She Chose the Wrong Hero

Three days passed.

The road back to the capital was slow. Thick snow covered the path, and icy winds blew through the trees. But they kept moving.

Elira rode between Aeren and Kael.

Most of the time, no one spoke. The silence wasn't awkward—it was heavy. Like each of them had too much on their minds to put into words.

On the fourth day, they stopped to rest near a small frozen river.

The fire was warm, and the sky was turning soft orange as the sun sank behind the hills.

Elira sat beside the flames, holding a cup of hot tea. Her fingers still felt numb, even with gloves on. She could barely taste the tea, but the heat helped a little.

Across from her, Kael was staring into the fire.

"You've changed," she said quietly.

He looked up. "Have I?"

"Yes. You speak less. You don't command like you used to."

Kael gave a small smile. "I think that's a good thing."

Elira didn't smile back. "You used to believe you were always right. That your way was the only way."

"And now I know better."

"What changed you?"

Kael looked into the fire again.

"I lost everything," he said. "And when you lose everything, you start to see what mattered most."

Elira didn't ask what he meant.

She already knew.

Aeren returned from checking the horses. He walked over and sat beside her. His cloak was dusted with snow, and his eyes moved between her and Kael.

"Nothing unusual on the road ahead," he said. "But the skies are too quiet."

Kael nodded. "Something is following us."

Elira's eyes widened. "What?"

"Not people," Kael said. "Not soldiers. Something else."

Aeren stood up at once. "You felt it too?"

Kael rose. "Since yesterday."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Elira asked.

"I wasn't sure," he replied. "Now I am."

The fire crackled between them.

"Is it from the door?" Aeren asked.

Kael looked up at the sky.

"Yes."

Elira stood too, her heart racing. "Then it knows we left."

Kael's voice was steady. "It's watching. Testing."

"Testing what?" Aeren asked.

Kael looked at Elira. "Her."

A chill ran down her back.

Suddenly, the wind picked up. Fast. Cold. Sharp.

The fire flickered.

Aeren moved first, drawing his sword. Kael followed, hand on his dagger.

Elira turned toward the trees.

At first, there was nothing.

Then—movement.

A shadow moved between the branches. Silent. Too fast to be human.

"Back away," Aeren said quickly, stepping in front of her.

But Elira didn't move. She could feel something. A presence. Just like the one beneath the door.

Only this time, it wasn't hiding.

It wanted her to know it was here.

"Don't look at it," Kael said suddenly. "That's what it wants."

But Elira's eyes had already locked on the darkness between the trees.

And then, she heard it.

A voice—soft, cold, deep.

Not from the air.

From inside her mind.

You should have stayed dead.

Elira gasped and took a step back.

Aeren caught her. "Elira?"

She blinked, shaking her head. "It spoke to me."

Kael moved closer. "What did it say?"

She swallowed hard. "It told me… I should've stayed dead."

Aeren's jaw tightened. "It knows you remember."

"Yes," Kael said. "It remembers you too."

The shadow faded.

The wind died down.

But the fear stayed.

Elira looked at the sky again. The stars were coming out, one by one.

But none of them felt warm.