52-Is he dead?

The night still enveloped the ocean in its deep blue silence when Nexha burst through the entrance of Zhaelor’s home, not bothering to announce his arrival. His chest heaved, eyes wide, and his body trembled, seized by the fear of his dream.

— Zhaelor! — he called, his voice thick with panic. — Zhaelor, wake up!

The elder awoke with a start, his long tail sliding against the floor with a heavy creak. He blinked, confused, trying to grasp what was happening.

— Nexha? — his deep voice echoed through the space. — What happened? You're trembling!

Still trying to catch his breath, Nexha grabbed the elder’s arm as if the touch could anchor him to reality.

— There's an old pervert after me!

Zhaelor paused for a moment. He furrowed his brow, pondering.

— The shark? Hm… he doesn’t seem like the type… so, someone breached the walls?

— NO! — Nexha nearly shouted. — There's a man in my dreams! — He swallowed hard, feeling his anger rise. — He's trapped… but he talks to me! He calls me "my little treasure"… and he said we’ll be together soon!

Zhaelor blinked slowly, now fully awake. The soft glow of the moon reflected off his scales, but his gaze darkened.

— What else did you see? — he asked, his tone now more serious.

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Nexha took a deep breath, trying to organize the images still dancing in his mind like persistent shadows.

— A sunken castle… ancient… covered in algae and chains. He was there, sitting on a throne of pearls. And he smiled at me, but… it wasn’t a normal smile. — Anger burned in his voice now. — He seemed amused to see me scared! When I tried to escape, hands made of water held me down. And when he touched my face…

The boy shivered violently, hugging himself.

— I’ve never felt so cold.

The silence that followed was dense, heavy. Zhaelor moved closer, his tail undulating gently around the boy in a protective gesture.

— This man… — the elder murmured, thoughtful. — What did he look like?

— Dark hair… blue eyes, but so deep they felt like they were pulling me in… He looked elegant, but… something about him was wrong. Like he was smiling in a way he shouldn’t.

Zhaelor closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. When he opened them again, his gaze carried a weight that made Nexha shrink back.

— Nexha… What you saw was a dead man.

A chill ran down the boy’s spine.

— What do you mean?

Zhaelor sighed, his eyes drifting toward the waters outside.

— Tell me… — his voice came out almost as a whisper. — Would you believe me if I told you that someone died, but their body did not?

Nexha’s eyes widened.

— Is that even possible?!

Zhaelor nodded slowly as Nexha rubbed his eye with one hand, sleep seeming to return.

— His soul is gone, but his body remained. Without his true essence, he created his own desires… an obsession that should not exist.

The whale gently wrapped Nexha in soft algae, arranging them like an improvised bed. His touch was firm yet gentle, anchoring the boy to reality.

— Little star… he is nothing more than a husk of what he once was. Do not worry. You are not his treasure. You are a miracle of the sea, and the sea protects its own.

— How? — Nexha murmured, already feeling sleep weigh down his eyelids.

Zhaelor gave a faint smile, running a hand through the boy’s messy hair.

— The sea keeps him trapped in that castle. Nothing and no one can set him free. So, if he returns to your dreams… — his voice softened. — Call upon the sea for help, little star.

Nexha blinked slowly, struggling to stay awake, but his body was already giving in to exhaustion.

And before he knew it, he was asleep, safe among the soft algae, as the song of a whale cradled him like a gentle tide.