I thought about it too much.
That was the problem.
Every word. Every silence. Every time he avoided answering.
Every time he said "later" like it meant something.
It didn't.
If I went back—
nothing would change.
He would train me.
Push me.
Break me.
And still—
tell me nothing.
Like I was just something to shape.
Not someone who deserved answers.
I clenched my jaw.
No.
If I stayed like this—
I'd die without knowing why.
And that—
felt worse than dying.
So I left.
Not far.
Not somewhere obvious.
But far enough.
A place no one came to.
A quiet stretch near the lake.
Still water.
Empty ground.
No people.
No noise.
Perfect.
I stood there for a moment, making sure.
No presence.
No shadows.
And most importantly—
no Lucien.
Good.
My breath slowed.
Then I stepped forward.
Dropped to my knees.
Hands lifting slowly.
For a second—
I hesitated.
Then I remembered his words.
If you use your power… they will find you.
Good.
"Then come," I whispered.
And I let it out.
Not controlled.
Not careful.
Violent.
The energy surged through me like something breaking loose, light bursting from my hands, unstable, sharp, too much.
It hurt.
But I didn't stop.
The ground beneath me trembled slightly.
The air distorted.
Again.
More.
I forced it higher.
Stronger.
"Come," I said again, louder this time.
Because if they found me—
they had to know something.
And I needed answers.
The energy flickered wildly now, unstable, slipping from control—
"Stop."
I didn't.
I didn't even look.
"Stop, you're pushing it too far."
His voice was closer now.
Sharp.
Controlled.
I laughed weakly.
"Perfect," I muttered.
The energy surged again.
Stronger.
A hand grabbed my wrist.
"Enough."
I yanked it back.
"No."
"Elara—"
"NO."
The power flared violently, slipping even further.
"If you want me to stop—" I said, my voice shaking now, not from fear, but from everything building inside me, "then say it."
Silence.
I turned to him now.
Finally.
"You tell me everything," I said.
My hands were still glowing, unstable, dangerous.
"I stop only if you give me your word."
His expression tightened.
"This isn't the way—"
"I don't care."
The energy surged again, sharper this time.
"I'm done being kept in the dark."
A pause.
"Done being trained like I don't matter."
Silence.
The air between us felt heavy.
Tense.
"You want control?" I said. "Then give me truth."
The power slipped again.
Wild now.
Unstable.
Dangerous.
He saw it.
He knew.
If this continued—
it wouldn't end well.
For me.
For anything around us.
A long second passed.
Then—
his jaw tightened.
"…Fine."
The word landed.
I stilled.
"You stop," he said. "And I tell you."
My breath hitched slightly.
"…Your word?"
A pause.
Then—
"Yes."
The energy flickered.
Then slowly—
slowly—
began to fade.
My hands dropped.
The silence returned.
But this time—
it felt different.
Because for the first time—
I had forced him to choose.