17. Kyeria

CHAPTER 17

Kyeria

K yeria could feel the magic of the Merstone thrumming in the inside pocket of her cloak. It radiated power she had never felt before. When her feet first touched the ground on the Golden Isle, the skies had opened and she had hear Lux herself:

"Hello, my sister's child. I welcome you to my land. You are destined to fulfill your destiny. To fulfill your fate. Go with grace dear Guardian, Luna's child of the trees."

The goddess had felt like the exact inverse of the goddess Luna. It was rare but not unheard of for a goddess or god to speak to their respective magic wielders. Kyeria was goddess blessed by Luna, an extremely rare honor among the fae. She had never told a soul. Only eight years of age when Luna appeared to her in a dream, whispered of her fate on the wind. When she woke she could remember not the prophecy of her fate, only the blessing. Maybe this was what drove her running from certain death right into the Hollow and their lands. To meeting Kellian, and Aura and Esmie. She sent up a prayer of thanks to Luna, for protecting her in her journey's. Kyeria felt so at peace in the Hollow. Like this was her destiny all along. Deep in her soul, she knew Kellian was wrapped up in that fate, the soulbond being a clear depiction of that.

"The magic bothers you?" Inaya asked as they walked back to the ship.

"It is an odd magic," Kyeria replied, "but magic of other gods and goddesses have always felt odd to me. I can recognise it quickly, as I did with Captain Grim."

Inaya's eyes snapped to hers. "You know the god he serves?" she asked in a whisper.

Kyeria shook her head. "He does not serve any god."

"Don't I know it," Inaya scoffed. "But you do? Luna?"

"I honor Luna, she is the source of my magic, but those blessed do not serve their gods or goddesses. They have a small fraction of said god's magic, and they may do as they wish with it, as fate deemed them worthy of the magic from the beginning."

"Do you think people are inherently good?" Inaya asked, eyes flashing back to Grim and Kellian who were walking many paces behind them.

"I do," Kyeria said firmly. "I very much do. But life is harsh, the world is all sharp corners and we lose our way sometimes. But I always hope for the good." Inaya reached for Kyeria's hand and gently squeezed before walking ahead onto the ship and disappearing into a lower room.

Kellian was rather silent during the next hour of sailing. Kyeria had tied together some rope, braiding it and making it large enough to tie off between two sail posts. She secured it tightly then climbed up, laying in the bed of rope she had braided, staring up at the sky. Pink and orange painted the sky as the clouds danced among the colors. She had her arms behind her head and the bed of rope was gently swinging with the rock of the ship.

"You look comfortable, love." Kellian's voice drifted to her when he appeared on deck.

"I would say I rather am." Amusement held her voice. "Care to join me?" Kellian let out a rare laugh, and climbed up.

"Come here," he muttered holding an arm out, and she happily folded into his arms.

"What's next, prince?" she asked, gazing to the sky.

"You save a kingdom you only accidentally stumbled into," Kellian replied. Kyeria let that sink in. Let the idea of fates wash over her.

"I can feel all your emotions through the soulbound." Kellian broke the silence nudging her. She looked up to him.

"I was thinking about fate," she replied. "When I was running from those guards, I had to make the choice, to run into the Ash Mountains, I knew the stories, the long twisted tales, how those who entered were bound to a fate of insanity, or certain death. That no one could cross. But something deep inside me pulled me toward it, toward you." She sighed. Fate had a way of wrapping through life, finding a way no matter the obstacles.

"I have been on the run most of my life," she continued. "I hardly remember the Fae Lands now, my mother or father. The memories have faded with time and I never thought it possible to ever feel at peace again. That I was destined, fated to run. Always." A tear rolled down her cheek and she felt the weight of it all bury her. "But finding Ameline, she called out to me. Fate was there, then you and the Hollow. Aura and Esmeralda. I can't possibly imagine my life any other way. I feel as though I've been with you, in The Hollow, for years , not just the months."

Kellian let her thoughts simmer and sink; he kissed her forehead, wiped her tears and held her tighter.

"If fate brought you to me, then who am I to ever let that go?" he said, voice confident and final.

The two of them stayed like that under the stars for most of the night. Kellian pointed out the constellations he knew and noted new ones he saw to chart later in his notes in the observatory. It wasn't until the moon was high in the sky that they retired to their rooms, where Kellian worshiped Kyeria in every sense of the word.

