Chapter 21 What the Empire Sees

Chapter 21 What the Empire Sees
Our return to the empire was quieter than it should have been, not because nothing had happened, but because too much had, and the weight of it followed me through the gates, like something pressing hard against my chest. Even as the guards straightened at our arrival, they tried to pretend like everything was normal when it clearly wasn’t.

They looked at me too long, like they always do, but somehow this felt different. Their expressions tightened just enough for me to notice, making me feel uncomfortable.

I didn’t slow down cause stopping would mean feeling it more.

Behind me, Valerius stayed close, close enough that I could feel the tension radiating off him without even looking, and I knew he was watching me, not in the way he usually did, not protective this time but… concerned in a way that made my chest twist, because I knew why.

He saw it, how close I came. And then there was Aeris. I didn’t need to turn to know she was there; I could already feel her, too.

She wasn’t chaotic like me, but steady and controlled, and somehow that made it worse, reminding me just how unstable I still was.

The guards noticed her, every single one of them. And the moment she stepped through those gates, their attention shifted to her, their posture stiffening, eyes narrowing slightly, and I could practically hear the questions forming in their minds.

Who is she? Why does she feel like that? Why is she walking beside Lyra?

But Aerie didn’t react; she walked calmly, observing as if none of it mattered.

“Efficient,” she murmured, almost to herself, but I heard it anyway.

I glanced at her, just briefly.

“You say that like you’ve seen better,” I said, my voice quieter than I intended.

Her lips curved faintly, like she knew something I didn’t.

“I’ve seen worse.” She responds calmly.

That again, that same answer.

And something about it unsettled me more than I wanted to admit.

Then Valerius finally spoke, his voice cutting through the tension, “You’ll be questioned.” He states.

Aeris didn’t even look at him.

“I assumed as much.” She responds immediately.

“That wasn’t a suggestion.” He points out.

And that made her turn. Their eyes met, and the air between them shifted instantly, something sharp passing between them that made me exhale softly in frustration.

“And I didn’t refuse,” she replied calmly.

I stopped walking for a second, just enough to make both of them notice.

“Both of you…stop,” I said, my voice tighter now, the exhaustion slipping through whether I wanted it to or not. “We just handled a fracture that nearly tore itself apart. Can we not do this right now?”

Valerius didn’t answer immediately, but after a moment, he looked away.

“Fine.”

Aeris didn’t say anything. But the faint look on her face told me she wasn’t bothered at all. And for some reason, that annoyed me more

The council chamber was already full when we arrived, and I wasn’t surprised, not even a little, because nothing involving me ever stayed quiet for long, especially not when it involved something unstable or dangerous, something they couldn’t control.
As soon as the doors opened, everything stopped, every voice, every movement, all of it turned to me, towards us.

I stepped forward anyway, even though the weight of their attention pressed down harder than usual, even though I could already feel the questions forming, the judgment settling in before anyone even spoke.

I was used to it, I had to be, but today…I wasn’t alone

Just as she stepped beside me, there was an immediate shift, the room now quieter than before, as something had just changed, and no one knew how to deal with it.

Immediately, murmurs started, low and uncomfortable.

Suddenly, someone finally speaks up sharply, “Who is that?”

“She was at the fracture?” Another person points out sharply.

“She feels…”

“Quiet.”

The command cut through the room instantly, and the silence that followed was heavier than before.

The High Elder leaned forward slightly, his gaze settling on me first, then shifting to Aeris, sharp and calculating.

“You returned faster than expected.” He says calmly.

I gave a short nod

“It was more unstable than the previous one,” I explained.

“And yet…” his eyes moved again, slower this time, more deliberate, “…you did not face it alone.”

I didn’t hesitate.

“No,” I responded sharply

“You brought an outsider into the Empire,” another elder said, her voice tight and disapproving, almost accusing.

“I brought someone who helped stabilize the fracture,” I corrected, my tone steady even though something inside me tightened.

“That is not the same thing.” He attacks.

“It is when the alternative is failure.”

