Seizing fire.

The iron gates of the palace loomed over Karl, their cold, towering presence a stark reminder of the past two days spent in the dungeon's suffocating darkness. The air outside smelled fresher than he remembered, the sky a deep shade of blue streaked with the fading hues of dawn. He had expected to walk alone into the unknown, but there, standing just beyond the threshold, was his mother.

Amara Solis.

She looked smaller than he remembered, yet her presence filled the space with quiet strength. Her auburn hair was neatly tied back, but strands had slipped free, framing her face, one that lined with worry and exhaustion. The moment their eyes met, her lips parted slightly, as if wanting to say something, but no words came out.

Kael swallowed hard, shifting his weight as the guards unlocked the cuffs on his hands. One of them nudged him forward.

"You're free to go. The princess ordered your release into your mother's care," the guard said, his tone neither kind nor cruel.

Amara stepped forward, her brown eyes scanning him carefully. Kael could feel her assessing every inch of him, searching for injuries, for signs of distress. He wished he could tell her he was fine, that everything was alright, but he couldn't bring himself to speak.

His mother nodded at the guards before turning back to him. "Let's go home, Kael," she said softly.

Kael didn't respond. He only followed.

........

The walk back home was silent. His mother didn't press him for answers, didn't demand an explanation. She simply walked beside him, her presence grounding comforting. Every step deepened the guilt pressing on his chest.

He had disobeyed her.

He had nearly gotten himself killed.

And if it weren't for Princess Lyria, he would still be in that cell, awaiting punishment.

The moment they reached home, Amara pushed open the wooden door, stepping inside before turning to him. "Go wash up," she said gently. "I'll prepare something for you to eat."

Kael hesitated before nodding once and disappearing into the small washing area. He scrubbed at his skin as if trying to rid himself of the weight of the past two days, but no matter how warm the water was, the coldness in his chest wouldn't fade.

By the time he returned to the dining area, a simple meal was already placed on the wooden table—a bowl of warm soup, bread, and a small portion of rice. His mother sat across from him, waiting.

Kael lowered himself onto the chair, his shoulders stiff. He picked up the spoon, but his hands felt clumsy, his throat tight.

He could feel his mother's gaze on him. Watching. Observing him.

Still, she didn't ask anything.

She didn't scold him.

She simply let the silence stretch between them, unspoken words piling up like stones.

Kael couldn't bring himself to look at her.

Not when she had to come to the palace to retrieve him.

Not when he had caused her trouble.

His grip tightened around the spoon. He forced himself to eat, barely tasting the food. The warmth of the soup should have been comforting, but it did nothing to ease the storm within him.

He finished in silence and pushed the bowl away. His mother hadn't eaten. She had only been watching him.

Without a word, Kael stood up and walked toward his small room.

Amara didn't stop him.

And for that, he was grateful.

Because if she had said anything. If she had asked him how he was feeling, if she had told him how worried she was. 

He wasn't sure he could hold himself together.

The moment he collapsed onto his bed, exhaustion overtook him.

And for the first time in two days, Kael slept. Behind his closed, he recalled the night the one in the dungeon.

Kael 2

Morning light seaped through the small window, casting golden streaks across the wooden floor. The distant sounds of the town waking up filled the air—vendors setting up their stalls, children's laughter echoing through the streets, the rhythmic clatter of hooves against stone.

Kael lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, unwilling to move. The stiffness in his limbs reminded him of the cold dungeon floor, the silence of the prison cell still clinging to his skin.

A gentle knock on the door pulled him from his thoughts.

"Kael," his mother called softly. "You need to get ready."

He took a slow breath before pushing himself up. The room felt smaller than usual, or maybe it was just him, trapped in the weight of his own thoughts.

Without a word, he rose from the bed and moved toward the small basin in the corner, splashing cold water on his face. The mirror above it reflected his tired eyes, the faint shadows beneath them a reminder of the sleepless nights in the dungeon.

He got dressed quickly, pulling on his usual attire. He wore a simple tunic and pants, nothing remarkable. His mother was already in the main room, waiting with a small breakfast set on the table.

"You should eat," she said, watching him carefully.

Kael only nodded, sitting down. He didn't speak.

Amara sat across from him, her fingers wrapped around a cup of tea. She wasn't pushing him to talk, but the concern in her eyes was clear.

"Go straight to the school" she finally said. "Don't let what happened stop you from continuing."

Kael nodded again. No words. Just silent obedience.

She sighed, reaching over to smooth his hair back, a small gesture, one she used to do when he was younger. But now, it made his chest tighten with guilt.

"Be careful, Kael," she whispered.

He nodded once more, grabbed his bag, and left.

The walk to the institution was uneventful. Townspeople moved around him, carrying baskets, calling out to one another, going about their daily lives. No one paid him much attention.

When he arrived at the institution, he immediately noticed two things—Alden was absent, and so was the princess.

His classmates whispered among themselves, throwing occasional glances his way. Some curious, others wary. Edrick and his group sat at their usual spot, their conversation pausing the moment they saw him.

But none of them dared to say anything.

Kael didn't care. He simply took his seat, staring at his desk, his mind distant.

The lessons passed in a blur.

He answered when called upon, wrote down notes mechanically, but none of it truly registered. His mind kept circling back to the dungeon, to the anger that had surged through him when he fought Alden.

It wasn't normal.

The strength he had felt, the way his body had moved.

Too unnatural.

A shiver ran down his spine.

He barely noticed when the last lesson ended. His classmates filed out, chatting among themselves, but Kael remained in his seat, lost in thought.

It wasn't until the instructor gave him a pointed look that he finally stood and left.

The walk home was quiet. The streets weren't as crowded as before, the air carrying the scent of bread and burning wood.

As he passed a large estate, something small darted across the garden fence. A tiny white puppy, its ears flopping wildly as it ran.

Kael stopped.

The puppy skidded to a halt as well, staring up at him with wide, frightened eyes. Its small body trembled, clearly startled.

Before Kael could move, a voice called out.

"Ah! There you are!"

A girl appeared, rushing toward the puppy. She was young, perhaps his age, with dark hair pulled into a loose braid. Her dress was simple yet elegant, the soft fabric swaying with her movement.

She scooped up the puppy effortlessly, cradling it against her chest.

"You naughty thing," she murmured, pressing her cheek against its fur before looking up at Kael.

For a moment, she simply studied him. Then, her lips curved into a bright smile. "Thank you for not scaring him away. He tends to run off whenever he sees something new."

Kael blinked, caught off guard by her energy.

"I'm Elena," she introduced herself.

Kael hesitated. "Kael."

"Kael?" She tilted her head, as if testing the name. "Nice name."

He nodded.

She smiled again. "You're good looking..."

Kael wasn't sure how to respond to that.

Elena giggled at his silence. "You're cute when you're shy."

Heat crept up his neck. He cleared his throat. "I should get going."

"Of course," she said, still grinning. "Maybe we'll meet again, Kael."

With that, she turned and walked back toward her house, her puppy nestled in her arms.

Kael stood there for a moment, staring after her.

For the first time in days, something felt... different.

He continued his walk home, his pace lighter than before.

When he entered the house, his mother looked up from the table.

"Welcome home," she said gently.

Kael did something he hadn't done for quite a while.

He smiled.

Then, he sat down, ate his meal, and later that night, instead of falling into restless sleep, he opened his books and studied.