*The Ghosts of the Past and the Dangers of the Present*  

The night air was crisp, laced with the scent of burning wood and roasted meat, but Eliana could hardly enjoy it. 

Caelan's words echoed in her mind, replaying like a cursed melody. 

*"I was given a mission to find you."* 

*"Save you, if necessary."* 

*"I don't know who gave the order."* 

Lies. 

Eliana had spent her life deciphering deceit, peeling back facades, and finding the truth buried beneath smooth words. And right now, every instinct screamed that Caelan wasn't telling her everything. 

She sat stiffly at the feast, her spoon untouched in her bowl. Across the fire, Kieran was silent, his golden eyes fixed on Caelan like a predator waiting for its prey to make a wrong move. 

Tension coiled between them, thick and suffocating. 

Caelan, usually the most carefree of them all, wasn't grinning. His fingers toyed with the rim of his cup, his expression unreadable. 

Eliana exhaled slowly, forcing herself to focus on Amelia beside her. The little girl had fallen asleep against her arm, her small frame rising and falling with each peaceful breath. 

For a brief moment, Eliana envied her. 

What she wouldn't give for one night of peace. 

"Eat," Kieran's voice broke through the silence. 

It was directed at her, not Caelan. 

She met his gaze, feeling the weight of his concern beneath his hardened exterior. 

"I'm not hungry," she muttered. 

"You haven't eaten since morning," Kieran pointed out. His voice was calm, but there was a subtle command beneath it. 

Eliana scowled. "And?" 

"And I don't want to carry your unconscious body through the woods tomorrow." 

Caelan snorted, some of his usual smugness returning. "Now *that* would be a sight." 

Eliana shot him a glare. "I'll be fine." 

Kieran didn't look convinced. "Eat." 

When she didn't move, his jaw tensed, and before she could protest, he reached across the table, picked up her spoon, and scooped up some stew. Then—**he held it up to her lips.** 

Eliana's breath hitched. 

The flickering firelight cast shadows across his face, highlighting the sharp angles of his jaw, the intensity in his eyes. The entire world seemed to blur, leaving only him—the stubborn, infuriating man who never let her suffer alone. 

She wanted to slap the spoon away. Wanted to tell him off for treating her like a child. 

But she didn't. 

She didn't know why. 

Her fingers twitched against her lap, her heart hammering against her ribs. 

Kieran raised a brow, waiting. 

Daring her. 

Heat crept up her neck, and she snatched the spoon from his hand before shoving it into her mouth just to break the unbearable tension. 

The stew was warm, rich with spices and herbs, and as much as she hated to admit it, the comfort of it settled something inside her. 

Satisfied, Kieran leaned back, his smirk barely visible. 

"Was that so hard?" 

Eliana huffed. "Go to hell." 

His quiet chuckle was far too smug. 

Caelan watched the exchange with a knowing gleam in his eyes but, thankfully, said nothing. 

Instead, he leaned forward, lowering his voice so only they could hear. 

"We should talk," he murmured. "Somewhere private." 

Kieran's expression darkened instantly. "Why?" 

Caelan's gaze flickered around the gathering, scanning the villagers, the flames, the shadows stretching beyond the firelight. 

"There's something you need to know," he said grimly. "Something about the **hunters**." 

Eliana stiffened. 

The last time she had encountered hunters, she had barely escaped with her life. 

Kieran must have sensed her shift in mood because his gaze hardened. 

"Now?" he asked. 

Caelan nodded. "Now." 

--- 

### **A Meeting in the Dark** 

They slipped away from the feast unnoticed, their steps silent as they wove through the trees. The further they went, the quieter the world became, until only the whisper of the wind remained. 

Finally, Caelan stopped near a fallen log and turned to face them. 

His usual playfulness was gone. 

"I wasn't lying," he said. "I really don't know who sent me after Eliana. But—" he hesitated, "—I do know *why*." 

Eliana's heart pounded. "Then tell me." 

Caelan exhaled, running a hand through his dark hair. 

"There's a bounty on you." 

The world tilted. 

Kieran went rigid. "What?" 

"Not just any bounty," Caelan continued. "A *royal* bounty. The kind that gets hunters, mercenaries, and assassins crawling out of the shadows." 

Eliana felt cold. "Why?" 

Caelan hesitated again. "Because of your **bloodline**." 

The words were a blade to her chest. 

*Not this again.* 

Eliana's hands curled into fists. "I don't have a bloodline," she bit out. "I'm no one." 

Caelan gave her a sad smile. "Eliana… you know that's not true." 

She shook her head, her pulse a violent rhythm. "No. I—" 

She felt Kieran move before she saw it. 

His hand pressed against the small of her back—a grounding touch, steady and warm. 

"Breathe," he murmured. 

She did. 

Slowly. 

Caelan watched her carefully before speaking again. 

"There are rumors," he said. "That a lost heir still lives. That the blood of the **old kingdom** runs in her veins." 

Eliana's chest tightened. 

The old kingdom. 

A forgotten empire, burned and buried in the pages of history. 

Kieran's grip on her tightened. "And you think it's her?" 

Caelan's gaze was unwavering. "I don't think. **I know.**" 

Silence. 

A heavy, suffocating silence. 

Eliana felt sick. 

Her entire life, she had been running from ghosts. From enemies she didn't understand. 

But now— 

Now, she knew. 

It had never been about **who she was**. 

It was about **what she was worth**. 

And she was worth a kingdom. 

A kingdom that powerful men would kill to reclaim. 

Kieran's voice was low, dangerous. "Who else knows?" 

Caelan's expression darkened. "Too many." 

Eliana's breath shuddered. She stood up abruptly. "excuse me I need a lone time to process this."she whimpers and walked away into the darkness as the shadows cast a siren glow over her. 

It was only a matter of time. 

Only a matter of time before the past **caught up with her**. 

Before she was hunted. Again. 

Before she lost everything. 

Again. 

Kieran turned to her shadow , his golden eyes burning with something fierce. 

Eliana hesitated. "And then?" 

Kieran held her gaze. 

"Then, we fight." 

---