Kyeria was sorrowful to say goodbye to her new friend in Inaya. Inaya promised if she ever needed anything, she could reach out to her, leaving her with an Evanthian address. Lucius squealed goodbye and Kyeria even reached out, patting its head before it flew back to Grim's shoulder. The shadow raven was growing on her. As cold and dead as he was.

"If you need anything," Inaya insisted, "you find me." Inaya had spent hours talking to Kyeria. Kyeria had a gentle way about her, one where people easily trusted her and found solace in talking with her. Inaya had explained how she was working off a servitude contract with the mad king, one her father had not been able to fulfill with his early death. Inaya, as strong and brave and bright as she was, was under the thumb of the king, a slave to a cruel kingdom. She boarded ships to get around the continent easily, as the mad king had a deal with the pirate lord for safe passage between missions.

"Brother." Grim nodded to Kellian. They stood across from one another for a minute, stark opposites, one bright and one dark, before Kellian pulled his brother in for a hug.

"Be safe," Kellian instructed. Inaya responded with something witty, and they left them on the beach, beginning their trek back up the small cliffside. With the horses gone and only two rather light bags, Kellian turned to Kyeria.

"Fly home?" he asked. She nodded quickly, before digging into her pack. Kellian watched her, confused, until she pulled out a black and purple glimmering corset. It was exactly how she imagined it when Ameline had instructed her to have armor made of her scales. Anwar was able to craft only a corset in the time available but the glimmering purple turned black depending on how the light hit the scales, creating the most amazing reflections Kyeria had ever seen. It also provided a layer of protection while riding a dragon, the scales providing a strong barrier between her skin and the scales of the dragon she was riding.

"Anwar made it for me," Kyeria beamed. Kellian was in shock. The old texts were filled with tales of dragon riders but it had been so long since one existed that he had never seen any artifacts of riders.

"It's perfect," Kellian finally said. He pulled his pack off of his shoulder and set it at her feet before taking several steps away from her in the clearing and shifting. The gorgeous white shimmering scales never failed to stun Kyeria into silence. She swung both packs over her shoulders after securing the corset fully over her tunic and pants.

It took them a quarter of the time to fly home rather than ride horses. The views were stunning. Kyeria was thankful for the short fight, since holding on to Kellian without a rider's seat was rather difficult. But he flew low and slowly to accommodate her.

When Kellian and Kyeria arrived back on the castle grounds there was a commotion. A guard Kyeria did not recognise was running towards them as soon her feet hit the ground.

"Your highness! You must come quick!"

"What is it?" Kellian said sternly, watching the frantic eyes and stature of the guard, he was out of breath from running to them from across the grounds.

"The princess, your majesty, it's the princess," he gasped out. Kellian took off running in the direction the guard had come from. Kyeria followed quickly, her own heart rate spiking. She heard Esmeralda's cries before she saw her.

Nox was on the ground just past the castle's iron gates.

He wasn't moving.

"Get up!" Esmeralda screamed, setting Kyeria's nerves further on edge. Esmeralda was the calm one, she never raised her voice.

She was pulling at Aura, who was in Nox's arms. A smell of iron and bitterness filled the air. Her magic hummed and the wind whispered:

It is coming.

It is coming.

Kyeria's skin bristled, and she looked to Kellian. "Something is coming, " she told him down the bond.

"Soldiers, places!" Kellian screamed. "Close the gates!"

"Close the gates!" the soldiers repeated, and many began pulling on the ropes to drop the iron gate. Someone ran up to Kellian, appearing with his long sword, intricately engraved with a swirling design down the hilt, and a golden gem at the top surrounded by silver, twin to Aura's that was bloody on the ground next to her.

"Get up!" Esmeralda shouted again, pulling at Aura, but Aura did not budge. Her grip was on Nox, her face buried into his side. His eyes were closed.

"Aura." Kellian's voice boomed over the havoc. She lifted her head, eyes rimmed red, a slash down her cheek and neck, angry and protruding.

"Aura," Kellian said again, devastatingly soft.

"I won't leave him," she gasped out. "I will not leave him." She screamed when guards tried to get close to them. Nox was not moving. His dark skin was void of color, his dark hair was laying limply, his once tan shirt soaked through with blood and dirt turning it an awful muddy color. Kyeria took a stilling breath. Focused her magic on him. Faintly she could feel his life source, it was there but weak.

