Capítulo 2: The Storm Within
The storm raged on. It was as if the skies themselves were torn apart by some vengeful spirit, spilling their fury across the land. Inside the cave, the sound of rain hitting stone was deafening. The air was thick with moisture, and the occasional gust of wind howled through the cave's entrance, carrying with it a biting chill.
Alenya sat with her back against the far wall, her knees pulled up to her chest, her mind racing. Every muscle in her body remained tense, ready to react at a moment's notice. Her magic simmered beneath the surface of her swarthy skin, pulsing with the rhythm of her heartbeat. The power felt dangerous right now, like a coiled snake just waiting for the chance to strike. She hadn't used it in days; she couldn't afford to…but every fibre of her being wanted her to.
Across from her, Kael leaned against the cave wall, arms crossed, watching the storm as if it held some kind of secret he was trying to decipher. He had said little since introducing himself, though his eyes had a quiet intensity that made her uneasy. She didn't trust him...not yet at least. But then again, she didn't trust anyone.
She studied him from the shadows, noting the way his fingers drummed lightly against his arm, the way his jaw tightened every so often, as if he were holding something back. He was too calm for someone caught in a storm like this. Too composed. She had seen men like him before; men who knew too much, who hid behind charming smiles and pleasant words while plotting something darker underneath.
He hadn't asked her name again, and for that, she was grateful. Names were powerful things. A name could anchor you to a past you were trying to forget. It could remind you of who you were before the world decided you were something else. Alenya had left her old name behind years ago, burying it along with everything else she had lost.
Finally, Kael spoke, his voice cutting through the roar of the storm. "You don't have to trust me," he said, his tone measured, "but it doesn't look like you have much choice in the matter right now."
Alenya didn't respond immediately, keeping her eyes on the flickering shadows casted by the storm against the cave walls. She had heard those words before. People always said you could trust them, but trust was just another way to let someone get close enough to hurt you.
Still, there was something about him that was different. He hadn't pushed her for answers, hadn't demanded explanations. That alone made him less of a threat, for now.
"I've survived worse," she said finally, her voice low. "I don't need help."
Kael chuckled softly, but there was no humour in it. "I believe you. But surviving and living aren't the same thing, are they?"
His words struck a nerve, though she kept her expression neutral. He had no idea what she'd been through. No one did. And that's how she intended to keep it.
Silence stretched between them, heavy and uncomfortable. Outside, the wind screamed against the rocks, echoing inside the cave like the cries of lost souls. Kael shifted, pulling his cloak tighter around him. His movement drew her gaze, and for a moment, she thought she saw something…a faint flicker of light gleamed beneath his cloak, like the glint of metal or something hidden.
She tensed, her hand instinctively moving to her dagger. "What are you hiding?"
Kael's eyes met hers, his expression unreadable. "I could ask you the same thing."
The air between them thickened with tension, as though the storm itself had slipped inside the cave, swirling around them. For a long moment, neither spoke, the weight of unspoken truths pressing down on them both.
Alenya's heart pounded. She was ready to defend herself, with magic tingling at her fingertips, but she didn't want to fight him. Not yet. Not unless she had to.
Kael must have sensed her hesitation because he slowly raised his hands, palms out in a gesture of peace. "I'm not here to hurt you," he said. His voice was steady, though there was something in his eyes now; a flicker of something she couldn't quite place. Guilt? Regret? It passed too quickly to tell.
"What's your game?" she asked, her tone sharp. "Why are you really here?"
Kael didn't answer right away. Instead, he looked back toward the entrance of the cave, as if searching for something beyond the rain. When he finally spoke, his voice was softer, almost thoughtful.
"I'm looking for someone," he said. "Someone important."
Alenya frowned. That wasn't the answer she had expected. "Who?"
"A dangerous person," Kael said, his gaze shifting back to her. "Someone with power."
Her pulse quickened. Did he know? Was that why he was here? Was he hunting her? The thought made her skin crawl, but she forced herself to stay calm. She couldn't afford to panic. Not now.
"And you think they're hiding in this god-forsaken wasteland?" she asked, her voice laced with scepticism.
Kael shrugged. "Stranger things have happened. People on the run tend to hide where no one would think to look."
Alenya's breath caught. He was talking about her…he had to be. But if he knew who she was, why hadn't he turned her in already? Why was he playing this game of half-truths and vague answers?
She needed to know more.
"And what will you do when you find this person?" she asked, keeping her voice steady despite the knot of tension forming in her chest.
Kael's jaw tightened, his expression hardening. "That depends."
"On what?"
"On whether they deserve to be found."
There it was again, that flicker of something in his eyes. Guilt. Regret. Whatever his mission was, it wasn't as simple as he was making it out to be. He wasn't just a hunter looking for a fugitive. There was more to his story, just as there was more to hers.
For the first time, Alenya allowed herself to relax, just a fraction. Whoever he was, whatever his mission, he wasn't going to kill her. At least not tonight.
Outside, the storm was beginning to wane, the thunder rolling further into the distance. But the tension in the cave remained, thick and unyielding.
Kael turned his gaze back to her, his eyes searching hers. "And you?" he asked quietly. "What are you hiding from?"
Alenya stiffened, the momentary calm shattered by his question. She felt her magic flare up, hot and restless, burning beneath her skin. She wanted to lash out, to force him away, but she knew that would only draw more attention.
So instead, she stood, her movements slow and deliberate, and walked toward the entrance of the cave. The rain had slowed to a light drizzle, the wind now a soft breeze. She could see the faint outline of the moon beyond the clouds, casting an eerie glow over the cliffs.
"I'm not hiding," she said, her voice barely audible over the sound of the rain.
Kael watched her, his expression unreadable. "Aren't you?"
Alenya didn't answer. She couldn't. Because the truth was, she was hiding. Not just from the king's hunters, but from herself. From the power that she carried, the power that had destroyed everything she once loved.
She stepped out of the cave, the cool rain washing over her face. For a moment, she stood there, letting the storm cleanse her, as if it could somehow wash away the past. But no matter how hard she tried, she knew that some things could never be erased.
Behind her, Kael remained silent, his presence a heavy weight against her back.
They were both running. Both hiding. And both caught in a storm that was far from over.
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