Special Chapter: Shadows of Kael’ka

A year in the elves' cave had changed Wild, though it hadn't broken him. The heavy clothing, the loads, the endless days of labor had toughened his body, even if they couldn't erase his deformity. Kael'ka, his unexpected friend, was a constant presence—her silver eyes watching him, her laughter ringing out when he stumbled over Elvish words. But one day stood apart from the rest, a day when their friendship deepened beyond mere words by the fire.

It came after another grueling trial—the elves had forced Wild to haul a massive boulder across the village, his hands bleeding, his legs buckling. Kael'ka, as always, watched, but this time she didn't stay on the sidelines. When he collapsed by the stream that flowed beneath the roots of a giant tree, she approached, her light steps barely brushing the ground. Her clothing—a short tunic of soft leather and fabric, clinging to her slender frame—was streaked with dirt, her ash-pale hair tousled and falling across her face.

"Sin'eshar vadis tel'quar! (You fell again!)" she said, her voice teasing, though her eyes softened. She knelt beside him, her knees touching the cold stone, and leaned closer. Wild lay there, breathing heavily, his shirt—rough, made of hides—hitched up, exposing his thin but no longer frail chest. Kael'ka noticed, her gaze lingering on his pale, scratched skin, and then she reached out, her fingers brushing his stomach.

He froze, his uneven eyes widening. Her touch was light, almost weightless, yet warm, like the flickers glowing in the cave. "Kwe sin'tara esh'vani? (Why are you so strange?)" she asked, her voice quieter, her fingers sliding upward, tracing an old scar along his ribs. Wild didn't know how to respond—his raspy voice would only muster a groan—but her nearness, her curiosity, sparked something new in him, a heat he hadn't felt even with Tekra.

Kael'ka smiled, her lips twitching, and suddenly stood, pulling him by the hand. "Nara esh'tal! (Come on!)" she commanded, and he stumbled after her. She led him to the stream, where water flowed between rocks, reflecting the glow of the lights. "Sin'vethar vadis tel'quar! (You're filthy!)" she declared, and before he could react, she shoved him in. He fell with a splash, the cold biting his skin, but Kael'ka didn't stop—she leapt in after him, her tunic soaking instantly, clinging to her body, accentuating the curves of her waist and hips.

She laughed, splashing water in his face, her hair sticking to her neck, droplets sliding down her shoulders and glinting in the dim light. "Kael'ka vadis sin'tara! (Kael'ka's better than you!)" she taunted, swimming closer. Wild tried to dodge, his weak arms flailing in the water, but she caught him, her hands pressing against his chest, pinning him to a rock at the bank. Her face was so close he could feel her breath—warm, faintly scented with forest herbs. Her tunic had ridden up, baring a thigh, and she pressed against him harder, either unaware or unconcerned.

"Sin'eshar esh'tal vadis kwe? (Are you scared of me?)" she whispered, her silver eyes gleaming, her voice dipping into something playful. Wild wasn't scared—he was stunned. Her body, warm and light, contrasted with his cold, crooked flesh, and the sensation—her closeness, her skin against his—ignited a spark, not of mana, but human, almost forbidden. He reached out, his trembling fingers brushing her shoulder, sliding along her wet skin, and she didn't pull away—only smiled wider, her lips parting slightly.

The water lapped around them, their clothes clinging to their bodies, and Kael'ka leaned in, her hair falling across his face, her chest pressing against his through the thin fabric. "Tel'vani sin'tara esh'vani. (You're strange, but interesting.)" she said, her voice soft, yet carrying a hint of something more—curiosity laced with desire. She traced a finger along his cheek, down the crooked line of his mouth, and Wild felt his heart pound, heat rising from his stomach to his throat.

The moment didn't last long—she pulled back, climbing out of the water, her tunic hugging her like a second skin, and laughed, looking down at him. "Nara sin'vethar! (Get out, lazy!)" she called, offering a hand. He clambered out, wet and shivering, but not from the cold—rather from what had just happened. Kael'ka stood beside him, her figure glistening in the light of the flames, her gaze—warm, slightly mocking—promising that this wasn't the end of their strange, intimate friendship.