warmth of healing magic still lingering in her chest. As her vision cleared, she saw Talon’s familiar silhouette beside her, his expression a mix of relief and concern. Where was she? Last time she remembered she layed on the cold snowy ground gasping for air as she looked at Talon after the brutal fight. Her eyes moved past him, and she stilled, caught by the sight of another figure.

A large man stood at the edge of the room, speaking with an older woman. His presence was magnetic, drawing her gaze like a moth to flame. He turned as if sensing her eyes on him, and their gazes locked. Dark, intense eyes met hers, and for a moment, the world seemed to narrow to just the two of them. His hair, black as a raven’s wing, was tied back, revealing the sharp planes of his face—a warrior’s face, all hard lines and fierce beauty. Who was he? He had never seen him before. But he felt familiar somehow.

She let out a small frail sound as her body filled with ache. Talon gave her a hand to sit up, he looked at her with worried eyes. “How are you?” He asked her quietly.

“Where am I?” She answered as she looked around the small room. The fire in the fireplace graced her skin with warmth. Outside the storm was blazing and she could hear the trees and mountaintops singing with the wind. The older woman came up to her side and gave her a tall glass with a red liquid inside. “Drink this, it will ease your pain”.

She took the glass and drank it as fast as she could, the pain was unbearable now. The old woman introduced herself, “I am Eleara. Talon brought you here as you fell unconscious after your battle outside the camp.”

The battle. the memories clouded her mind. Swords ringing and flying through the air, blood everywhere. The smell of iron in the air. The battle ran through her min and she gasped for air. She had killed a man. Two men she remembered. The feeling of magic brewed deep inside her as she saw it force itself out of her during the battle. Her head sank deep into her hands. She killed someone. She was a killer.

“I killed them,” she whispered, her voice hollow.

Talon, leaning against her bed, watched her closely. He pushed himself closer crouching beside her. “You did what you had to. It was them or us.”

Her eyes, glassy and unfocused, met his. “It wasn’t just them. It was me. The magic... I didn’t control it. I unleashed it, and it… it destroyed everything.” She swallowed hard, her throat tight. “I didn’t want to be this.”

Talon exhaled slowly, placing a hand on her knee. “You’re not a monster, Aerin.”

Aerin’s voice cracked. “I felt it, Talon. The power. It’s inside me, and I can’t control it. I don’t know who I am anymore.”

Talon’s grip on her knee tightened. “You’re still you. You’ve been through hell, and you’re still standing. That magic—whatever it is—doesn't change who you are. But you need to stop being afraid of it.”

Her breath hitched, tears threatening to fall. “I don’t know how.”