"Guardian of the ancient light…" she murmured.
Kaelen leaned against the edge of the table, arms crossed. "Sounds like something from an old legend."
Elara gave him a look. "You brought me here to read old legends."
"Fair point."
She sighed, rubbing her wrist absentmindedly.
"I still don't understand why it appeared… or why it reacted to me."
Kaelen studied her quietly. "We'll figure it out."
Elara glanced up at him. "You're very confident about that."
"That's because I plan on helping."
She raised an eyebrow.
"You are the crown prince. Don't you have more important things to do?"
Kaelen smirked. "Apparently not tonight."
Elara rolled her eyes but couldn't hide the small smile tugging at her lips.
They began gathering the books they had scattered across the table. Elara stood in front of one of the tall shelves, scanning the rows as she adjusted one of the books in her hands.
"I think this one goes—" she started.
Kaelen stepped in beside her at the same time, reaching for the upper shelf.
"Here," he said, placing the book back.
But in the small space between the shelves—
He didn't realize how close he'd gotten.
Elara's back met the wood of the shelf behind her.
Kaelen's arm rested just beside her shoulder, his other hand still holding the edge of the shelf as he leaned slightly forward. Too close.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Elara's breath hitched softly, her fingers tightening around the book she still held.
"Kaelen…" she whispered.
Only then did he seem to notice. The proximity.
The way he had pinned her—without meaning to.
His gaze dropped to her, something shifting in his expression.
Kaelen cleared his throat and stepped back slightly.
"We should probably put these back before someone realizes we've turned the place upside down."
Elara nodded quickly. "Yes. That would be… unwise."
Together they returned the books to their shelves, moving them through the towering rows of ancient texts.
When they finished, Kaelen gestured toward the doors.
"Come on. I'll walk you out before the palace settles for the night."
They stepped into the hallway.
The palace corridors were dim now, most lanterns burning low as night settled across Eldoria.
They had barely taken a few steps when a voice cut sharply through the silence.
"Well… this is interesting." Both of them stopped.
Standing at the end of the corridor was Lyra.
Her arms were crossed, and her expression was anything but friendly.
Kaelen sighed under his breath. "Lyra."
She walked toward them slowly, her boots echoing against the marble floor.
"I was wondering where you disappeared to tonight," she said coolly. "I didn't expect to find you sneaking around the palace library with her."
Elara straightened slightly.
"We were just—"
"I wasn't talking to you," Lyra interrupted.
Kaelen's expression hardened.
"That's enough, Lyra."
She ignored him, her eyes locked on Elara.
"You really seem to appear everywhere lately," she said. "First the battlefield… now the palace."
Elara crossed her arms calmly.
"I was invited by prince Kealen."
Lyra gave a sharp laugh. "Of course you were."
Kaelen stepped forward.
"She's here because we were researching the Varyndor."
Lyra's eyes narrowed slightly. "The creature from the forest?"
"Yes."
Lyra's gaze shifted—slowly, deliberately—to Elara's wrist.
"And did your little research explain the light you showed during the battle?"
Elara stiffened. "We're still trying to understand it."
Lyra tilted her head, studying her as though she were something under a microscope.
"How convenient," she murmured.
Her gaze lingered—too long, too sharp.
"I suppose strange things just… happen around you."
Elara's fingers curled slightly at her sides.
"It wasn't intentional," she said, keeping her voice steady.
Lyra smiled faintly. "Oh, I'm sure it wasn't."
She took a step closer—not enough to be obvious, but enough to invade Elara's space.
"Or maybe you bring badluck wherever you go."
Kaelen shifted, stepping slightly between them.
"That's enough."
Lyra didn't even look at him.
Instead, her eyes stayed fixed on Elara.
"You must find it difficult," she continued softly, "being at the center of everything all of a sudden."
Elara said nothing.
Lyra's smile sharpened.
"Especially when you don't even understand what you are."
Kaelen's tone hardened. "Lyra."
This time, she glanced at him—but only briefly.
"What?" she said lightly. "I'm just curious."
Her attention returned to Elara, colder now.
"Or is curiosity something only you are allowed to have?"
The air in the corridor felt tighter, heavier.
Elara swallowed, forcing herself not to react.
Lyra let the silence stretch—
Then, finally—
She stepped back.
"Well," she said coolly, smoothing an invisible crease from her sleeve, "good luck with your research."
Her gaze flicked once more to Elara.
"I'm very sure you are going to need it."
And with that, she turned and walked away—
leaving behind a silence that felt far more suffocating than before.
Elara exhaled slowly.
"Well… she seems pleasant."
Kaelen rubbed the back of his neck.
"She's… protective of the kingdom."
Elara gave him a look.
"That's one way to describe it."
Kaelen chuckled weakly.
"Come on. I'll walk you to the gates."
Outside the palace, the night air was cool and calm.
Kaelen stopped near the stone steps leading toward the city streets.
"Thank you for coming tonight," he said.
Elara nodded.
"Thank you for the library."
She hesitated, glancing once more at her wrist.
"At least now we know the Varyndor might be connected to whatever happened."
Kaelen nodded thoughtfully.
"And that means we're closer to understanding it."
Elara smiled faintly.
"Hopefully."
For a moment neither of them moved.
Then Elara stepped backward toward the path leading into the city.
"Goodnight, Your Highness."
Kaelen smirked.
"You only call me that when you're leaving."
"Maybe." She turned and walked down the steps toward Eldoria.
Kaelen watched until she disappeared into the lantern-lit streets.
Elsewhere in the palace, Lyra stormed into her father's chamber.
General Lysender looked up from his desk.
"You seem troubled."
Lyra folded her arms.
"I just saw Kaelen leaving the palace library."
"And?"
"He wasn't alone."
Lysender's eyes sharpened.
"The healer's daughter?"
Lyra nodded.
"They were researching the Varyndor… and the light that appeared on her wrist."
For a moment the general said nothing.
Then he slowly stood.
"The Varyndor appearing… ancient legends about light…"
His expression darkened.
"I don't like this."
Lyra stepped closer.
"I told you she was a problem."
Lysender looked toward the window overlooking Eldoria.
"Find out everything about her family," he said quietly.
"Her past. Her bloodline. Everything."
Lyra nodded.
"Yes, Father."
Lysender's voice dropped lower.
"Because if that girl truly carries the ancient light…"
His eyes hardened.
"…then she could change the future of this kingdom."