"You shouldn't be here," Kael said again, his voice low, final.
Aelinne's throat tightened. "You don't own the night."
His eyes sharpened. "The night owns you."
The forest fell unnaturally silent.
Even the insects stilled.
"You speak like death is familiar to you," she said quietly.
"It is," he replied. "And it's close to you right now."
A cold dread crawled up her spine. "Then why are you still standing here?"
"Because I was deciding," he said calmly, "whether you were worth the inconvenience."
Her breath hitched.
Before she could answer—
A violent hand grabbed her from behind.
She screamed as she was ripped backward and slammed hard into the ground. Pain exploded through her ribs, stealing the air from her lungs.
A boot pressed into her chest.
Three masked figures surrounded her.
Hunters.
A blade was raised.
Her eyes flew instinctively to Kael.
He hadn't moved.
Not a step.
Not a flicker of urgency.
He simply watched.
Cold. Still. Detached.
"Please—" her voice broke.
The attacker hesitated, glancing at Kael. "You know her?"
Kael's gaze didn't leave Aelinne.
"No," he said flatly. "And I don't care."
The blade came down.
She screamed as fire tore across her arm.
Blood soaked into the dirt.
Her vision blurred.
Her body trembled violently as she tried to crawl away, sobbing in pain.
Through her tears, she saw Kael finally turn—
Not toward her.
Away.
His cloak shifted as he stepped back into the shadows.
"You shouldn't have been here," his voice echoed once more.
Then he vanished.
Leaving her broken.
Bleeding.
Alone.
The hunters dragged her by the arms into the dark as her consciousness began to fade.
And the last thing Aelinne felt—
Was the cruel truth that monsters didn't always kill you.
Sometimes they simply chose not to save
The forest swallowed Kael's shadow.
Aelinne tried to scream.
No sound came out.
Her body was too weak. Her throat too broken.
The hunters dragged her roughly across the dirt, her blood marking the path behind them. Every movement sent fresh agony through her body.
"Leave her," one of them muttered. "She's already half dead."
"She's worth gold," another replied. "The witches will pay."
Her vision swam.
Her heartbeat stuttered.
And then—
Magic tore through the night.
A violent rush of silver-blue light exploded between the trees, knocking the hunters backward with crushing force. The ground shook as ancient power snapped through the air.
The men flew against the trunks like ragdolls.
Aelinne felt warmth pulse through the cold.
Familiar.
Desperate.
"Aelinne!"
The voice shattered her haze.
Lior.
He emerged from the glowing sigils with fire blazing along his arms, eyes burning with raw terror and fury. One of the hunters tried to rise—Lior didn't hesitate.
A flick of his wrist.
The man collapsed, unconscious and twitching.
The last hunter ran.
Lior didn't chase.
He dropped to his knees beside her instead.
Her body was soaked in blood.
"Aelinne… gods," his voice broke as he gathered her into his arms. "I felt your magic flicker. I thought I was too late."
Her lips trembled. "Lior…"
Tears blurred his vision as he pressed his forehead to hers. "Why would you come out without your power? Why would you do this to yourself?"
She tried to answer—but darkness dragged at her consciousness.
"I saw him…" she whispered faintly.
Lior stiffened. "Who?"
"The man in the shadows…"
Her eyes fluttered weakly.
"…he watched."
Something cold and dangerous passed through Lior's expression.
"He let this happen?" Lior whispered.
Aelinne didn't answer.
She couldn't.
Her body finally gave in.
Lior held her tighter as her head fell limp against his chest.
"I've got you," he vowed through shaking breath. "I won't let them take you. I won't let anyone touch you again. Never."
With a burst of magic, the forest warped around them.
And in a flash of silver light—
They were gone.
Far from the clearing.
Far from the monster who chose not to save her.
---