"Aura." Kyeria knelt down to her, placing her hand on her arm so softly. "Aura," she repeated. Her golden eyes cleared only slightly.

"Kyeria, please. Please save him." She was gasping between sobs, tears streaming down her dirt stained cheeks. Kellian stood in front of them, sword drawn and gazed beyond the gate. Soldiers were stationed around him, above the gate on the walls, arrows positioned.

"Kyeria, what is coming?" Kellian said down the bond. Kyeria shook her head, so many things unraveling at once.

"I—I don't know," She whispered.

"Kyeria!" Kellian shouted, turning to her, "what is coming?" His eyes begged her to focus her magic. She closed her eyes, and threw her palms to the dirt below them, letting her magic cast out like a web searching for any living thing. The earth shuttered, the magic of the land retreating. It was the shadow beast.

"It's on the outer rim," Kyeria said. "The village on the river." She gasped, the map forming behind her closed eyes. "Kellian, it turned around, it is heading towards the village."

Shouting insured around them, Kellian shouting orders. The royal guard formed around them and Kellian was having his silver armor put on, the deep red capes hanging from them. The high guard. The high guard were a small part of the Hollow's army, the highest ranked soldiers, most skilled, most lethal. Nox was the second in command to Kellian. But he was bleeding out on the ground.

Kellian looked back before they raised the gates and the high guard began moving.

"Stay here, help my sister and Nox. Please." Kyeria could not ignore the plea, the desperation in his voice, seeing his sister hurt and hurting. She nodded firmly.

"I love you," she whispered down the bond. She wasn't sure how far it reached and he was out of view when she said it. She hoped he heard nonetheless, because he walked away to help his kingdom and his people, and he took her heart with him.

After Aura finally let go of Nox, Esmeralda and Kyeria rushed in. Esmeralda quickly began heeling the shallow wounds, grabbing potions from her bag and using them when needed. Kyeria got to work on the deepest wound on his side, taking the time to piece the skin back together, closing the gash. But the wound was deep and the dark magic of the shadow beast had left its mark. A dark marrying black scar that looked like lightning was forming over his skin as Kyeria healed the wound. Like a signature from the beast's magic. Her magic shivered when it touched it, it felt like pure chaos, dark and twisted.

"Is it spreading?" Esmeralda asked, peering over.

"Not anymore," Kyeria responded by pushing her magic into Nox. She felt her body exhaust itself. Healing deep wounds was not an easy task, and her magic was reacting in turn.

"He is stable enough to move." Kyeria let out a tired sigh. Aura was next to her still.

"Can you still sense his lifebond?" she asked desperately. Her voice was raw and cracked.

"It is faint. But it is there." Kyeria sounded hopeful but sad. It was a big hit, one that would take out any normal person and she did not like the lingering darkness of the magic from the shadow beast. That kind of chaos magic was not meant to be trapped in a body. "Let's get him into the castle." Kyeria instructed some guards standing watch to help them. The gates were closed and guards were posted at every entrance. Kyeria was almost surprised at the quantity. Has she ever seen this many guards in the castle? Once Nox was stable and in the infirmary inside the castle, the attendants kept him comfortable, although he had not woken yet. Kyeria assured Aura he would be okay in time and then met Esmeralda in her potions room.

"I have the stone. But I have to be the one to use it, which I think means I should make the potion to channel the stone as well," Kyeria informed her by showing her the glowing green stone.

"According to the last text I read on ancient Mer curses, I will not be touching that thing," Esmeralda informed her. "Even if it is very pretty." She leaned in, admiring the colors and inscriptions on the front. Kyeria tried to not let her mind wander to Kellian but she couldn't help but worry. She wanted to be there with him, by his side fighting. But he needed her here, to watch over Aura and make sure she would be okay.

Kyeria took a break later that day, walking to the caves to see Ameline. The dragon had doubled in size over the last week while they had been gone. Her scales were darker, but still shone purple in the light. She could take off and fly for a short amount of time, but her wings were not at full strength yet, still growing. Ameline was all too happy to show Kyeria how shiny her scales were and that she had shed more of the smaller scales and saved them for Kyeria. Kyeria did not know it was possible for a dragon to be gleeful but when Kyeria entered the caves wearing her dragon scale corset, Amelie was beaming. If a dragon could beam.

