The journey back to the castle was eerily quiet. Despite escaping the strange fog, a heavy tension lingered in the air. No one spoke, but Elara could feel it—everyone was shaken.
She clenched her injured arm, blood still seeping through the fabric of her tunic. The pain was manageable, but the deeper wound was in her mind.
"You do not belong here."
The words echoed over and over, gnawing at her thoughts.
As they approached the castle gates, the guards saluted them, but their eyes flickered with concern when they noticed Elara’s injury.
"Summon the healer," Orion ordered before she could protest.
"I'm fine," Elara muttered.
"You're bleeding."
"It’s just a scratch."
Orion gave her a sharp look, one that silenced any further argument.
Sylva sighed. "You’re both stubborn, you know that?"
Kai, walking beside them, groaned. "You guys argue like an old married couple. Just let the healer do their thing before Elara keels over and dies dramatically."
Elara rolled her eyes. "I’m not going to—"
The world tilted.
Her vision blurred, and before she could react, her knees buckled.
Strong arms caught her before she hit the ground.
"Dammit," Orion muttered, scooping her up effortlessly.
"You were saying?" Kai smirked.
Elara groaned. "Shut up."
---
When she woke up, the room was dimly lit, the scent of herbs lingering in the air.
She blinked, taking in her surroundings. She was back in her chambers, wrapped in soft blankets. A dull ache pulsed through her arm, but the wound had been cleaned and bandaged.
"Finally awake?"
Elara turned her head to see Orion sitting beside her bed, arms crossed.
"How long was I out?" she asked groggily.
"Half a day," he replied. "You lost more blood than you thought."
Elara frowned. "It wasn't that bad."
Orion exhaled through his nose, clearly not amused. "You were pale as a ghost when we brought you back. Next time, maybe try not stabbing yourself."
Elara sighed, rubbing her forehead. "It worked, didn’t it?"
"That’s not the point."
Their gazes met, and for a moment, neither spoke.
Then Orion sighed, leaning back. "You’re reckless. But..." His voice softened slightly. "I get why you did it."
Elara blinked in surprise. Orion wasn’t the type to express concern so openly.
Before she could respond, a knock interrupted them.
The door opened, and Kai poked his head in. "Am I interrupting something?"
Orion scowled. "Yes."
Kai ignored him and walked in, grinning. "Good, because we’ve got a problem."
Elara groaned. "Of course we do. What now?"
Kai’s smirk faded. "The fog—it wasn’t just a random phenomenon. Something—or someone—created it."
A chill ran down Elara’s spine. "You’re sure?"
Kai nodded. "I did some digging. That shrine I found? It belonged to the Forgotten Order."
Orion stiffened. "The same Order that was wiped out centuries ago?"
"The very same."
Elara frowned. "That doesn’t make sense. If they were destroyed, why would their magic still be active?"
"That’s the thing," Kai said. "I don’t think they were completely destroyed."
A heavy silence filled the room.
If the Forgotten Order still existed, it meant they had been hiding for centuries. And worse—
They had plans.
---
Later that night, Elara stood on the balcony, staring out at the vast landscape beyond the castle. The stars were scattered across the sky, but their beauty did little to ease her unease.
She heard the door creak open but didn’t turn.
"You should be resting," Orion’s voice came from behind.
Elara exhaled. "Too much on my mind."
Orion stepped beside her, his presence grounding. "Thinking about the Order?"
"And what they want with me."
A beat of silence passed before Orion spoke again. "You know, you don’t have to carry this alone."
Elara turned to him, meeting his golden eyes. "I know. But if I don’t, who will?"
Orion didn’t answer. Instead, he reached out, gently brushing his fingers against the bandage on her arm.
"You don’t have to keep getting hurt to prove something," he murmured.
Elara’s breath caught slightly at the warmth of his touch.
For a moment, the weight of everything felt a little lighter.
She offered a small, tired smile. "Thanks, Orion."
He didn’t say anything, but the way he stayed beside her was enough.
For now.
---
The night was still, but Elara couldn’t shake the feeling of unease. Even with Orion’s quiet presence beside her, the weight of the revelations about the Forgotten Order pressed against her chest like an iron hand.
She sighed, rubbing her arms. "It feels like we barely made it out of one disaster, and now we’re diving straight into another."
Orion hummed in agreement, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon. "That’s how it always is, isn’t it?"
Elara shot him a tired smirk. "You sound like you’re used to this kind of chaos."
His lips twitched in something that wasn’t quite a smile. "I am."
She didn’t doubt it. Orion had always carried himself like someone who had seen too much, lost too much. And yet, he still stood firm, unyielding in the face of every storm.
A silence stretched between them, not uncomfortable, but weighted.
Then, without looking at her, Orion said, "Get some rest. You’re going to need it."
Elara hesitated, then nodded. "You too."
But even as she returned to her chambers, she knew sleep wouldn’t come easily.

---
Morning arrived far too quickly.
Elara woke to the sound of someone knocking aggressively on her door.
"Alright, alright, I’m up," she groaned, dragging herself out of bed.
She opened the door to find Kai standing there, looking far too energized for this early in the morning.
"Breakfast?" he asked, grinning.
Elara blinked at him. "You woke me up for breakfast?"
"You were out all day yesterday. Thought you might appreciate a decent meal before we get thrown into another disaster."
That was... surprisingly considerate.
She yawned, stretching. "Fine. Let me get dressed."
A few minutes later, she followed Kai to the dining hall, where Sylva was already seated, casually munching on a pastry. Orion was there too, sipping his tea in silence.
Kai dropped into his seat. "So. Who wants to talk about the whole 'Forgotten Order might not be so forgotten' thing?"
Sylva raised an eyebrow. "No one wants to talk about it over breakfast, Kai."
Kai made a face. "Fine. But we’re going to have to deal with it sooner rather than later."
Elara took a bite of her food, her mind still lingering on the implications of what they had discovered. "We need to figure out what they want. If they’ve been hiding for centuries, why resurface now?"
Orion set down his cup. "That’s what worries me. If they stayed in the shadows for this long, it means they were waiting for something."
Sylva tapped her fingers against the table. "Or someone."
The implication hung in the air.
Elara frowned. "You think they’re after me?"
Kai shrugged. "Well, they did try to kill you."
"That doesn’t mean they were specifically after me," she argued. "I was just in the way."
"Or maybe you were exactly where they wanted you to be."
The words sent a chill down Elara’s spine.
She glanced at Orion, who looked deep in thought. He didn’t say anything, but she could tell—he was thinking the same thing.
Something about this felt too deliberate. Too planned.
And that terrified her.

---
Later that day, Elara found herself wandering through the castle gardens, trying to clear her thoughts.
The air was crisp, the scent of blooming flowers drifting on the breeze. It should have been peaceful. But all she could think about was the weight of the unknown pressing down on her.
She leaned against a stone railing, staring at the fountains below.
"You look like you’re about to start a war," a familiar voice teased.
She turned to see Orion approaching, his hands in his pockets.
She sighed. "I feel like one is coming."
He stopped beside her, leaning on the railing. "You’re not wrong."
Elara hesitated before asking, "Do you think they were waiting for me?"
Orion didn’t answer right away. Instead, he stared out at the garden, his expression unreadable.
Then, quietly, he said, "It’s possible."
Elara exhaled, closing her eyes for a moment. "Great. Another thing to add to my list of worries."
A pause. Then—
"You’re not alone in this, you know."
She blinked at him.
Orion wasn’t looking at her, but there was something in his voice—something softer than usual.
It made her chest tighten.
She offered a small smile. "I know."
For a moment, everything felt a little less heavy.
Just for a moment.