### : New Ally or New Threat?**  

The golden hues of dawn crept through the thick forest canopy, casting shifting patterns on the damp earth. The air was crisp, laced with the scent of pine and the lingering smoke of their dying fire. Birds called out their morning songs, but the stillness in the clearing told a different story—one of tension and exhaustion. 

Eliana sat near the smoldering embers, absently tracing patterns in the dirt with her fingers. Sleep had been elusive. Every time she closed her eyes, memories of last night clawed at her—Kieran's hands on her skin, the heat between them, the unspoken words in his gaze. And then, just as quickly as it had happened, the world had returned, dragging them back into reality. 

Now, he sat a few feet away, sharpening his blade with slow, methodical strokes, his face unreadable as always. But something was different. His movements were too precise, too controlled. 

He was keeping his distance. 

Eliana clenched her hands in her lap. Maybe that was for the best. Last night had been a mistake—a beautiful, breath-stealing mistake, but a mistake nonetheless. 

They weren't lovers. They weren't even truly allies. 

They were two people on borrowed time, running from an enemy that wouldn't stop hunting them. 

A snap of a twig shattered the silence. 

Eliana's head snapped up. Kieran was already on his feet, blade in hand, gaze locked on the dense tree line. 

Something—or someone—was out there. 

For a moment, nothing moved. Then, a shadow shifted between the trees. A figure emerged, stepping into the clearing with slow, deliberate steps. 

A man. 

He was tall and broad-shouldered, his dark cloak blending into the morning mist. His face was hidden beneath the hood, but the way he moved sent a shiver up Eliana's spine. He wasn't just passing through. He had come for them. 

Kieran tensed beside her, his grip tightening on his sword. "That's close enough." 

The stranger halted a few paces away, raising his hands in a gesture of peace. "I mean no harm." 

His voice was smooth, calm—too calm for someone walking into a camp with two armed people. 

Eliana pushed to her feet, heart hammering. "Who are you?" 

The man slowly reached up and lowered his hood. 

His face was striking—strong features, a sharp jawline, and piercing gray eyes that seemed to see straight through her. His dark hair was pulled back loosely, a few strands falling over his forehead. 

"My name is Caelan," he said. "And I've been looking for you." 

Eliana's stomach twisted. 

Kieran didn't lower his weapon. "That's not the best way to introduce yourself." 

Caelan's gaze flicked to the sword, then back to Kieran. "Fair enough. But if I meant you harm, we wouldn't be having this conversation." 

Eliana glanced at Kieran. His jaw was tight, his stance rigid. He didn't trust this man. Neither did she. 

"Who sent you?" she demanded. 

Caelan met her gaze. "No one. I came on my own." 

Kieran let out a short, humorless laugh. "And I'm supposed to believe that?" 

"You can believe whatever you want," Caelan said evenly. "But the truth is, we have a common enemy. The same people hunting you—are hunting me." 

Eliana's breath caught. "You know about them?" 

Caelan nodded. "I know more than you think. And if you want to survive, you'll want to hear what I have to say." 

A long silence stretched between them. 

Kieran was the first to move. He sheathed his blade but didn't relax. "Talk." 

Caelan stepped forward, lowering himself onto a fallen log near the fire pit. He glanced between them, as if weighing his words. 

"They call themselves the Order of Ash," he finally said. "An ancient group that's been pulling the strings behind the scenes for centuries. They don't just want power—they want control. And they'll burn the world to get it." 

Eliana swallowed hard. "Why are they after us?" 

Caelan's eyes locked onto hers. "Because you're a threat to them." 

A chill ran down her spine. 

Kieran crossed his arms. "That's vague." 

"It's the truth," Caelan said. "Eliana, you're more than just a healer. You—" He hesitated. "There's something inside you. Something they fear." 

Eliana's breath hitched. 

She had always felt different, but she had never questioned why. Was there really something more to her? 

She shook her head. "I don't have any special power." 

Caelan studied her. "Not one you know of. But they do." 

Kieran shifted beside her, his gaze darkening. "What do you get out of this, Caelan? Why help us?" 

Caelan smirked. "Because I want them dead just as much as you do." 

Eliana's stomach twisted. The Order of Ash—these people who had been hunting her, killing to capture her—were more dangerous than she had realized. 

And now, standing in their camp, was a man who claimed to be their enemy. 

Kieran didn't look convinced, but Eliana saw something in Caelan's eyes—something real. 

Desperation. 

Hatred. 

And something else. 

Something that told her their fight had just begun.