Elián;

He’s gone.

I shouldn’t still be thinking about it, but I can’t help it. I can’t help but think about how things are going to be now that he’s not here.

The training grounds are certainly going to be less active... And I’m not going to have someone around to ruffle my hair and pinch my cheeks at random intervals...Or someone to sneak into the room in the dead of night to caress my stomach, refluff my pillows, and ensure every window is wide open if I’m sweating too much.

He thinks I never noticed... but I always did. Even if Zephan may never have,

To be honest, every night, I wait for him. I wait for him to sneak in to check on me when he thinks I’m asleep.

Only after each visit do I drift into sleep properly. And now—

My heart can’t stop aching over the fact that he actually left.

He’s a prince. His royal responsibilities come first. He was summoned to the capital and had to go. Nothing about it is strange, and yet... Why can’t I just let it go!?

I pace about restlessly as I remember one detail of his departure that stood out.

It’s the way he turned back to look at me... The look in his eyes, like he—like he was leaving for good... Leaving me.

I remember the way his eyes found mine, like they usually do. Easily... quickly... Softly... But this time— Something was different.

I bite the inside of my cheek as I place a hand on my hip.

No. "Different" doesn’t quite do justice to what was wrong with the way he looked at me.

...When our eyes met, something was missing in his eyes. His gaze wasn’t the same as it usually is.

This time... it felt like overnight, something just... changed...

Like something in him pulled back.

Like he looked at me and in that moment chose to... Let go.

I’ve been thinking about it since his carriage left. Let go of me??

Wait... did he feel some type of way about Zephan marking me!??

No. Of course not! Right?? I... He... Zethar doesn’t care about stuff like that. He only left because he had to.

Zethar is the most nonchalant of all the brothers. Me getting marked by Zephan couldn’t possibly have... affected him.

No.

I probably misunderstood the look in his eyes. Maybe he was sad he had to go. He didn’t leave because of me.

I—I didn’t hurt him... Did I?

I drop myself on the edge of my bed with a frustrated huff, and my mind wanders. A breath escapes me as I lean forward again, resting my forearms on my thighs, as I stare at the floor. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

I imagined it.

I’m reading into something that isn’t there.

He just...

"We shouldn’t have let him go." I freeze as Elien’s voice breaks through my thoughts and fully consumes my mind.

I sit up straight instantly, feeling a mix of relief and confusion all at once.

He’s been silent for days now. I could feel him... but he hasn’t uttered a word... until now.

And it’s to complain about Zethar leaving??

A frown forms on my face as my mood suddenly flips.

"You’ve been quiet for days. You don’t just... disappear like that and then come back out of the blue with complaints!" I snap, and I’m met with silence.

My frown deepens.

"I hate it when you do that. We are partners, are we not? How do you ghost the person you’re sharing a body with?? It’s not cool, Elien, you need to stop doing that! And what do you mean we shouldn’t have let him go? You heard him. His father is sick. He had to go." I rage, and still again, I’m met with silence.

I grit my teeth in frustration as I wait.

I’ve been begging him to talk to me for days, and he hasn’t. And he—

"You felt it." His voice comes again, and this time, my brows knot in confusion.

"Felt... What?" I ask in confusion, and I hear him sigh in what seems to be exasperation.

HE’S EXASPERATED!? Him!?? After ghosting me for days, he—

"Elian, now is not the time to doubt your gut. I know you felt it."

I pause in annoyance as I am utterly clueless about what he’s talking about.

"I felt him leave. We share a temporary bond, so it’s normal for me to feel a bit gloomy about his departure. That’s what happens when someone—"

"No! That is not what I’m talking about!" He replies, and I freeze from how firm his interruption was.

"Fine, then tell me, Elien? What did I feel? Huh? What am I feeling? What is this fucking heaviness in my chest now that he’s gone? And why are you only speaking up now??" There’s a pause for a moment before he speaks.

"A part of you can already feel the danger in the air nd how much we need him!"

The words settle into my mind like cold water on a feverish body, and everything inside me pauses.

The words instantly feel like a confirmation of things I felt earlier and hoped were not true.

"D-danger?"

"Yes. He shouldn’t have left. I let my feelings bleed into yours. I tried to make you feel the discomfort, and still..."

"I’m confused..."

"Elian, we aren’t safe." He replies, and I stare into space as I try to process his words.

I hear him. Something feels off, yes. I’ve been feeling strange over the past few days, but...

"Koda is here. Zephan, Queen Selthía is here.... Even Asa is here. We’re not unprotected. Whatever this is, I’m sure it’ll pass."

"No, it won’t pass. And although all of them are here, Zethar is the one with the strongest sense for danger. He’s the only brutal enough to stand against what is coming." He replies. And my mouth falls open.

Brutal?? What is coming...? Is this... is this why he suddenly went MIA on me??

"Elien... What is coming?" I can’t help but ask out loud as worry floods every single vein in my body.