Chapter 16 Another Council Meeting

Sunlight filtered through dense foliage, casting soft shadows on the wooden platforms of the city. Milliscent and I walked toward the elders’ hall, the air between us humming with unspoken words. Her hand, which had gripped mine tightly in the healer’s room not long ago, now nervously fidgeted with the edge of her cloak. I felt my left hand throb, as if reminding me of the pain and the voices that had echoed in my head. Failure. Pathetic. Ugly. The thoughts I’d heard at Talir’s lingered, gnawing at me.

The city buzzed with quiet life: elves hurried about their tasks, magical crystals hummed on the platforms, and the distant song of birds drifted through the air. But I could see Milliscent glancing around, as if expecting another Shadow Beast to leap out from behind a corner. Her usual confidence — the kind that made me smile when she teased me or playfully shoved my shoulder — seemed to dissolve into the air.

“Hey, why so quiet?” I broke the silence, trying to sound lighthearted. “Normally, you’d be pestering me with questions about my world. What, not curious about what Netflix is?”

She stopped, her eyes glinting, but her smile was faint, almost forced.

“Netflix?” she narrowed her eyes, as if I’d offered her an ancient riddle. “Is that another one of your ‘beach’ jokes? Or some kind of magic?”

I laughed, feeling the tension in my chest ease slightly.

“Nah, it’s not magic,” I winked, trying to shake her out of her mood. “It’s like… a library, but instead of books, it’s got movies. Imagine watching stories about heroes, battles, love — all on a little screen. Anytime you want.”

“Movies?” She tilted her head, her hair falling slightly over her face. “Like your tales, but… drawn? And what, everyone just sits and stares at a screen, enchanted? Isn’t that bad for you?”

“Kind of,” I grinned, noticing a spark of curiosity in her eyes for a moment. “You’d probably get hooked on some fantasy flick. Elves, mages, dragons… Though you’d probably say your elves are cooler.”

“Isn’t it more exciting to experience it all in real life than just watch it?” From her expression, she seemed genuinely intrigued, distracted for a moment.

“Maybe… But you can’t try everything in life. Plus, circumstances decide a lot. And… when you live your life, you see it all from the first person. In a movie, it’s like… from the outside? You understand more, notice what’s important…”

She snorted, but her smile was warm, and for a moment, it felt like she’d forgotten her fears. Her fingers brushed my shoulder lightly, almost by accident, sending a shiver across my skin. She quickly pulled her hand back, as if startled by her own gesture, and turned away, looking at the platform ahead.

“You’re impossible,” she said softly, her voice almost tender. “Your world must be so… easy. But here…” She paused, her gaze darkening. “Here, everything’s too complicated.”

I wanted to say something, but I noticed her fingers gripping the edge of her cloak tighter. I thought about taking her hand but hesitated, afraid she might push me away. Or worse…

“You know… I don’t think my world or yours is easy or hard all at once. Problems and bad things happen everywhere, just the same. Sadness, loss, anger — they haunt every being, no matter their race or where they’re from. It’s what unites us all…”

I didn’t finish the thought, not in my head or out loud, because we’d arrived. Truly, our feelings and emotions bind us all… But some are broken by them, some ignore them, and some overcome them. Or maybe they don’t overcome them at all, just pretend it’s a chapter closed, locked away like relics in an attic. Maybe… Perhaps Milliscent has something like that too… And now, those “skeletons” in her closet stirred after a long slumber. What could I do to ease her pain, a pain I didn’t even fully understand but felt so deeply?

The elders’ hall was heavy with silence. The light from magical crystals cast shadows on the walls, and I felt my hand throb again, as if reacting to the tension in the air. Lady Ruby stood by the central table, her face weary but composed. Beside her sat five elders, each looking as if they held all the world’s secrets. Eldrian stood apart, his cold eyes boring into me like I was the city’s greatest threat.

