Chapter 84 Here we come
Chapter 84 Here we come
Amara POV
The corridor greets us with a breath of cool air that feels sharper than it should, as if the warmth of the bath has already become something distant and fragile, a comfort left behind like steam fading from skin.
Muscles that had softened beneath warm water begin to tighten again, instinct settling back into place with the familiar certainty of armor sliding over flesh.
Torches burn along the walls in patient rows, their flames bending and stretching as we pass, casting long shadows that glide across the stone floor like silent watchers keeping pace beside us.
The sound of our footsteps echoes ahead in measured beats, neither hurried nor slow, but deliberate in a way that feels heavier than the simple act of walking should allow.
Somewhere in the distance, voices murmur and fade, the castle alive with movement that reminds me the world never truly pauses, no matter how badly one wishes it might.
Sebastian walks beside holding my hand, the bond between us humming with quiet strength that presses gently against my awareness like warmth lingering beneath skin long after fire has burned low.
I can feel his focus, steady and unwavering, a presence that anchors rather than restrains, and the comfort of it settles into my chest in a way that feels both foreign and dangerously welcome.
It still surprises me how quickly silence between us has begun to feel less like distance and more like understanding.
The glow of magic becomes visible before we reach the chamber, faint at first and then steadily brighter with each step forward until violet and silver light spills across the corridor floor in shifting waves.
Portals always feel like wounds carved into reality, temporary tears that demand respect even from those accustomed to their use.
Sybil stands at the center of the chamber beyond the archway, her hands lifted as threads of shimmering magic coil and twist between her fingers with careful precision.
Cassian mirrors her movements across from her, their energies weaving together into a widening circle of light suspended in the air like a doorway waiting to be opened by unseen hands.
The portal pulses with steady intensity, its surface shifting like liquid glass stirred by invisible currents.
Leviath stands near the edge of the chamber, arms folded across his chest as he watches the magic form with quiet focus that never quite relaxes into ease.
His gaze shifts the moment we enter, dark eyes locking onto mine with an expression that feels heavier than simple farewell, as if words sit waiting behind his teeth and refuse to remain silent any longer.
Something about the way his posture stiffens makes unease stir low in my stomach, sharp and immediate.
“You’ll return soon,” he says, though the words carry more weight than reassurance, his voice steady yet edged with tension that curls beneath the surface like something waiting to break through stone.
His gaze flicks briefly toward Sebastian before returning to me, hesitation lingering in that single glance as though he weighs the cost of speaking against the danger of silence.
The air between us thickens with expectation, heavy enough to make my pulse shift into wary rhythm.
Sybil’s magic flares brighter, the portal widening until the interior glows with swirling light that reflects across the chamber walls in fractured patterns, and Cassian steps back with a measured exhale that signals the doorway is ready.
The opening hums with restrained energy, its surface rippling gently like water disturbed by unseen motion.
One step forward would carry us through, returning us to the castle that now holds both safety and uncertainty in equal measure.
“Amara,” Leviath says before I can move, his voice cutting through the chamber with quiet urgency that halts my steps without the need for force.
I turn toward him fully, sensing the shift in tone that transforms casual farewell into something far more deliberate. The look on his face tightens into grim certainty, and whatever hesitation lingered before disappears beneath hardened resolve.
“There was someone involved,” he continues carefully, his words chosen with precision that suggests each one carries weight far beyond its sound.
His jaw tightens as if forcing the truth outward requires effort, and the flicker of anger in his eyes burns brighter with each passing second.
“The one who helped arrange your capture was not an outsider, not some distant enemy, but someone close enough to move without suspicion. I never saw them personally, it was an anon hire.”
The words strike harder than steel against bone, sending a sharp pulse of disbelief through my chest that rattles against the steady calm I had fought to rebuild.
Close enough to move without suspicion means trust was given where betrayal hid, and the thought twists something deep in my stomach into a knot that refuses to loosen.
Faces begin to flicker through my mind without invitation, each one shadowed by sudden doubt that feels both unfair and unavoidable.
“So you didn’t see who it was?” Sebastian asks, his voice steady but edged with quiet tension that mirrors the sharp spike of unease crawling beneath my skin.
His posture shifts subtly beside me, shoulders tightening as though preparing for conflict that has yet to show its face.
The bond between us flickers faintly, reacting to the shift in my emotions before I fully recognize them myself.
Leviath shakes his head once, frustration carving harsh lines across his features as his hands curl into fists at his sides. “No name was given, and no face was shown before the connection broke,” he replies, the anger in his voice tempered only by the effort to remain controlled.
“But the message was clear enough to leave no room for misunderstanding, and the warning carried certainty that cannot be ignored. Whoever this was, thought I intended to kill my daughter. They want her life.”
Silence settles heavily between us, thick with the weight of possibilities that feel darker than any threat spoken aloud.
Trust has always been a fragile currency in courts filled with ambition, yet betrayal from within cuts deeper than blades wielded by enemies standing in plain sight.
The thought lingers like poison spreading slowly through blood, impossible to ignore once recognized.
“Come visit,” Leviath adds after a moment, his tone shifting slightly as determination replaces anger, though tension still lingers beneath the surface like heat trapped beneath cooled stone.
“Do not disappear into distance and silence, because this will not be solved by ignoring what lurks behind familiar faces.”
I meet his gaze fully, letting the weight of his warning settle into place rather than brushing it aside in false confidence.
The idea of betrayal from within feels like stepping onto ice that might crack beneath weight at any moment, yet avoidance has never been a path that leads to safety.
Strength lies in facing shadows directly, even when they wear the shape of allies.
“I will,” I answer, my voice steady despite the unease coiling beneath it, because promises carry power when spoken with intent rather than fear.
Gratitude flickers through me as I hold his gaze, sharp and sincere in the face of uncertainty that refuses to fade. “Thank you for telling me.”
Sybil gestures toward the portal then, her expression calm but expectant as the shimmering doorway hums with restrained energy waiting to be used.
The surface ripples softly, casting fractured reflections across the chamber that dance along the walls like restless spirits eager to move.
Time presses forward with quiet insistence, reminding us that hesitation cannot last forever.
Sebastian steps beside me as we approach the threshold, his presence steady and grounding as the air shifts with the pull of magic waiting just beyond reach.
The light from the portal spills across our boots and climbs upward in pale waves, brushing against skin with faint warmth that feels strangely alive.
One final breath fills my lungs before motion takes over thought.
Together, we step forward into the waiting light.
Home, here we come.