İlyara
The sound of birds chirping made İlyara groan. She slowly opened her eyes, then closed them again. A moment later, they flew open.
Arın was lying beside her, asleep.
Arın...
A Morhena.
As she shifted to get out of bed without waking him, she realized she was holding his hand.
Had they slept hand in hand all night?
Why?
She stopped moving and quietly watched him. Strangely enough, he looked peaceful. She had never imagined she would see him like this.
His eyelashes were long, and his brows were perfectly arched. His skin had a faint purplish tint, yet he was still handsome.
The moment her heart began to race, she quickly looked away. This time, her gaze settled on his throat. His Adam's apple moved ever so slightly.
When she lifted her head again, she found herself staring into Arın's gray eyes.
İlyara swallowed quietly and looked away. Arın, meanwhile, slowly sat up in bed.
"Are you alright?"
İlyara looked at him, unsure what he meant. Then the rabbit came to mind... followed by the purple violets.
"I'm fine. Sleeping helped," she said.
Only then did she notice they were still holding hands.
"Why are we sleeping in the same bed holding hands?"
Arın glanced at their joined hands before slowly letting go of hers.
For some reason, the moment he released her hand, İlyara shifted uneasily.
"You were talking in your sleep."
İlyara frowned.
"What was I saying?"
Arın turned away, straightened his clothes, then fastened his sword to his belt.
"Meaningless words."
İlyara had just opened her mouth to speak when a stone came hurtling through the broken window, tearing through the cloth that covered it. A split second later, the other window shattered with a deafening crash.
With a scream, İlyara dropped down beside the bed.
"Get out of here! The Ancient's Shadow!"
As the shouting outside grew louder, Arın drew his sword and headed for the door. But before he could reach it, a charcoal-black stone landed in the middle of the room and burst into flames.
"Die!"
The fire spread rapidly across the wooden floor as Arın immediately rushed to İlyara's side.
"No, don't kill her," a man's voice called from outside. "Don't forget the reward."
By the time Arın reached her, İlyara had started coughing. Smoke quickly filled the cabin. Slipping one arm beneath hers, Arın helped her to her feet before wrapping his other arm around her waist and guiding her toward the back door.
"Lean on me," Arın said as he opened the door.
The moment it swung open, they found themselves face-to-face with the gray-armored Taşkans waiting outside. Some were trying to keep the curious crowd away from the burning cabin, while the others pointed their swords directly at İlyara.
"Damn it! What are the Taşkans doing here?" a bearded man shouted before spitting on the ground.
"So much for the reward."
Was all of this because of the reward... or because they were afraid of her?
Unable to help herself, she laughed at the absurdity of her own comparison.
Frowning at the sight of İlyara laughing in a situation like this, Arın drew his sword and pointed it at the Taşkans standing before them.
"What is a Morhena doing here?" one of the Taşkans asked.
"I heard they all disappeared overnight," another said.
"So not all of them disappeared after all," a third muttered.
"Move," Arın warned.
The crowd fell silent at once.
The Taşkans exchanged uncertain glances, unsure of what to do with their swords. Then, without another word, they stepped aside, clearing a path for Arın and İlyara.
As they made their way through the Taşkans, one of them stepped into their path. Unlike the others, he wore white armor instead of gray. It was far more ornate than theirs, yet somehow looked more practical. He was broad-shouldered, and a large emblem decorated the front of his breastplate—a three-leaf clover embroidered in black, framed by intricate gold trim.
"Are you İlyara?"
İlyara had no idea how to answer the white-armored Taşkan.
"My lady... is that you?"
He was incredibly formal.
Arın was just about to swing his sword at the man when İlyara spoke, stopping him mid-motion.
"Yes, that's me," she replied quietly. "May I ask who's asking?"
The man immediately stood at attention and bowed.
"Council President Elna sent me," he said as he straightened.
Elna?
"Why?" Arın cut in.
After giving Arın a brief glance, the man turned back to İlyara.
"Who are you?"
Caught off guard by the sudden question, the man hesitated for a moment before quickly recovering. He placed a fist over his chest.
"My name is Kortegin," he said proudly. "I am the Council's Head Guard."
The Council... the Head Guard... Elna...
What was going on?
"I see... Then why are you here?"
İlyara finished the question with a brief cough before lifting her head to look at Kortegin. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't see his eyes. His white helmet cast them completely in shadow. Like the rest of his armor, it was elaborately decorated, with a golden plume that reached the back of his neck.
If only she could see his eyes, she might feel a little safer.
