shadows kiss

--Whispers Beneath the Veil*

The watchtower stood silent beneath the crimson sky, its jagged stones wrapped in shadows. Lyrien leaned against the ancient railing, staring out into the endless horizon. The wind brushed past his face, cold and dry, yet it couldn't clear the fog that had settled in his mind.

Lyra.

Her name was a flame that never died out. No matter how hard he tried to focus, her face appeared—smiling, teasing, soft-eyed. The memory of her lips against his still lingered like the last taste of forbidden wine. His chest rose with a sigh, as if trying to exhale her from his soul, but she clung to him tighter than breath itself.

Why did she make him feel like this? Like no one else ever had. Every word she spoke echoed in his thoughts, every glance she gave held him captive. It wasn't just lust—though there was fire in his veins—it was something deeper. Something terrifying. Something consuming.

He hadn't heard from Zalria in days.

A part of him... didn't care. That frightened him more than anything.

He reached into his cloak and pulled out the silk scarf Lyra had left behind. Pale lavender, scented faintly with something floral and wild. He held it close, pressing it against his lips. Shame burned inside him, but not enough to make him stop.

He felt like he was losing himself—and still, he didn't want to be found.

"She's unlike anyone I've ever met…" he whispered to himself. "But why does she feel so… necessary?"

There was something unnatural about this obsession. His instincts screamed, but the hunger for her presence drowned all sense.

Then he felt someone watching.

Lyrien barely noticed the footsteps behind him until a shadow fell over the railing. He turned sharply, heart still pounding from his thoughts. Nathaniel stood there, his eyes dark and stormy, fury simmering beneath his calm exterior.

"Obsessed with a stranger, are we?" Nathaniel's voice was low, cutting through the silence like a blade.

Lyrien's grip tightened on the scarf. "She's not a stranger."

Nathaniel stepped closer, his gaze sharp enough to pierce armor. "You barely know her. You don't even trust her—and yet here you are, lost in her spell."

Lyrien's jaw clenched. "You don't understand what she's done to me."

"I understand perfectly." Nathaniel's voice grew colder, "You're blinded. You think she cares, but she's using you. And you're too foolish to see it."

"Maybe I don't want to see," Lyrien snapped back, stepping to face his brother fully. "Maybe I'm the only one willing to see beyond your hatred."

Nathaniel's eyes flashed. "Hate? I hate what she's done to Zalria— my sister. She left her when she needed her most. And you're falling for the same deception."

Lyrien shook his head, frustration burning through his veins. "Zalria is strong. She can survive."

Nathaniel scoffed. "Strong? God knows where she is right now, I don't trust Lyra she could have done something to her. And you're chasing ghosts while she suffers."

Lyrien's fists clenched at his sides. "I won't let you speak of her like that."

Nathaniel's voice lowered, dangerous. "You're so tangled in Lyra's web, you don't even see what's happening right in front of you. Wake up, brother."

For a moment, silence stretched between them, thick and heavy.

Then Lyrien's eyes flashed—violet flames flickering beneath his irises. A soft, almost hypnotic glow. Nathaniel's breath caught.

"You're under a spell," he growled, stepping back but keeping his gaze locked on Lyrien's changing eyes. "Lyra's magic is stronger than I thought."

Lyrien's voice was softer now, almost a whisper. "She's the only one who understands me."

Nathaniel's hands clenched into fists. "And that's exactly why I'm here—to break you free before it's too late."

Lyrien's breath hitched, the glow in his eyes pulsing. Suddenly, without thinking, he surged forward and pressed his lips to Lyra's scarf—their symbol now intertwined.

"I love her," he confessed, voice raw and trembling. "I don't care what you say."

Arguing with him was of no use, Nathaniel hissed and walked away, suddenly, his eyes changed- he heard screams and saw some blurry vision of a girl trapped and chained.

He struggled to recover from what just happened, was it a trance?

was his power starting to show, but males in the demon realm are forbidden from having powers or weaving magic.

Nathaniel contemplated, the vision was blurry he couldn't even make out who the girl was, but something was drawing him deep,could the the girl be !!!.