“Milliscent, Bogdan,” Ruby began, her voice firm but tinged with worry. “We’ve gathered to discuss the Shadow Beast attack and your scouting mission at the border. We need to know everything. And…” She glanced at me. “What’s happening with your hand, Bogdan.”

I felt every gaze turn to me and clenched my fists, trying to ignore the pain in my hand.

“I’ve already said,” I shrugged, aiming for nonchalance. “I don’t know what the hell it is. Something kicked in out in the forest, I took down the Beast, but I didn’t control it. And the voice in my head… it doesn’t exactly give clear answers.”

“Voice?” Eldrian stepped closer, his eyes narrowing. “You’re talking about it again. And you expect us to trust you? An outsider with some unknown power who hears voices?”

“Eldrian, enough,” Milliscent snapped, stepping forward, her voice thick with anger. “He risked his life to save me! You weren’t there, you didn’t see what happened!”

Her eyes blazed, and I noticed her hands trembling. She stood so close I could feel the warmth of her body, and for a moment, I thought she might actually hit Eldrian if he said another word. Her defense made my heart skip a beat, but I could see she was afraid — not of him, but of something else. Yet we kept circling… The same questions, the same reactions… What did they want from me? To disappear?

“Milliscent,” Otto said quietly, his long white beard lending weight and authority to his words. “We’re not accusing him. But your magic… it’s weakening. And it started after he arrived. We need to know if it’s connected.”

Milliscent pressed her lips together, her gaze dropping to the floor. I felt a pang in my chest. That must have sounded so humiliating…

“I… I don’t know why,” she said softly, her voice trembling. “My magic… it’s like it’s slipping away. I tried reading Bogdan’s thoughts in the forest, and… nothing. Just emptiness. And a headache.”

Her words hit like a knife. The voice in my head, silent until now, suddenly whispered: You! You took her power! She’s starting to suspect… She’s starting to fear you… Doesn’t that mean you should free the poor girl from her suffering?

Her eyes glistened, and her hands shook. She stood so close I could feel her warmth. Her defense made my heart skip, but I saw her fear — not of Eldrian, but of something deeper. Her fingers suddenly gripped my hand, cold but firm, sending shivers down my spine. That touch wasn’t just support — it held something deeper, something she kept locked inside, afraid to reveal. Her eyes met mine for a moment, a mix of anger, fear, and warmth that made my heart race. She quickly looked away, as if afraid I’d see too much.

Lady Ruby raised her hand, her face calm but her eyes tense.

“Enough,” she said, her voice cutting through the silence like a blade. “We can’t accuse without proof. But Shadow Beasts don’t just appear. Their return is a sign. And your magic, Milliscent…” She paused, her gaze softening. “We need to understand why it’s fading.”

Milliscent lowered her head, her fingers still holding my hand, trembling harder. She opened her mouth, as if to speak, but only whispered, “I know.” Her voice was barely audible in the vast hall. “I… I’m trying to figure it out. But it’s not that simple.”

Her words sounded like she was fighting not just the loss of her magic but something deeper. I remembered those voices — Failure. Pathetic. — and wondered if they could be hers. The thought that she saw herself that way tightened my chest. I wanted to ask, but her pale face and trembling fingers stopped me.

Otto stood slowly, his deep, calm eyes looking at Milliscent with sorrow.

“Milliscent,” he began, his voice quiet but piercing. “Your magic was our pride. If it’s fading, it might be tied to the ritual. Or…” He glanced at me. “To him.”

My hand throbbed harder, as if responding to his words. Milliscent gripped my hand tighter, as if afraid I’d pull away. Her touch was like an anchor, holding me in place, but I saw the fire in her eyes she tried to hide.

“He’s not to blame,” she said, her voice steadier but still trembling. “I was in the forest. I saw him fight. If anyone’s to blame, it’s those who set up the ritual. Not him.”

Eldrian snorted, but Lady Ruby silenced him with a gesture. She slowly scanned the hall, as if weighing every word.