"You look lovely," Ameline mused. Kyeria did a little spin,

"You like?" she asked, receiving a nod from the dragon. Her eyes were rose colored today, changing in the light. Kyeria wondered what that meant. Ameline gossiped about the inner workings of the priests, how one of the Dragons who lived in the northern ice covered lands had visited while they were gone with Fendiah. His name was Amadeus and he was the last living relative of Ameline's. Kyeria had a million questions, but Ember fluttered to them while they were in the meadows.

"Lady Esmeralda is requesting your presence, Miss Kyeria.'' She smiled. Kyeria said goodbye to Ameline and walked with Ember through the grounds back to the castle. She told her about meeting a Mer and riding on a ship. Ember glowed with the information. They parted ways when Kyeria reached the large glass doors; she made her way into the castle to see Aura passing the hallway.

"Aura." She stopped mid-step.

"Something is wrong." Aura began pacing again.

"Nox will be okay, healing takes time," Kyeria started but was quickly cut off by Aura.

"No. Kellian. Something is wrong with Kellian. I can feel it." She tapped her chest. Her red rimmed sleepless eyes met Kyeria's.

"Why can't you feel it?" Aura panicked. "Something is wrong." Her eyes were frantic, her hands shaking. Kyeria walked towards her like walking towards a barn cat, slow and steady not to spook her.

"Aura," she said gently, "I need you to take a breath." Aura did as she asked

"Focus on that feeling, try to harness that magic," Kyeria instructed. Aura calmed only a fraction but she shut her eyes. Light was glowing on her fingertips.

"Now what do you feel?" Kyeria asked. She tried to focus on her own soulbond but her magic was exhausted. She felt no disturbance, though she ventured she would only feel it through the bond if it was a mortal wound, the way Kellian had felt it when she was burned. She fixed her weary gaze to the windows and threw out her thoughts down the bond, like blindly throwing a net, no idea if it would reach him.

"Please be okay."

"Come back to me."

"It–" Aura said out loud, startling Kyeria back to reality.

"I think he's okay, it feels… scared, the emotion I can pick up, it's fear," Aura said.

"Okay…" Kyeria said slowly. "Let's go find Esmeralda, she'll have a calming potion, I think we both need one." She linked her arm with Aura and led them to Esmie. Esmie was buried behind a stack of books.

"Oh! You're back!" She lit up, her expression sombering when she saw a shaken Aura.

"What happened?"

Kyeria ushered Aura forward, sitting her in a deep maroon chair surrounded by stacks of books with candles on them. Emeralda's potion room was a direct reflection of her and who she was. Warm and inviting, filtered red hues lit by candle light making the space one someone would want to sit in for hours.

Once Aura was sitting, Esmeralda poured tea into a cup, stirring in a light purple potion with an engraved miniature spoon. She carried it over to Aura, and handed it to her, then went to the other corner pulling a soft blanket from an array of colorful knitted ones. Kyeria couldn't help her smile growing at the site, the handmade blankets and a warm cup of tea. Esmeralda whispering to Aura and assuring her everything would be okay, that Kellian was one of the most skilled fighters in the kingdom. But Kyeria noticed her words were cut off. Because it was Aura and Nox who were the next strongest fighters behind Kellian, and they knew Aura was thinking the same. That Aura should be with them, that Nox was laying in an infirmary bed healing from wounds caused by the very beast Kellian was going after. Kyeria took a calming breath, walked to the other two women and sat on the low cushioned stool next to Aura, Esmeralda crossing her legs on one of the floor mats that was embroidered with flowers, also likely another project.

They spent the next hour like that, Aura settling herself. Then coming back to them and beginning to plan out her next trek.

"You have the Merstone?" Aura asked, eyes clearing. Kyeria nodded and pulled out the stone. It was cool in her palm. Magic humming from it making her own magic stir in response. As she flattened her palm revealing it to the girls, Kyeria gasped. Like a sword had been plunged into her stomach, she fell to her knees, unable to breathe. Pain laced through her, consuming her every sense. Her magic jumped around trying to find the wound, trying to heal her. Faintly, she could hear Aura and Esmeralda shouting, hands on her shoulders. She was shaking. No, someone was shaking her.

"Ky!" Aura shouted. "What happened, what is it?" Her face was horror stricken, like something in her soul knew it before Kyeria could utter the words.

"Kellian," Kyeria gasped out, holding onto her side where the wound did not exist.