As if sensing the tension in her body, Arın gently stroked her arm.
All of these reactions still felt incredibly strange to İlyara. Were they because of the blood bond... or were they the result of the fated mate legend she secretly wished were true?
"Council President Elna wishes to host you at the Council's guesthouse."
Startled by Kortegin's voice, İlyara was pulled out of her thoughts.
"Please come with us," he said, gesturing toward an ornate carriage. "I'll take you to her."
Unsure of what to do, İlyara glanced around. The crowd watched her in silence, their curiosity tangled with fear. Their emotions were so overwhelming that the hairs on her arms stood on end. If she stayed here much longer, she feared all of those emotions would pour into her. What frightened her most, however, was the urge to draw them all in, whether they were fear, sorrow, or joy.
Thanks to the agreement she had made with Arın, her body had finally been relieved of some of those emotions. Perhaps that was why it wanted to be filled again.
There was also the bounty on her head.
Was this guard after it as well?
"If you want to leave this place, we can," Arın said. His eyes never left the guard, following even his slightest movement.
"You're strong..." He looked into İlyara's eyes. "...and you're not alone anymore."
For several long moments, İlyara couldn't look away from his gray eyes. A single tear slipped quietly down her cheek, and Arın wiped it away with his finger. Then he looked down at his fingertip.
"Why are you crying?" he asked.
İlyara looked away and stepped out of Arın's embrace. The effects of the smoke had begun to wear off, and she could stand on her own again. Or perhaps putting a little distance between them would simply make her feel better.
Could Arın's words really fill that emptiness inside her? Was that why the tear had fallen? That emptiness that never seemed to be filled...
But what was it, really?
Taking a deep breath, İlyara turned back to the guard.
"Did Elna tell you why? I mean... why did she summon me instead of coming here herself?"
Had the Council President really been staying in the same cabin as her?
Why?
There were so many questions she wanted to ask Elna. Strangely enough, she almost felt like she had missed her.
The guard glanced around for a brief moment.
"What would the Council President be doing in a place like this?" he said with undisguised disgust.
Exactly.
What business would she have here?
She had to accept the invitation if she wanted answers to all of this.
Besides... she wasn't alone anymore, was she?
"Alright. I'll come," İlyara said calmly.
A satisfied smile appeared on the guard's face. At least she could see that; the lower part of his helmet was uncovered.
"But I have one condition."
His smile vanished instantly.
"Arın is coming with me."
The guard turned to Arın. The brief moment their eyes met was enough to make his body tense involuntarily.
"Why are you traveling with a Morhena?" he asked. "More importantly, how is that woman called Veyra allowing this?"
The curiosity in his voice was so intense that İlyara could feel the emotion stirring inside herself.
"That doesn't concern you," Arın said coldly. "Answer İlyara's question."
Stepping between them, İlyara moved in front of Arın.
"So? What's your answer?"
The guard took a step back at İlyara's movement.
"If that's what you wish, he may come," he replied evenly. "The wishes of the Council President's guest are our command."
With that, he stepped aside to let İlyara pass before heading toward the carriage.
Unable to make sense of what was happening, the crowd began murmuring uneasily.
"Where are you taking the Ancient's Shadow?" someone shouted.
"Are you going to execute her?" another called out.
Ignoring them, İlyara followed the guard toward the carriage. Arın walked close behind her, casting threatening glances at the crowd. His eyes never stopped scanning their surroundings.
The guard opened the carriage door and helped İlyara climb inside. After Arın entered as well, he closed the door and turned to the Taşkans.
"Put out the fire," he ordered. "Then arrest whoever set this place ablaze."
At his command, the murmuring crowd fell silent.
"Why are you arresting them?" someone called out from the crowd.
"Disperse the crowd as well," the guard ordered. Then he gave the carriage window a light knock.
Arın slid the carriage window open and looked at him with a frown.
"What?"
Was Arın always this talkative? Then again, "talkative" wasn't exactly the right word. Everything he said was still short and blunt.
"Lady İlyara, our journey will take several hours," the guard said. "If you need anything, simply ring the bell beside you."
A small bell, tied with a cord, rested at İlyara's side.
"Thank you, Guard… Kortegin," İlyara said.
Kortegin gave a slight bow before mounting his horse and taking his place alongside the carriage.
İlyara no longer knew what to think. She had been in a car accident and awakened in a world she had never even known existed. Now she was realizing that she had spent weeks living beside the very person who had taught her... without ever knowing who Elna really was.