“We’ll investigate,” she said finally. “But, Bogdan, you’ll remain under supervision. We need to know what’s happening with your hand. And if anything changes… you’ll tell us.”

What was the point of this meeting? We’d been through this before. Would it always be like this, the same questions over and over? What needed to change? Maybe… the Queen… Why hadn’t she spoken? Why did she spare me but not stop this bureaucratic nonsense?

“That’s enough for today,” Ruby said, her voice final. “Rest. But be ready for more questions.”

The elders rose, their robes rustling like leaves in the wind. Milliscent slowly let go of my hand, but her fingers lingered on my palm a moment longer than necessary. I felt the warmth of her touch, and it seemed like she wanted to say something but instead just nodded, as if confirming something to herself.

Before we left for home, she met with Lady Ruby again… alone, like last time. Were these meetings just for that? Or maybe she’d explain what “under supervision” meant? Wasn’t I already under watch? Or were they sending me back to a cell? I hoped not…

We left the hall, and dusk had fully settled over the city. The platforms glowed with soft golden light from magical crystals, and the air smelled of damp earth and night-blooming flowers. Milliscent walked silently, her face pale, her eyes fixed somewhere in the distance. I could tell she was holding on with her last strength, and I wanted to hug her but feared she’d push me away. Her cloak swayed in the breeze, and I noticed her nervously fidgeting with its edge, as if trying to calm herself.

We stopped on one of the platforms, overlooking trees humming with the evening wind. Stars began to appear in the sky, their light reflecting in the magical crystals, creating the illusion that the city floated among them. I leaned on the railing, trying to think of a way to lift her spirits.

“Hey,” I gently touched her shoulder, and she flinched but didn’t pull away. “You okay? You look like you’re ready to either punch Eldrian or hide in the forest.”

She looked at me, and for a moment, her eyes glinted — not with anger, but with something warm and fleeting. She looked away, her fingers nervously twisting the edge of her cloak.

“I… I just don’t know what to do,” she said quietly, her voice trembling, as if afraid her words would betray her. “My magic… it was part of me. I could read minds, sense enemies, know what people hid. And now…” She stopped, her voice breaking. “I feel empty. If I’d been stronger, maybe the Rangers would still be alive.”

Her words cut like a knife. I remembered those voices — Failure. Pathetic. Ugly. Trash. — and wondered if they were hers, echoes of her pain. The thought that she saw herself that way tightened my chest. I wanted to tell her I’d heard those words but feared it would break her further.

“Listen,” I carefully took her hand, feeling her fingers tremble. “You’re not empty. You’re the one who fought a Shadow Beast, who pulled me out of that chaos. Magic or not, you’re still incredible. And I won’t let you think otherwise.”

She looked at me, her eyes so close I could feel the warmth of her breath. Her lips trembled slightly, as if she wanted to say something but couldn’t. For a moment, it seemed like she leaned closer, her face near enough that I could feel her breath on my skin. Her cheeks flushed faintly, and she quickly stepped back, as if startled by her own feelings.

“You’re an idiot,” she said, but her voice was warm, almost tender. “But… thank you. In my world, we don’t just… say things like that.”

I smiled, feeling my heart skip a beat. Her words, her closeness — it was like a spark igniting in the darkness.

“In my world, it’s called ‘cheering up a friend,’” I winked, trying to lighten the mood. “Or maybe a bit more than a friend. Want me to tell you what a date is?”

“Oh, no,” she laughed, lightly shoving my shoulder, her fingers lingering on my arm. “I’m still recovering from your ‘Netflix’ talk!”

We stood on the platform, and I felt sparks between us. Her smile, her touch, her warm gaze — it was like magic she no longer felt in herself. But I knew she was hiding something. And the voice in my head, which I tried to silence, whispered that the truth was closer than I thought. Someone was hunting us, and this meeting was only the beginning.