Esmeralda jumped up. "We must go!" she shouted, running around her room, attaching a few potion bottles to her belt, daggers slipped into place. Aura rose from the ground as well.

"Let's go." Her voice was even and sure. She walked to the door, her sword with the golden gem in the hilt to match her striking eyes was in her hands, and she was walking with a vengeance through the castle halls. Kyeria shot to her feet, trying to shake off the phantom pain, and chased after Aura, Esmeralda next to her. A door slammed open, echoing in the hall. All three of the women halted.

"What's happening?" a deep and angry voice grunted out. Nox stood, hair long and grown out, his side bandaged.

"Nothing, you stay here," Aura instructed, words clipped.

"Where you go, I go," he said, voice low and raw from a day of what Kyeria presumed was not speaking. An invisible conversation passed between them and Kyeria stood analyzing them.

"Fine," Aura conceded. An audible gasp shot from Esmeralda. Aura never conceded, let alone to a man, let alone to Nox. Something had changed.

"Give me a minute."

"Meet us at the stables." Aura turned on her heels and marched away. Esmeralda shot Nox a sympathetic look then ran after Aura.

Kyeria stood, feet planted to the wooden floors.

"Are you well enough to fight?" she asked Nox. "I can't heal you, I won't have enough for the both of you."

"I am well enough," Nox grunted, pulling on a chest plate. Kyeria sighed, stepped forward, and helped him with his armor. The red cape signifying him as the high guard was covered in dirt. But it would do for now. She nodded him ahead.

"Let's go," she ordered, arms crossed against her chest. She was already wearing her dragon scale corset, her daggers strapped to her side and thighs. Magic was humming, springing from her fingertips, wanting to be used, needing to be used.

Everyone mounted a horse. Aura and Nox to one so he wouldn't fall right off the horse despite saying he was fine. The four rode west hard, following the bitter painful beacon in Kyeria's mind.

Be okay.

Please be okay.

The noise hit them before they could say anything. Shouting and screaming. They were well into the village now. The houses on the ends were demolished. Collapsed into the ground and villagers were huddled in fear behind a failed wooden frame. A few of the villagers pointed east when they saw the dragon princess and her people. Whispering words of thanks as they passed.

A large shadow loomed over the houses across the way. Aura shot off her horse, leaving them all behind. Kyeria was on her tail, then passing her with her magic and the wind pushing her forward.

It steals our magic, child of the trees, do not let it take yours, the wind howled to her. Chills erupted on her arms. Soldiers were swinging blindly, two were on the ground unconscious. Kyeria's eyes sweeped the field, her bond calling out for Kellian.

Aura charged full speed at the beast. Esmeralda followed suit with Nox by her side. Fury fueled Aura, a battling cry as she was consumed by the shadows. Her light burst through it like a flame. The creature screamed. But Kyeria couldn't focus on it, she was running through the chaos trying to find Kellian.

Please, Goddess protect him. She sent up a prayer and the sun streamed down showing her a path, the wind whispered:

Quickly.

Quickly.

Then beyond the trees was Kellian, hunched over, bleeding from his side and hunched over another soldier. "You'll be okay," he insisted to the soldier.

"Kellian!" she shouted, and she ran, the trees beside her blurring, even the image of him blurring. She was crying, tears streaming down her cheeks, gasping for air. Gasping at seeing him alive, seeing he was okay.

"Kyeria." He lunged for her, sweeping her up into his arms. His armor pinched against her, the steel was cold and biting against her arms, but she didn't care, nothing mattered other than seeing him with her own eyes, him here, him okay, him breathing.

"My love, why are you here?"

"I felt it, I felt you being struck and it felt like I was dying, like you were dying, Kel."

"Shh," he soothed, hand stroking her hair. "I am fine, just a flesh wound. The dragon blood runs deep, takes more than a little wound to take me out," he assured, kissing her forehead. His hands held her cheeks as he looked at her. She peered down at the blood running down his side, armor burnt and disintegrated. She made a note to study that later, how had the shadow beast been able to melt metal?

"Who did you bring? I'm assuming the fiery light is my stubborn sister?" He asked with a smile growing. Kyeria let out a sigh, tilted her chin up to look at him and nodded. Aside from the easy smile, Kellian was covered in dirt and grime, blood smeared across his forehead, a small gash on his cheek. Kyeria brushed a thumb over it, letting her magic seep through and close the wound.

