Avelon's stomach twisted in knots. She had expected Balor to send some of his most trusted men to find her and Brianne, but not Elha.

Avelon took a breath, her hand trembling on the door handle. She wanted to jump right out of the window and take Brianne with her. But she could not.

Opening the door just a crack, Avelon peered out into the dimly lit hallway, finding only one pair of eyes looking at her. Elha stood there, her eyes wide with concern, her usual composure cracked with worry. The worry and concern emanating from her took Avelon by surprise, her eyebrows furrowing with suspicion. Elha had helped her escape, yet here she was.

Elha was alone—no guards, no other men, but Avelon knew they were somewhere in the tavern inn.

"Why are you here and where are the guards you were speaking to?" Avelon's voice did not withhold her surprise and disbelief.

"Avelon..." Elha's voice trembled, and her gaze searched Avelon's face for something before her eyes turned to steel. "Balor... he's been looking for you. You will come back to the palace immediately."

"I figured as much," Avelon interrupted, her voice thick with hate and venom. She squeezed her eyes shut, fighting the wave of emotions threatening to rise in her chest as the thought of Brianne.

"But, Elha... I need you to leave Brianne behind. Take me. But only take me back to Balor." Her voice cracked, "Please."

Avelon held her breath, hoping that by some miracle Elha would heed her request. Elha had helped her escape. She could help her again- she had to.

Elha froze, her breath catching in her throat and her stoic composure faltering. "What? No. I—Avelon, I can't leave her. That's an absurd request to make!"

Her façade had cracked only momentarily before she resumed her normal behaviour. Avelon had no idea what had made Elha aid her, but she would pick on that scab until Elha caved.

Avelon's voice broke as she spoke, her heart tearing as she forced the words out. "Balor only needs me, and if I go back, he might forget about her."

Elha wanted to protest, her mouth opening but closing as Avelon continued.

"You helped me, help me again." Avelon pleaded, giving Elha no time to refuse. She hated begging, but for those she cared about she would get down on her knees and wail like a baby.

Elha's face softened, uncertainty clouding her eyes. She did not speak for a long time, and for a brief moment, Avelon thought she might refuse, that she might call for help or take her away by force. But instead, Elha's shoulders slumped, and she looked away, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I'll... I'll tell him you cooperated. That it was only you we found." Elha wavered, her hard gaze turning back to Avelon.

"He will pry the information from you, though. Are you able to face the consequences?" Elha's voice had returned to her normal robotic tone as she waited for Avelon's response.

Avelon's breath caught. She did not want to immerse herself into the thoughts of what exact consequences would follow.

But she did. Ramped thoughts of all the small victories Balor had left on her body made her entire body shake. The ghostlike feeling of thin bands of air seemed to trace all the angry gashes still healing on her skin. She closed her eyes, grounding herself silently.

"You'll leave her behind?" Avelon asked again, confirming Elha's agreement with her eyes still closed and her throat tight with emotion.

Elha hesitated again, her gaze flicking to the sleeping form of Brianne, then back to Avelon. She nodded reluctantly, though Avelon could not see.

"I will do as you requested." Elha whispered, casting a worried glance down the hall. If the guards waiting downstairs had heard her, she would not live to see another day.

Avelon's chest tightened painfully, the weight of her decision crashing over her.

"Thank you," she whispered, her voice breaking. She finally allowed herself to cast a wistful glance toward Brianne.

Although Avelon wanted to demand answers from Elha, she refrained from questioning her reasoning for helping her. She had no intention of changing Elha's mind, and potentially putting Brianne in danger.

Elha's face bore an unreadable expression as she watched Avelon, a mix of regret and resolve.

"We leave now." She said simply, her voice void of emotion.

Avelon nodded, turning back into the room. She took one last look at Brianne, lying peacefully in her sleep, completely unaware of the happenings surrounding her.

I'm sorry, Bri, she thought, guilt gnawing at her heart.

"Don't come back to the palace." Avelon whispered, her voice so low that she barely heard herself. She hoped the words would somehow reach Brianne and settle in her subconscious like a faint echo. Brianne twitched, causing Avelon to swallow a gasp.

She was not asleep.

Avelon's heart pounded in her chest as she turned back to face Elha, a surge of bitterness rising within her. She could not let Elha take Brianne too. She was allowing Elha to take her back into the lion's den, it had to be enough. It felt like the walls of the tavern room were closing in on her, suffocating her with every breath she took. It had to be done.

Elha's presence was confusing. She felt both reassured and terrified at the same time. Elha had helped her escape—had taken a risk Avelon still could not fully understand—and now, she was letting Brianne slip away from Balor's reach without so much as a fight. Avelon's brow furrowed in confusion as they made their way downstairs to the main entertainment area. Did Elha have an ulterior motive? Was she leading Avelon back like a lamb to slaughter?

