A/N

This story is unedited so apologies for grammatical and spelling errors if any.

_____****_____

Zachary (POV)

I remained silent for a while, pondering my words before releasing a heavy sigh. Realizing that if I wanted her to understand and trust me, I had to be honest, I began, "Before I met you, rumors swirled about the potent energy that surrounded you. I approached you cautiously, seeking to discern whether you were merely a person on a quest for identity or a concealed threat in disguise. After confirming that you posed no danger, my intention was to distance myself. However, your intellect captivated me, drawing me in. I found myself staying longer, enjoying our professional and personal conversations. You possess a maturity beyond your years."

I paused briefly before continuing, "As for the cave you mentioned, it's not visible to everyone. While its existence is acknowledged, only a select few possess the ability to perceive it. And among those, only a handful can actually enter. I attempted to gain entry multiple times, but each attempt ended in failure..."

"But you entered it without any resistance with me..." She interrupted. "I didn't enter on my own; you dragged me inside..."

After a moment of consideration, I cautiously asked, "I wanted to ask you something... can I?" Fiora nervously nodded her head.

"Why weren't you surprised when entering that cave, or perhaps scared, like a typical manipulator would have been? It was as if you visited there every day to wander," I asked curiously, seeking clarity on her reaction.

"I was scared, excited, and nervous—more excited because I thought I finally had the answer to my question and could go back home to lead a normal life. But, I didn't want to be alone, so I dragged you inside," Fiora explained.

I nodded in understanding, but before I could say anything further, she continued, "Do you remember the shimmers around you in the cave?"

Again, I nodded, emitting a small sound of acknowledgement.

"I suspected that maybe you're not human as well. Your calm demeanour in that cave confirmed my suspicion. I thought you knew who I was and maybe you'd tell me on your own. That was the only reason I stayed in that cave, wandering," she concluded.

I sighed heavily before responding, "And seeing your excitement, I assumed that perhaps you were feigning ignorance while secretly planning to execute whatever plan you had. So, I stayed there to try to understand your intentions. After leaving the cave, you pretended to conveniently forget everything. I thought maybe you believed that people wouldn't believe what you saw and would consider you mentally ill, hence the pretence. But even that didn't remove you from my suspicion radar."

"We were both trying to protect ourselves," she spoke softly, her voice tinged with understanding. "And as for Arnica, I began to realize that your connection with her ran deeper than mere magic. There was something inherently personal about it. When you were unconscious after the cave incident, her reaction only served to confirm my suspicions. That marked the beginning of my quest to unravel the mystery surrounding Arnica."

After a small pause I began again "To answer your question, yes, I was aware of who Arnica was. However, I couldn't fully believe it until she revealed the truth to us. The existence of Ethereans had always been more of a folklore tale for our community. We knew they once existed but were believed to have gone extinct. Therefore, anyone possessing similar magic to that of an Etherean is considered rare and precious among magic holders.

You see, just as there are various types of shapeshifters, there exists a myriad of magic holders as well. Your queen presides over all of them, although even she may not be fully aware of the extent of the magical diversity. That's why I hesitated to categorize you and Arnica into a single kind. I feared suggesting something only to later discover you were something entirely different. It would have been a terrible mistake.

So, I chose to let you discover your identity on your own. However, I did aid you with whatever knowledge I possessed about magic and also with what powers I observed in you."

I sensed Fiora's demeanour getting more relaxed and comfortable. Her guards dropped one at a time. "Do you want to ask more questions?" I asked, silently praying that she had forgotten about the mind link. But my prayers fell short.

"Why can I connect with you and others through the mind link?" she asked innocently.

I sighed, and then my ears perked up as I processed her words. "What did you just say?" I spoke out my thoughts. Fiora looked a little shocked too.

"What?" she questioned.

"You can communicate through the mind link with others as well?" I asked, scrutinizing her with furrowed eyebrows.

