6. Naia

6

NAIA

I stumble, my head spinning as the world shifts around me. One moment, I'm cornered in a dingy alley, the next I'm... where? Trees loom overhead, their branches blotting out the sky. The stench of the market fades, replaced by the earthy scent of moss and decaying leaves.

"What the fuck?" I scramble to my feet, whirling to face my... rescuer? Captor? The demon towers over me, his obsidian skin gleaming in the dappled sunlight. Those silver eyes bore into me, and I fight the urge to shrink away.

"Stay back!" I snatch up a fallen branch, brandishing it like a weapon. "I don't know what you want, but?—"

"You're not what you seem." His deep voice cuts through my panic. "There's magic in you, girl. Wild, untamed, but unmistakable."

I bark out a laugh. "Magic? Me? You're cracked. I'm just a slave, nothing special."

But even as the words leave my mouth, memories flicker through my mind. The time I wished for rain during a drought, and storm clouds gathered within the hour. The lock that sprung open when I desperately needed to hide from a cruel overseer. The cuts and bruises that healed faster than they should.

"No," I whisper, shaking my head. "That's impossible."

"Is it?" The demon takes a step closer, and I tighten my grip on the branch. "Think. Have there been moments you couldn't explain? Times when the impossible became possible?"

I lower the branch, my mind reeling. The demon's words echo in my head, stirring up memories I'd long buried.

"I... there was this time," I start, my voice barely above a whisper. "I was maybe twelve. One of the other street kids, Darro, he'd stolen food from me. I was so angry, I wished he'd choke on it." My eyes widen as I recall what happened next. "And he did. Started coughing and sputtering right there in the alley. I thought it was just coincidence, but..."

The demon nods, encouraging me to continue.

"Then there was the storm." I run a hand through my hair, tugging at the tangled curls. "We'd had no rain for months. Crops were dying, people were getting desperate. I remember standing on the roof of an abandoned building, looking out over Ter, and just... wishing. Begging the sky for rain." I swallow hard. "The clouds rolled in so fast, it was like magic. But that's crazy, right?"

But even as I say it, more memories surface. The time I'd been cornered by a pack of feral dogs, only for them to suddenly whimper and slink away. The night I'd been freezing in a doorway and felt warmth spread through my body, like I'd been wrapped in an invisible blanket.

But it's never worked on a dark elf. Because they have magic, too…

"Oh gods," I breathe, sinking to my knees. "All this time... how did I not see it?"

The demon crouches beside me, his massive form surprisingly graceful. "You've felt it, haven't you? A power thrumming beneath your skin, begging to be released."

I want to deny it, to run, to wake up from this fever dream. But something in his words resonates, striking a chord deep within me. "I... I don't understand."

"Neither do I, fully," he admits. "But I sensed it the moment I saw you. You're no ordinary slave. You're something... more."

The branch slips from my fingers. "Who are you? What do you want from me?"

"I'm Kairos, and you're coming with me." His tone leaves no room for argument.

I scramble to my feet, backing away. "No the fuck I am not. I don't care what kind of magic you think I have, I'm not?—"

His hand shoots out, grabbing my wrist. A jolt of energy courses through me, and I gasp as glowing blue runes appear on my skin, mirroring the ones on his body.

"What are you doing?" I try to pull away, but it's like my arm is fused to his.

"Ensuring you don't run," Kairos growls. His silver eyes flash with determination. "I didn't come all this way to let you slip away."

The runes pulse, spreading up my arm and across my chest. It doesn't hurt, exactly, but it feels... wrong. Like something foreign is invading my body.

"Stop it!" I shout, panic rising in my throat. "Take it off!"

Kairos releases my wrist, but the runes remain. "I can't. Not until I'm certain you won't flee."

I rub at the glowing marks, but they don't smudge or fade. "What is this? What have you done to me?"

"A binding spell," he explains, his voice softening slightly. "It won't harm you, but it will prevent you from straying too far from me. And before you get any ideas, it can't be broken by anyone but me."

"You can't just... own me!" I spit the words at him, fury replacing fear. "I'm not some pet you can leash!"

"This isn't about ownership," Kairos says, frustration evident in his voice. "It's about necessity. Your magic is raw, untrained. You're a beacon to any creature sensitive to such things. And trust me, there are far worse beings out there who would love to get their hands on you."

I want to argue, to rage against this new captivity. But exhaustion suddenly washes over me, my legs trembling beneath me. I sink to the ground, cradling my marked arm against my chest.

"Why me?" I whisper, looking up at the demon towering over me. "What makes me so special?"

Kairos crouches down, bringing himself to my eye level. "That's what I intend to find out. But I can't do it alone, and I can't risk you running off before we have answers."

I thrash against Kairos, my fists pounding uselessly against his broad chest. "Let me go, you overgrown demon bastard!"

He doesn't even flinch. Those silver eyes narrow, and before I can blink, he's moving. Strong hands grip my waist, and suddenly I'm airborne. The world spins, and I find myself draped unceremoniously over his shoulder like a sack of grain.

"Put me down!" I screech, kicking my legs wildly. My heel connects with his stomach, but it's like hitting a brick wall. He doesn't even grunt.

"Not a chance," Kairos growls, his grip tightening. "I'm not leaving you behind."

I squirm, trying to wriggle free, but his arm is like an iron band across my thighs. Blood rushes to my head, making me dizzy. The forest floor sways beneath me as he starts walking.

"I'll scream," I threaten, pounding my fists against his back. "I'll bring every dark elf and beast for miles down on us."

"Go ahead," he says, and I can hear the smirk in his voice. "My magic will muffle any sound you make. Scream all you want, little one. No one will hear you."

Fury burns through me. I grab a fistful of his long white hair and yank hard. "Don't call me that like I'm a child! You could at least call me my name."

Kairos stumbles, just for a moment, and I feel a surge of triumph. But then his hand comes down on my ass with a resounding smack. I yelp, more from surprise than pain.

"That's enough," he snarls. "Keep it up, and I'll bind your hands too."

I go limp, seething. The glowing runes on my arm pulse in time with my racing heart. I'm trapped, truly trapped, and the realization makes me want to cry. But I refuse to give him the satisfaction of seeing me break.

"Where are you taking me?" I ask, hating how small my voice sounds.

"To find the reason I was called down here."

I snort. "Right. Because I'm supposed to trust the demon who just kidnapped me."

His shoulder shifts beneath me as he shrugs. "Trust me or don't. It doesn't change the fact that you're coming with me."

I close my eyes, fighting back tears of frustration. The forest moves beneath us as Kairos strides onward, carrying me to who knows where. And there's not a damn thing I can do about it.