Chapter 14: Chapter Fourteen – I'm not his Soulmate.

Elara paced restlessly inside the quiet house, her heart thumping with unease. She hadn't seen Javen or Taliya since returning from her trip out of town, and the silence clawed at her nerves.

Where are they?

Her eyes drifted to the table—dinner was still perfectly served, the food untouched beneath the warm covers. She frowned.

Where did Taliya go? She wouldn't leave without a word… not like this.

The sky outside was already swallowed by night. The air felt heavier than usual, pressing against her chest like something was terribly, terribly wrong.

“Maybe I should go find her,” she whispered to herself and grabbed her long cloak, wrapping it tightly around her as she stepped toward the door.

But just as her hand touched the knob—

BANG!

The door flung open with such force it made her scream, stumbling back in fear—until she saw him.

“Javen?” she gasped.

He stood there, chest heaving, face pale, eyes wild with something that didn’t feel quite human. She rushed to him, grabbing his arm to steady him.

“You look like hell—what happened?” she asked, her voice shaking.

“They took her…” he murmured. “They took her…”

Elara’s breath hitched. “Wait—Taliya? Who took Taliya?!”

“Kaidon,” he spat, voice guttural. His fists were clenched so tightly blood welled around his nails, and flickers of unstable magic swirled at his fingertips, ready to explode.

Elara’s throat dried.

“This is my fault,” Javen muttered, barely coherent. “I should’ve warned her… she doesn’t understand this place. She doesn't know the danger—she doesn't know him.”

“No,” Elara said firmly, trying to keep her voice steady. “No, Javen. We should’ve done the right thing the moment we realized she’s not from our world. We should’ve sent her back.”

“Stop.” His voice broke—raw, fractured. “Stop talking about that.”

“Javen—”

“I CAN’T LOSE HER!” he screamed, and the power behind his voice cracked through the room like a whip. Elara stumbled back, stunned.

“I can’t send her back…” he whispered this time, voice broken. “I won’t.”

Elara’s heart twisted in confusion and fear. This wasn’t her brother. Not the one she grew up with. Not the calm, rational one who kept his emotions buried deep.

His breathing grew heavy, chest rising and falling as something gold flickered in his eyes.

Elara froze.

His eyes… they’re glowing.

Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Javen… what’s happening to you?”

But she wasn’t sure if she wanted to know the answer.

“I couldn’t stop him. He called her his soulmate.”

Elara’s eyes widened. “Soulmate?” she echoed.

“Yes,” Javen whispered, his voice rough. “ But I don’t care about whatever fate or prophecy he’s wrapped in—she’s mine. And I won’t let him take her from me.”

Elara stared at him, stunned. “Javen… you like her?”

♧♧♧

Back in Kaidon’s Territory

Taliya had been staring at the moon for so long, her legs had gone numb. She wasn’t even sure if minutes had passed or hours. Time felt strange here—warped, like this whole world.

Her thoughts were louder than ever, screaming inside her skull.

What is happening to me?

“God… please,” she whispered, voice cracking. “If this is a nightmare, I’m begging you—just wake me up. Please.”

But nothing changed. The moon kept hanging in the sky like an unblinking eye, watching her slowly fall apart.

Kaidon.

Just his name made her chest tighten. Her mind raced back to the first time she saw him—his towering figure, the way he’d torn that beast apart like it was nothing.

Who was he?

A king? A monster? A curse?

Her gaze drifted around the room again, to the grand, eerie castle that swallowed her whole. Everything looked regal, ancient... but dark. Wrong. The walls whispered. The shadows moved. It felt like she was trapped inside someone’s madness.

Magic, she thought bitterly. Javen had it too… but Kaidon’s magic—it was different.

Reddish-black, violent. Alive. And when his eyes glowed—it wasn’t just power, it was something else. Something inhuman.

"And what’s with this creepy soulmate stuff he keeps ranting about?” she mumbled to herself, crossing her arms tightly. “Hell no. Soulmate my ass. I’d rather rot in this cursed world than fall in love with a demon-psycho-beast-man-slash-everything wrong with life.”

She groaned and rubbed her forehead. Her thoughts were spiraling.

“I hope Javen’s okay, he was badly hurt” she whispered softly, eyes flicking to the moon. “Please let him be okay.”

Then—click.

The chamber door creaked open behind her, and Taliya instantly turned, heart skipping.

A young woman entered silently. Dressed in a maid’s gown, her demeanor was calm, composed—but her presence felt... off. Her aura was cold. Like the castle itself breathed through her.

Taliya furrowed her brows. “Hello… can I help you?”

The woman bowed lightly. “My name is Lenora. I have been assigned to attend to all your needs. The Master… has chosen me to serve you.”

Taliya’s lips parted. She swallowed hard.

The Master.

“Umm…” she stammered, suddenly feeling small and powerless. “That’s… not really necessary.”

Lenora smiled faintly. But it didn’t reach her eyes.

“I’m afraid it is.”

“What?” Taliya blinked, her frown deepening.

Lenora just stood there, calm and composed, the faintest smile curling her lips.

“Are you truly our Master’s soulmate?” she asked, her tone curious—too calm for the weight of her question.

Taliya stiffened, her breath catching.

“What? No—I… I’m not anyone’s soulmate.” she said quickly, voice laced with panic. “Your Master—he’s mistaken. He’s got the wrong girl. I don’t belong to him. This is all just… a huge, terrifying mistake.”

Lenora’s smile faded slowly, like a candle blown out.

“I see,” she murmured, then gave a quiet nod as if Taliya’s world-shattering truth was just a minor note.

“Would you like to have your bath now?”

Taliya stared at her, dumbfounded.

A bath?

Her chest ached with the weight of everything she couldn’t say. Her eyes flicked toward the door, then to the heavy walls closing in around her.

Will anyone here ever understand me?

She sighed, shoulders sinking.

“Yeah… sure. A bath.”