She very slowly nodded her head.

"Who?" I asked again, my curiosity and concern growing.

She thought for a while and then said, "The leader of Maverick."

She avoided my gaze, and I understood. The last time we met, she was with the leader of Maverick. My mind started churning in many different directions, consumed by countless questions. Why was she able to communicate with him? What connection did they have? How did this ability manifest? The implications were unsettling.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my thoughts. "Fiora, this is important," I said, my tone serious. "Can you tell me more about your interactions with the leader of Maverick? How often do you communicate? What do you talk about?"

She hesitated, clearly uncomfortable with the line of questioning, but I needed answers. The mind link was a deeply personal and powerful connection, and if she could communicate with someone outside our immediate circle, it could mean many things—none of which seemed safe.

She hesitated a lot and then abruptly changed the subject. "So, why is it happening to me?" she asked, curiosity evident in her voice, acting as if she didn't hear me, I also let that go for this once

"I'm not entirely sure now," I answered truthfully.

"Were you aware of this mind link mystery before?" she pressed.

"I might have," I replied, her curiosity driving her to wait for me to elaborate.

"When my parents died, one of the accusers said I would have to go through the same fate again. Later, when I took the throne, his words haunted me. In search of peace, I went to see a seer, or prophesier—whatever you want to call her. She warned me that there would be consequences and that whatever I might see, might not be from the future. It could be the past or something not even close to this world. Despite her warning, I went through her future peeking process".

I paused, looking at Fiora's neutral expression. "I saw a woman with kaleidoscopic eyes, just like yours, embedding a sword similar to the one in the cave. She wore a beautiful white crown adorned with pearls surrounding her, and she was crying..."

Fiora's face remained unreadable, and I continued, "I didn't understand the vision at first, but seeing you and learning about your abilities made me think that maybe you were the woman in my vision. That's why I stayed close to you, why I took you to the library and the cave. I needed to understand your connection to this prophecy."

She sighed and spoke, "So you thought that I could be the person who will bring catastrophe to your world?" I regretfully nodded my head.

"And you think that my mind link was the consequence of that prophecy?" she asked, and I nodded again.

"But in my opinion, it shouldn't have exceeded this much limit," I explained. "Let's ask that seer," she suggested.

"She died long ago," I replied, a heavy sadness in my voice.

Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

Fiora looked thoughtful, her eyes searching mine for answers. "Then we need to find another way to understand this."

I nodded in agreement. "You're right. There must be someone else who can help us. Perhaps there are other seers or ancient texts that can give us clues. We need to keep searching."

She sighed again, this time with a hint of determination. "Okay, then. We'll figure this out together. But you need to promise me one thing," she said, her eyes locking onto mine.

"Anything," I replied, my voice steady.

"Promise me that you'll trust me from now on. No more secrets, no more half-truths. We face this together, openly and honestly."

"I promise," I said, feeling the weight of the words. "No more secrets. We face this together."

Fiora nodded, a small smile playing on her lips. "Good. Then let's get to work. We've got a lot to uncover."

As we sat there, side by side, I felt a renewed sense of hope. Despite the uncertainty and the unknowns, we were in this together. And that, more than anything, gave me strength.

As we both pondered over our next steps, Mr. and Mrs. Mary entered the scene. Fiora tiredly looked at her father and with a sad smile said, "Hello, Dada."

With a subtle smile, he replied, "Hello, child," and hugged her softly. Meanwhile, I stood up to leave the room. I bowed to both Mr. and Mrs. Mary and began to step away when Fiora intervened.

"Stay here until you return," she said firmly. Before I could protest, she turned around and left the room.

Mrs. Mary then spoke, "Do you want a room near hers or far away?"

I was dumbfounded by the question. "Whatever you prefer, Mrs Mary," I replied, blushing.

The couple giggled softly, and Mrs. Mary said with a smile, "We think you'll be more comfortable nearby."

