Kael couldn't sleep.
Even after they left the clearing and the stone door disappeared behind the trees, its memory haunted him. That strange voice—deep and cold—kept echoing in his mind, like it had carved itself into his thoughts.
"Return…"
He sat alone by the fire, knees pulled to his chest, staring into the flickering flames. His cloak did little to keep the night chill away, but he hardly noticed it. His thoughts were spinning.
Selene had gone to sleep a while ago, curled up with her back to him. She hadn't spoken much after they left the ruins, only giving Kael a look—a long, unreadable stare—before quietly walking away. It wasn't anger. It was worry.
The fire crackled, but Kael barely blinked.
That door. That voice. That feeling.
He could still feel the weight of the air inside that chamber—the kind that made your chest tighten, like the world was holding its breath. When his hand had hovered near the seal on the door, it felt like something deep beneath the earth had stirred.
And then… silence.
But it hadn't really gone quiet. Something had awakened.
Kael touched the center of his chest.
There was a faint warmth there now, like a small ember hidden under skin. It hadn't been there before.
When he'd touched the glowing mark on the seal, it had pulsed—once—and then something invisible had moved into him. It hadn't hurt. In fact, it had felt oddly familiar. As if it belonged to him.
"What did I just do?" he whispered.
There was no answer. Just wind in the trees.
He looked up at the night sky, stars scattered like distant sparks. Something was beginning, and he wasn't sure he could stop it. Worse—he wasn't sure he wanted to.
Suddenly, a branch cracked nearby.
Kael tensed and turned. A figure stood at the edge of the firelight.
It was Selene. Her silver hair shimmered in the glow, her eyes calm but sharp.
"You're awake," she said, stepping closer.
"I couldn't sleep," Kael replied. "Too much in my head."
"I figured." She sat beside him, wrapping her arms around her legs. "You touched the seal."
He nodded slowly. "It… felt like it was calling me. Like it wanted me to open it."
"And did you?"
"No. I stopped. But something still came through."
He placed a hand on his chest again. Selene watched him carefully, then said, "The gods aren't just stories, Kael. You might've stirred something buried for centuries."
Kael looked into her eyes. "Then what do we do?"
Selene's voice was steady. "We find out what's inside that door before it finds a way out on its own."