Pier 100
Chapter 100
Nightfall Zone
Night had long settled over the Nightfall Zone, draping the obsidian towers and floating bridges in a veil of silver–bla the highest spire of the Moonveil Palace, Princess Elowen sat alone in her chamber, a single crystal lamp glowing so! her.
Before her lay a sketch.
The paper was thin, preci
arnest. A man stood and he did not lean
Adrian.
Elowen’s had haur
He h
ported from beyond the Zone. The lines were not perfect, nor were they delicate–bu center of the page, eyes calm yet distant, posture steady as though the world leaned he rough strokes, someone had written a single name.
above the page, never quite touching it. Sinc childhood finally loosened its grip–this
day her illness had faded–since the pa
arely left her sight.
H
ratitude.
her the way others did.
e had given her worked.
e in her life, Elowen could breathe with could sleep without fear of never waki
g her chest. She could walk the palace halls with
eams
–
Never clearly.
ne stood at the edge of al
alled. Sometimes he t
tightened.
ognize. Sometimes he walked away from her no matter how readable, as if burdened by things far heavier than her gratit
we are
pty room. “Even if you don’t know it.”
st as the door opened.
runes of authority, his long hair tied neatly behind him. As the Crown Prince, bi
her.
be resting.”
h for a lifetime, brother.”
His eyes caught the ed
sketch beneath
Chapter 100
+25 Bonus
tly. “Yes”
ext this answer yet hoped not to hear it.
“You would fall the
A
His eyes widened?
you cannot harbor feelings for someone who does not belong to the Nightalk not belong to the Nightfall
“You don‘
at does not mean fate binds you.”
ill miraculous. “Before him, every healer said I would not survive past twriwould not survive past twenty- voided this palace like a cursed ground.“ace hike a cursed ground.”
world has changed. Princes from the Azure Dominion. Heirs of the sun Dominion. Heirs of the Sunbound ch. They line up to seek your hand.” p to seek your hand.”
‘when I could barely stand?” to Lonuld barely stand?”
embling not with weakness but resolve. “They smiled politersolve: They smiled politely and turned away.
ction.”
Stability? For a man you barely know?or a man you barely know?”
e a dying princess. He saw a patient. A problem to salva patient. A problem to solve. A life worth saving
ven know if he likes you. Or if he remembers you Or if he remembers you at all.‘
“You would lea
Yes.”
His eyes widen that swallow p
“I will learn,”
“You don’t kn
“I don’t care.”
“You don’t kn
Her gaze shar
Caelan clench
“And I was ad
stranger who!
She stepped cl
“Brother. ple
He looked dow
handkerchiefs
“You’re askin
“I’m asking y
Caelan clused
He knew their
Elowen to lesm
“What if vowa
Her chest tigh
“Then I will te
be enough.”
Caelen Minec
You w
ting.”
Whowen stil
I can’t see it clearly. But I feel it/tonglearly, But 1 feel it. As though our paths are already woven
A
tion, but something deeper Sambut soreeting deeper. Something unsettling.
H
revealing the sketcirkulys evening the slutch fully. Caelan stared at it, his expression darkening
“You would have the Nightfall Zone,” he said slowly, “to search for him?”
+25 Borut
His eyes widened. “You don’t understand what you’re asking. The world beyond the Zone is vast. Dangerous. There are realms that swallow people whole. You cannot simply go out and say you want to find someone when you don’t even know where he is.”
“I will learn,” she said firmly.
“You don’t know his lineage. His status. His enemies.”
“I don’t care,”
“You don’t know what kind of world he belongs to.”
Her gaze sharpened. “And yet he walked into ours and changed my fate.”
Caelan clenched his fists. “You are the princess of Nightfall.”
“And I was a dying one,” she replied. “Now I am alive. Truly alive. And I will not spend that life locked behind walls, married to a stranger who sees me as a political prize.”
She stepped closer to him, her voice softening
“Brother…please.”
He looked down at her, seeing the sister he had almost lost so many times. The child who had coughed blood into silk handkerchiefs. The young woman who had smiled through pain so others wouldn’t worry.
“You’re asking me to defy our parents,” he said quietly.
“I’m asking you to help me convince them,” she pleaded. “Let me go. Let me find him. If I fail… I will return. I swear it.”
Caelan closed his eyes.
He knew their parents. The Queen, cautious and proud. The King, bound by tradition and fear of loss. They would never allow Elowen to leave–unless forced by something stronger than logic.
“What if you find him,” Caelan asked slowly, “and he wants nothing to do with you?”
Her chest tightened–but she did not falter.
“Then I will thank him,” she said. “And I will walk away knowing my life was saved by a man who owed me nothing. That will be enough.”
Caelan studied her for a long time.
“You’ve changed,” he finally said.
Elowen smiled faintly. “I lived.”
A long silence stretched between them.
At last, Caelan sighed. “I can speak to Father. And Mother. I can… suggest a pilgrimage. A journey of gratitude. Something controlled.”
Her eyes lit up. “You would?”
“I did not say I would succeed,” he warned. “And I will not let you go alone.”
She stepped forward and embraced him tightly. “Thank you.”
He stiffened, then returned the embrace.
+25 Borus
“But hear me clearly, Elowen,” he said gravely. “If this man brings danger to you–if his path is stained with blood and chane- you will be brought back. Even if you hate me for it.”
She pulled back and met his gaze.
“If his path is dangerous,” she said softly, “then maybe that is why fate let him save me.”
Caelan did not like that answer.
But he could not deny the light in her eyes–the same light that had been absent for years.
As he turned to leave, Elowen returned to the table, lifting the sketch once more.
COIN BUNDLE: get more free bonus
D
Comments