I nodded, feeling a mix of relief and nervousness. It seemed they didn't oppose me after all.

I apologized for the inconvenience I caused them and made a mental note to talk to them privately someday. Mrs. Mary showed me to my room, which was just two doors away from Fiora's. I thanked her and entered the room, too tired to admire its beauty.

There was so much swirling around in my head that I didn't even bother changing clothes. I just removed my shoes and coat and went straight to bed, with thoughts of Fiora occupying my mind. All this while, Theo had been unusually silent, and I had almost forgotten his presence. I was in no mental state to have a conversation with him, and it seemed neither was he.

With that, I fell into a deep slumber.

------

Fiora (POV)

For the entire month, I practised my powers and learned that, in addition to my three dominant elements, I could use a fourth element efficiently and even a fifth element, albeit slightly. This is a little update on my powers for you all. Ahh! Who am I even talking to?

I don't know what's happening. Zachary is here. I can sense him. Why didn't I ask him if I were his mate? I'm so stupid. That's the main reason I left that place. I was only mad because I thought I was being used emotionally.

The uncertainty gnawed at me, and my emotions were a tangled mess. I spent days contemplating our interactions, replaying every moment in my mind. Was there something I missed? Some sign that would have confirmed my suspicions? I had to face him and ask the questions that had been haunting me.

Standing in front of the mirror, I pointed my fingers at my reflection and asked, "Are you stupid? Why didn't you tell him that you have feelings for him? You never doubted his intentions; you just hate the fact that you can't be with him forever. You fear that someday his mate will come, and he'll leave you for her. Why, why, why? Just tell him! What's the worst that could happen? He'll reject you, right? He'll say he's faithful to whoever his mate is. Ahh! No, I can't see him with any other girl. But what should I do? It's all your fault," I said to my reflection in the mirror.

I felt a surge of frustration and helplessness. The internal struggle was tearing me apart, and the only thing I could do was face myself and try to sort out my emotions. My heart raced at the thought of confronting Zachary

I fell asleep practising how I would confront him. This morning, I woke up all pumped up, chanting, "I can do this, I can do this," throughout my morning routine. But as soon as I entered the dining area for breakfast, I saw Zack in a layered brown jacket over a white t-shirt and black pants. My chant reversed to "I cannot do this, I cannot do this." Not when he looks perfect first thing in the morning.

I abandoned my mission. Don't blame me—I'm a very soft-hearted person. Before I can confess, I'll be mesmerized by him, and I don't know what I'll say then. Probably some utter nonsense, that I'm sure of.

My parents were giggling at something when I joined the table near my father. "What's so funny?" I whispered to him.

"Your reaction," he whispered back.

"What reaction?" I asked, still whispering.

"You're googling our guest," he said, and I heard a chuckle from the other side of the table. Ahh! I forgot about his heightened hearing. I cursed under my breath, which made Zack's chuckle even stronger.

Determined to hide my embarrassment, I focused on my breakfast, trying to ignore the amused glances from both my parents and Zack. The butterflies in my stomach, however, were harder to ignore.

I abandoned the mission of confronting him. It became clear that I wasn't equipped for such a task. The way things are now, I'll leave it be. When his mate eventually arrives, I'll quietly step aside. "Peace," my inner self and I agreed on it.

"Your belongings are moved here. Stay as long as you want and leave whenever you desire," my father said to Zack. Internally, I started crying in a fully animated manner, like a lovesick puppy. Am I acting like one too? I animatedly cried again in my mind.

Then I heard Zack say, "Mr. and Mrs. Mary, whenever you permit, I would like to speak to you in private."

"Why?" I blurted out, sounding like a jealous girlfriend.

"Because they are my partners, and I need to discuss business with them," he replied.

"What is it that can't be discussed here? I also work in both companies," I said, realizing I was making a fuss over nothing.

Zack looked at me calmly. "It's sensitive business matters, Fiora. Trust me, it's best handled privately."

