Chapter 17: The Depths of Truth

The forest was eerily quiet as Aria, Lucian, and Kael made their way back to safer ground. Each step forward felt heavy, as if the weight of their shared journey pressed down upon them. Aria walked ahead, her thoughts clouded with a mixture of relief and worry.

Kael lagged behind, his steps uneven. Though freed from Evangeline’s curse, his body bore the marks of her cruelty, and his mind seemed far from at ease. Lucian, ever vigilant, walked at a steady pace, his sharp gaze darting around the darkened woods.

The silence was thick, but it was Kael who finally broke it. "She wanted to turn me into a weapon against you, Aria," he said, his voice hoarse.

Aria stopped and turned to face him, her brow furrowed. "Kael…"

He shook his head, cutting her off. "She said my bloodline—our shared connection to the Crimson Fated—made me an essential part of the prophecy. When I refused to help her, she…" He trailed off, clenching his fists. "She bound me to the darkness of the Heart, hoping to use me to destroy you."

Lucian’s expression remained cold, his arms crossed. "You resisted. That’s the only reason you’re still here."

Kael’s jaw tightened, but he said nothing, his eyes locking with Lucian’s for a brief, tense moment before shifting back to Aria.

Aria stepped closer to Kael, her voice soft yet firm. "What matters is that you didn’t give in, Kael. You fought her influence. That’s more than enough."

Kael’s gaze softened, though his voice carried a trace of bitterness. "I just hope it’s enough to undo the damage she’s done."

Lucian’s voice was low but edged. "If you hadn’t resisted, we’d be in a far worse position now. But that doesn’t mean we can afford to let our guard down."

The tension between the two men was palpable, and Aria found herself stepping between them instinctively. "Both of you, enough," she said, her tone sharp. "We’re not enemies. We’ve faced too much to turn on each other now."

Lucian’s expression softened slightly, though he said nothing. Kael merely nodded, his gaze dropping to the forest floor.

---

By the time night fell, they had reached a secluded grove. The air was cool, the sound of a bubbling stream mingling with the rustling of leaves. Aria set to work tending Kael’s wounds while Lucian busied himself with gathering firewood.

Kael winced as Aria applied a salve to his injuries. "You’re better at this than I remember," he said, offering her a faint smile.

She huffed softly, a trace of humor in her voice. "I’ve had to practice, considering the situations we keep finding ourselves in."

Lucian returned with a bundle of firewood, his sharp gaze flicking briefly to Kael before he began arranging the wood into a neat pile. "Don’t get too comfortable. The remnants of Evangeline’s influence won’t disappear overnight."

Kael frowned but held his tongue. He knew better than to rise to Lucian’s provocations, though the tension between them was thick enough to cut.

Aria sighed, sensing the unspoken hostility. "What’s done is done," she said firmly. "The only thing that matters now is making sure Evangeline’s plans can’t harm anyone else."

Lucian glanced at her, his expression softening. "You’re right. But we still need to be prepared for what comes next."

---

Later that night, unable to sleep, Aria wandered to the edge of the grove. The stars above twinkled faintly through the canopy, offering a small comfort against the weight of her thoughts.

Kael joined her silently, his presence grounding. "Couldn’t sleep either?"

She shook her head. "There’s so much to process. The prophecy, the Heart… everything we’ve been through. It feels like I’m carrying the weight of a dozen lifetimes."

Kael’s voice was quiet but steady. "You’re not carrying it alone, Aria. You never have to."

She turned to him, searching his face. "And you? How are you holding up, really?"

He hesitated, his amber eyes reflecting the faint moonlight. "I feel… fractured. Like a part of me is still trapped in that place. But I’ll heal."

Aria placed a gentle hand on his arm. "You don’t have to rush it. None of us do."

Before Kael could respond, Lucian’s voice carried through the night, sharp and precise. "You shouldn’t wander too far. We don’t know what might still be out there."

Aria turned to see him leaning against a tree at the edge of the grove, his expression unreadable. The tension between him and Kael was as strong as ever, but Aria was too exhausted to mediate.

"Let’s get some rest," she said quietly.

Kael nodded, his gaze lingering on her for a moment before he walked back to the fire. Lucian watched him go, his sharp eyes narrowing briefly before he turned to follow.

As Aria settled near the fire, she couldn’t help but feel the weight of the unspoken tensions and the uncertain road ahead. The Heart may have been destroyed, but the scars it left behind would take far longer to fade. Yet, in the quiet moments of the night, she found solace in one truth: no matter the challenges they faced, they would face them together.