Chapter 16:The Ghost Of A Past Unspoken

*Chapter 16: The Ghost of a Past Unspoken*

The academy grounds were eerily quiet that evening, the kind of quiet that seemed to press against the walls of the old stone buildings. Seraphina stood near the academy gates, her mind still heavy from the conversation with Maria. The weight of her responsibilities and the uncertainty of the prophecy loomed over her like a storm cloud, but something else gnawed at her—a feeling she couldn't shake, like an itch beneath her skin.

She'd known for days now that something was missing. Something was incomplete. And that something, or rather, someone, was Kael.

It had been weeks since she'd last seen him—weeks since he had left without a word, disappearing into the unknown like a shadow that had never truly been there. His absence had left a hollow space in Seraphina's heart, a place she didn't want to acknowledge. But now, standing at the gate, she couldn't escape the sense that his return was inevitable.

The wind picked up, sending a chill through the air, and Seraphina pulled her jacket tighter around herself. Her thoughts were interrupted by a figure emerging from the shadowed path, a figure she would recognize anywhere.

Kael.

Her breath caught in her throat, and for a moment, the world around her seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them standing in the pale moonlight. He was taller now, more imposing, with a look of quiet intensity in his eyes. His dark hair was longer, and his usual smirk was nowhere to be found. In its place was something unreadable, something distant, as if the Kael she once knew had been replaced by someone else—someone she didn't recognize.

"Seraphina," Kael said her name, his voice low and rough, like he'd been carrying the weight of a thousand unsaid words. "It's been a while."

The sound of her name on his lips sent a wave of conflicting emotions crashing through her. She'd spent so long wondering if he would return, what he would say when he did. But now that he was standing in front of her, all those words, all the anger and confusion, seemed to escape her.

"Why did you leave?" Seraphina finally asked, her voice trembling despite her best efforts to keep it steady.

Kael's expression faltered for a split second, but he quickly masked it, his face once again a stoic mask. "It wasn't my choice," he replied quietly. "I had to go. Things… got complicated."

"Complicated?" Seraphina repeated, her anger rising despite herself. "You disappeared without a word. No explanation, no goodbye. Do you have any idea what that did to me?"

Kael flinched, though he quickly regained control of his emotions. He took a step closer, his gaze unwavering. "I know it was wrong, Seraphina. I know I should've said something, but at the time… it didn't feel like I had a choice. I was trying to protect you."

Seraphina let out a bitter laugh, the sound sharp in the night air. "Protect me? From what? From you?" Her eyes burned with unshed tears, though she refused to let them fall. "You think you're the only one who's been dealing with things? I'm fighting for my life here, Kael. For my future. For my family. For all the secrets I don't understand. And you're just… gone. You left me behind."

The words hung heavy between them, and for a moment, there was nothing but silence. Seraphina felt her heart pound painfully in her chest. She wanted to be angry. She wanted to hate him for leaving her, for disappearing without a trace. But even now, standing before her, there was something about him that made her hesitate. Something that reminded her of the bond they once shared, of the trust she had placed in him.

"I'm sorry," Kael said softly, his voice barely above a whisper. "I never meant to hurt you."

For a brief moment, Seraphina searched his eyes, looking for any sign of the Kael she had known—the Kael who had always been so sure of himself, so confident in their connection. But all she found was a stranger, someone who had been shaped by the same uncertainty and darkness that was now overtaking her life.

"I don't know if I can forgive you," she whispered, her voice breaking with the weight of the emotion she had kept buried for so long. "You left me when I needed you most."

Kael's jaw tightened, his eyes shadowed with regret. He took another step closer, but this time, Seraphina didn't back away. "I don't expect forgiveness, Seraphina. I never did. But I need you to understand something." His voice was firm, but there was a vulnerability in it that Seraphina hadn't expected. "There's more going on here than you know. More than I can explain. But I didn't leave because I wanted to hurt you. I left because I was trying to keep you safe. And I'm back now because I have to make sure you're ready for what's coming."

"What's coming?" Seraphina echoed, her heart racing. "What are you talking about?"

Kael's expression grew darker, and he glanced around, as though making sure no one was listening. His voice dropped to a whisper, his words heavy with foreboding. "I can't say much, but there are forces at play that even the Silver-Blood family can't control. The prophecy… it's only the beginning. There's something else—something more dangerous. And you're going to need all the help you can get."

Seraphina's breath caught in her throat. Her mind raced, trying to process everything. Kael was back, and whatever had happened during his time away had changed him. But he was also offering something she desperately needed—answers. The mysteries surrounding her family, the prophecy, the enemies she didn't understand, all of it was starting to feel like too much to handle on her own.

"You're not alone in this anymore," Kael added, his gaze softening for a moment. "I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."

Seraphina swallowed hard, torn between the deep well of hurt inside her and the undeniable pull of the bond they had once shared. She had spent so long trying to protect herself from him, trying to move forward without him. But now, standing in front of her, he was the one thing that felt familiar. The one thing that made her believe, even if just for a moment, that maybe, just maybe, they could still find a way through the darkness together.

But trust… trust was a different story.

"I don't know if I can trust you again, Kael," she whispered, the weight of her decision pressing down on her.

Kael's face darkened, but there was something in his eyes—something that spoke of pain and regret. "I don't expect you to. But I hope… that in time, you'll see that I'm still on your side."

Seraphina stood there for a moment longer, staring at him, unsure of what to say next. There were so many emotions swirling inside her, so many things she needed to figure out. But one thing was certain: her past was far from finished with her. And Kael, despite everything, was a part of that past.

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