I sighed, feeling a bit foolish. "Alright," I said, trying to sound nonchalant. "I understand."

My parents exchanged amused glances but didn't say anything. I could feel my cheeks burning with embarrassment. Zack's composed demeanour only made me feel more self-conscious about my outburst. I busied myself with my breakfast, hoping to avoid further embarrassment.

As Zack and my parents moved to another room for their private discussion, I tried to focus on my food, but my thoughts kept drifting back to him. Why is it so hard to keep my emotions in check around him? I questioned myself, but my curiosity got the best of me. Unable to resist, I sneaked into a nearby closed room to eavesdrop on their conversation. Pressing my ear against the wall, I strained to hear what they were saying, but nothing was clear.

Suddenly, my vision blurred, and I found myself in a dark passage, walking alone. Fear gripped my heart as I tried to shout, but no sound came out. I tried again, but the silence was deafening. I continued walking, my heart pounding in my chest, when I saw a lady up ahead. She was dressed regally, looking every bit like a queen.

Her presence both reassured and unnerved me. "Who are you?" I asked, my voice trembling.

The lady turned towards me, her eyes soft, powerful, and kaleidoscopic just like mine. "I am the one you've been seeking, Fiora," she said. "And you are more than you realize."

"Where am I? What is this place?" I asked, fear and curiosity battling within me.

"This is a glimpse into your true self," she replied. "You have a destiny that intertwines with the fate of many. But first, you must understand who you are and what you are capable of."

Her words resonated deeply, stirring something within me. "What do you mean?" I asked, stepping closer.

"You are not just any magic holder, Fiora. You possess a rare and powerful lineage. Your journey is only beginning, and the choices you make will shape the future of many," she said, her voice echoing in the dark passage.

I heard Zack's voice, "Fiora... Fiora," and I jolted awake, my eyes snapping open wide. I found myself lying in bed, covered by sheets, with my parents and Zack surrounding me. An IV was attached to my arm, and I realized I had been out for almost two hours.

"What happened?" I asked, my voice weak and confused.

"You fainted," Zack said, concern etched on his face. "We found you unconscious in the other room."

My mother added, "We were so worried. You looked pale and unresponsive."

I tried to piece together what had happened. The vision, the dark passage, and the regal lady—it all felt so real. "I... I had a vision," I stammered. "There was a woman, a queen, and she told me things about my destiny."

My father exchanged a worried glance with my mother. "What did she say?" he asked gently.

"She said I have a rare and powerful lineage and that my choices will shape the future of many," I explained, still trying to process the encounter.

Zack looked thoughtful. "This vision... it might be connected to your powers." I nodded, The vision had given me a glimpse into something much larger than myself. I knew I had to uncover the truth, not just for my sake, but for everyone.

"I'm going back with you. Whenever you leave here, take me with you," I stated firmly, my voice unwavering despite my fatigue.

Zack nodded, the worry in his eyes clear and unmistakable. "Are you sure? You need to rest and recover."

I looked at him and gave a sad smile. "Don't worry. I'll try my best not to cause any trouble or shame anyone around us."

He reacted almost immediately, his voice filled with genuine concern. "It's not about that. I want you to be safe as well," he said, clearly offended by my assumption.

I weakly chuckled at his defensive statement, appreciating his concern. "I know, Zack. And I appreciate it."

My parents looked at us with a mix of concern and support. "Just promise us you'll take care of each other," my mother said softly.

"We will," Zack assured her. "We'll keep each other safe."

As I lay back, feeling the weight of the day's events, I found solace in the fact that I wasn't alone in this journey.

_____*****_____

A/N

Word count:- 3000

Hello, my lovely readers, I hope you all are doing well

Here, is the 29th chapter of my book

I hope you all liked it and have a great day ahead

Ok

Thank you

Love you

bye:)

Until next time

Happy reading 💐

Date:- 12/06/2024