Then there was a sharp Silence.

Then Valerius stepped forward just slightly, his presence grounding me in a way I didn’t realize I needed until that moment.

“She intervened at a critical moment,” he said. “Without her, the outcome would have been… less certain.” He points out with a slight frown.

That was an understatement, but I didn’t correct him because I didn’t feel the need to.

The High Elder’s gaze shifted to Aeris fully now, “And you? Do you have a name?” He questions.

She didn’t bow or lower her gaze, and without hesitation she responded, “Aeris.”

Her response was simple and direct, and it somehow made the room uneasy.

“And your allegiance?” The elder questions.

Aeris tilted her head slightly.

“I don’t have one.” He responds, frowning slightly.

And that didn’t help, not even a bit.

“You expect us to accept that?” someone demanded.

Aeris didn’t react.

“I don’t expect anything from you.” She blurts out, seeming nonchalant.

I closed my eyes briefly.

Of course you don’t.

“Enough.” My voice cut through before it could escalate further, sharper than I intended but strong enough to stop it anyway.

They all looked at me as I stepped forward slightly.

“She didn’t come here to challenge you,” I said. “She came because she felt the fracture. The same way I did.”

Then there’s a pause.

“And she helped fix it.” I finished calmly.

The High Elder leaned back slightly, considering, weighing everything.

“For now,” he said slowly, “she remains under watch.”

My chest tightened immediately, “That’s not necessary…”

“It is,” he cut in, firm and final. “Until we understand what she is.”

The words sat wrong.

Deeply wrong.

But I exhaled slowly anyway.

“Fine,” I accepted.

I didn’t like it. Not even close.

Later in the evening, I stood by the window, my arms loosely folded, staring out at the city below, trying to ignore the way my body still ached.

“You’re thinking too loudly.”

I didn’t turn to know who it was.

Aeris.

“I didn’t realize that was possible,” I mumbled.

Aeris stepped further into the room.

“It is when you look like that.” She points out.

I glanced at her finally.

“They put you under watch,” I said rather than question.

“I noticed.”

“And you’re just… okay with that?” I asked with a raised brow as I stared at her.

She shrugged slightly, “I’ve dealt with worse.” She said it, as if it were the most normal thing.

That again.

“You keep saying that,” I called out with a slight frown.

“And you keep noticing.” She says

I exhaled softly, running a hand through my hair.

“You could have left,” I said. “After the fracture.”

My voice was low as I studied her face. There was just something about her that fascinated me, but I couldn’t understand what.

“But I didn’t.” She finally responds

“Why?”

This time, she slightly hesitated.

“Because this isn’t just happening here.” She begins

Something in my chest tightened instantly, and my posture straightened

“What do you mean?” I frowned

Her gaze shifted toward the city.

“The fractures,” she said. “They’re spreading. Not just in your Empire.”

Instantly, my stomach dropped. “How many?” I questioned as my mind began racing, worry already crawling through me.

Her expression darkened, “More than you’re ready for.” She reveals

There was a heavy silence between us as the thought ran through my mind wildly, because I knew she wasn’t exaggerating.

A sudden knock broke the moment, and the door opened before I could respond.

Valerius stepped in.

His gaze went straight to me, sharp and assessing, then shifted briefly to Aeris.

“You should be resting.” He points out walking towards us.

“I’m fine,” I murmured, looking away from him.

“You said that before.” He said, taking my hand into his, then using the other hand to tuck a loose strand.

“And I meant it.” I finalized a bit sharply.

“You nearly broke yourself.” He pressed with a slight frown, but I knew he was looking out for Me.

My expression tightened.

“And I didn’t.”

“Not this time.”

The words hit harder than I expected.

“She’s right, you know,” Aeris said.

We both looked at her.

“You’re pushing too hard,” she continued. “And eventually, it’s going to push back harder.”

“I don’t have the luxury of going slow.”

“No,” she agreed. “But you do have the choice not to destroy yourself in the process.”

Valerius stepped closer.

“She won’t be doing it alone again.” He stared firmly.