Elara stared at the man in front of her, her heart thudding against her ribcage like it was trying to tell her something her mind couldn’t grasp. His words hung in the air: “I knew you’d come.”

She wanted to ask him what he meant, why he looked at her like they’d shared something she couldn’t remember. But all she could do was stand there, frozen, her thoughts tangled like threads she couldn’t unravel.

“Did you?” she finally managed to say, her voice quieter than she intended. Her question wasn’t laced with humor or suspicion—it was genuine. A part of her wanted to believe him, though she didn’t know why.

The man’s smile softened. It wasn’t smug or teasing; it was the kind of smile that came from knowing something he couldn’t explain. “Yes,” he said simply. “I’ve been waiting.”

Waiting for what? Or… for who?

Her breath caught in her throat. There was a pull in his words, a gravity that demanded answers, yet Elara couldn’t bring herself to ask the questions. She glanced down at her hands, suddenly aware that they were trembling.

The man must have noticed because he took a step closer, his movements slow and measured, as though he didn’t want to startle her. “Are you alright?”

The concern in his voice startled her more than his presence. It wasn’t the polite, distant concern of a stranger—it was warm, familiar, like he’d said those words to her a hundred times before.

“I don’t know,” she admitted. Her honesty surprised her. “I don’t usually walk up to strangers, but…” She trailed off, unable to find the words to explain the strange magnetism that had pulled her to him.

“But something feels different,” he finished for her, his voice low.

Her eyes snapped back to his, wide with disbelief. “How—”

“Because I feel it too,” he said, his tone gentle. “Like I’ve known you before.”

The world seemed to tilt on its axis at his words. She felt lightheaded, as though her body couldn’t decide whether to run away or collapse into the moment. The bar around them blurred, the laughter and clinking of glasses fading into a dull hum. It was as if the room itself had stepped back, giving them space to exist in their own fragile bubble.

Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators!

Elara blinked, shaking her head to clear it. “This doesn’t make sense,” she murmured.

“Maybe it doesn’t have to,” he said, his voice steady. “Not yet.”

There was something steadying in the way he spoke, like an anchor thrown to her in a storm. But even so, she struggled to keep her footing. “Who are you?” she asked, finally giving voice to the question that had been building in her since the moment their eyes met.

The man hesitated, his gaze flickering with something she couldn’t place—hesitation? Guilt? Whatever it was, it passed quickly, and he straightened, offering his hand.

“Call me Kael,” he said, his voice like a quiet melody.

Elara stared at his outstretched hand for a moment before taking it. His palm was warm against hers, and the contact sent a shiver up her spine. Kael. The name felt foreign and familiar all at once, like a word she’d once known but forgotten.

“Elara,” she said, her voice almost trembling.

His lips quirked up at the corners. “I know.”

She felt a jolt, like electricity running through her. She pulled her hand back instinctively, staring at him with wide eyes. “How do you know that?”

Kael’s expression shifted, his smile fading into something more serious. He glanced around the room, as though checking to make sure no one else was paying attention to them, and then leaned in slightly. “It’s a long story,” he said, his voice low. “One I’m not sure you’re ready to hear.”

Her chest tightened at his words. “You’re not making this any easier to believe,” she said, her voice sharper than she intended.

“I don’t expect you to believe me,” he said calmly. “But I think you’ll start to understand soon enough.”

Something in his tone sent a chill through her—not fear, exactly, but the sense that he was right. That whatever was happening now was only the beginning.

Before she could press him further, a hand landed on her shoulder. She turned to find Rina standing behind her, a curious expression on her face.

“Who’s your friend?” Rina asked, her gaze flicking between Elara and Kael with a raised eyebrow.

Elara opened her mouth, but Kael beat her to it.

“Kael,” he said, offering Rina a polite smile. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Rina looked at him for a moment longer, her eyes narrowing slightly as though trying to place him. Then she nodded, her usual smile returning. “Well, El, I’d say this is definitely more interesting than any map you’ve been working on.”

Elara flushed, but before she could respond, Kael’s voice cut through. “I should go,” he said, his tone softer now. His gaze lingered on her for a moment, as though he was reluctant to leave. “But we’ll see each other again.”

Elara blinked, thrown by the certainty in his voice. “How can you be so sure?”

Kael smiled faintly, a shadow of something bittersweet crossing his expression. “Because we always do.”

And with that, he turned and walked away, disappearing into the crowd.

Elara stared after him, her chest tight with a strange sense of loss she couldn’t explain.