"She can't really be argued with," Kyeria said while healing the small wounds on his face and neck, then pressing a hand on his side; the gash was large but she could stop the bleeding for now. Her magic swelled, moving toward him without any effort. Her body, her magic, was so intune with Kellian, it knew every part of him and ached to heal him. A shiver ran through Kellian, his eyes were stormy as he watched her. Shouting from the soldiers and the chaos beyond broke them out of their trance. "Fuck, is that Nox?" he asked moving forward.

"Nox!" Kellian shouted, and dark brown hair swayed and the dark permanent angry eyes turned to meet Kellian.

"Hello friend, think you could keep me from the action?" Nox smirked. Kellian laid a hand on his shoulder with a determined smile.

"Never," Kellian said firmly.

"Now let's go get my sister out of trouble," Kellian grumbled. Light was going off like little explosions inside the clouds of shadow. The darkest parts being where the beast was solidifying. Then, suddenly a purple flash of light and a large explosion boomed. The shadows withered back into the trees away from the village. Another roaring battle cry, but this time it was Esmeralda. Fury on her face and a potion bottle in one hand, the other flowing with magic. Kyeria began pushing her magic into the ground, reinforcing the wall of the village with deep roots and branches, leaves intertwining. Aura was jumping, hurling through the air, throwing light. Kyeria pushed the air toward her friend to cushion the fall. When Aura landed one knee down, she glanced back, a wicked smile on her face.

" Thanks ," she mouthed and took off towards the beast again as it retreated. Nox let out a deep sigh and took off after her. Kellian shook his head and turned to the villagers.

"Let's gather the people." He instructed the soldiers, "Clean up what we can and find housing for those who have lost theirs."

Quickly the soldiers all moved into action. Helping people stand, guiding them to safety. The aftermath of the shadow beast was grim but not too extensive. Mostly, the people sat shaken and Kyeria watched as Kellian jumped into action. She saw him shine here, the dragon prince, the heir to the kingdom, the Guardian of The Hollow.

The clouds were moving in above, and a cold breeze pushed through the village. Two buildings had been demolished, only piled of stone, and small pieces of a once home lay there now. A small child was pushing a little stone aside. Kyeria used her magic to push the large stone away, smiling at the child. She helped clear the rubble and mess. The little girl who had red hair similar to her own was looking for something. A few sprites flew by, helping guide the people and lift spirits. Kyeria watched it all, eyes glassy. She hated destruction. This village held many children and she couldn't imagine the toll something like this beast would take on them. She never wished that type of fear on anyone. The fear she had known so well.

Kyeria bent down to her knees and looked at the little girl.

"I am Kyeria, what is your name?" she asked.

"Percy." She gave a shy smile and her hands clasped in front of her, fidgeting.

"What are you looking for?" Kyeria asked gently. She knew that look. Something lost, something that meant the world to this child.

"My doll," Percy whispered, eyes glassy with tears. "My mother made it for me."

"Okay, let's keep looking." Kyeria smiled and began moving more stones aside from what she assumed was the center of the home.

Kellian was talking softly to some of the older village women, helping them to areas that some soldiers had set up to treat wounds. He looked over to Kyeria smiling at her.

" Thank you ," he sent down the bond. Kyeria turned her head in question. " For helping my people ." He smiled then went back to tending to a wounded woman. Kyeria and Percy looked for a while before finding the small doll tucked in the furthest corner, dusty and dirty but whole. Percy hugged her so tightly, Kyeria almost fell back, letting out a smile and a laugh.

"Thank you, Princess!" Percy exclaimed.

"Oh—" Kyeria started but Percy ran off to a few other children showing off her doll.

" Princess has a nice ring to it ." Kellian's voice down the bond was playful but sincere.

"I am not a princess." She shook her head and busied herself helping some other villagers across the way.

" No, but a queen ," Kellian's voice down the bond was as low as a whisper. It startled Kyeria, as if it was a thought he didn't mean to send down the bond. When she looked back to him, he was busy moving things aside and working. She shook her head, a smile playing on her lips despite trying to rebuke it.

Kyeria looked off into the forest. It was getting dark and Aura and Nox were still out there. She spotted Esmeralda doing simple healing spells on artificial wounds and walked over to help her with the bigger ones. She sent a prayer to Luna to watch over Aura and Nox and focused on the people here, alongside Kellian and Esmeralda.