Avelon clenched her fists at her sides. She couldn't afford to question it now. Not yet. The moment for answers wasn't now.

At the bar, a handful of guards sat waiting, their eyes snapping to her and Elha as they approached. Avelon bit down on the smirk threatening to escape her lips, noting the number of guards assigned to retrieve her and Brianne. Balor was worried—possibly terrified that Avelon had managed to get away and that she harmed him in the process.

"Keep your head down," Elha said, glancing over her shoulder. "Don't speak unless I tell you."

Avelon nodded, suppressing the lump in her throat. She had nothing left to say. The truth was, she was not afraid of Balor's wrath- she was terrified of losing herself in the process of trying to uncover the truth. She had failed Fallon, and now, she was leaving Brianne behind to save her from the possibility of death and in the same breath also failing her.

Avelon's shoulders hung low as she carried herself. She cast her eyes to the ground, gritting her teeth. She had to gather herself and come up with a plan.

The flickering firelight in the tavern made everything feel hazy, like the world was spinning just out of her control. A guard hurried toward her and Elha, grabbing Avelon's arm with a firm grip. The gesture made her feel like a puppet, and the realization burned the back of her throat with frustration and anger.

Gods, Avelon thought to herself, overwhelmed by a whirlwind of emotions that wrecked her—sadness, anger, confusion, worry. She was exhausted.

Elha was already ahead, speaking to a tavern worker—a man with a scar running across his neck. His eyes narrowed as Elha passed him a coin, and the man cast Avelon a knowing look. He nodded solemnly and slid his hand over the table, accepting whatever Elha had whispered to him.

Avelon's eyes widened as she realized what was happening. Elha had bought Brianne's freedom. A knot twisted painfully in her stomach.

Elha shot Avelon a quick, warning glance—one that promised death if she dared to question what was happening—before leading the way out into the early morning. The humid air hit Avelon like a slap to the face. The sweltering heat of Teine had not bothered her inside the tavern, but now, the contrast was jarring. Something was off, she realized. The tavern had to be enchanted in some way for the temperature shift to feel so drastic, especially with the hearths burning brightly inside the inn. She mentally slapped herself for not noticing.

Get a grip, Avelon! Her mind shouted at her.

Avelon heard the faint clinking of armour, murmurs of the guards stationed outside. More guards? A small smile tugged at Avelon's lips.

She was definitely important to Balor, and that gave her leverage—something to work with. Maybe even something to bargain with.

Long shadows stretched across the sandy streets, gradually fading as the first light of dawn crept over the horizon. Avelon's gaze flickered back to the inn. She whispered a prayer to no one in particular, silently hoping Brianne would remain asleep long enough for them to escape.

Suddenly, a shout cut through the air, drawing Avelon's attention. She turned to see the guards struggling to subdue Wren and Pepper, lashing at them with their whips.

"Stop!" Avelon yelled, her voice laced with worry and anger as she yanked her arm from the painful grip of the guard holding her.

She rushed forward, positioning herself between the horses and the guards, her hands raised in a protective gesture.

"Stop!" she cried again, her voice desperate. Heat rose within her, the feeling very similar to what she had felt in the library. Her eyes widened in recognition.

A rush of blistering, heated air surged from her, pushing against the guards. Not enough to knock them down, but enough that it had forced them back a few staggering steps. Their wide eyes reflected her own shock, as did Elha's.

Without warning, Elha was at her side, her silence sharp with disbelief before her hand cracked across Avelon's cheek. The sting was immediate and searing.

Avelon gasped, her hand instinctively flying to her burning skin. The silence that followed hung heavy between them, both of them momentarily stunned by the action.

"I will see to it that Balor know of this display of recklessness." Elha's voice rang over the guards, commanding and full of authority. Her words seemed to cast a calmness over the guards.

"You have an affinity?" Elha hissed as she turned back to face Avelon, her voice low but furious, as the guards murmured their fears about Avelon.

"No." Avelon's words were sharp, her anger flaring as she glared at Elha.

"But I certainly wish I had something now." She spat, bitterness coating her tongue as she glared at Elha, who had just slapped her for no good reason at all.

Elha stood straighter, unfazed. "Strange winds in Lehu," she murmured, her tone now dismissive, before turning to gesture at the guards. "Let's move along."

Avelon's mouth run dry. Elha had slapped her.

The guards quickly led the horses toward the other awaiting horses, their movements hurried but cautious, eyes darting nervously between Avelon and Elha. As the last guard clambered onto a horse and took the reins, Avelon seized the moment, stepping directly into Elha's path.

"Why the hell did you slap me?" The words came out low.

Elha's face remained unreadable, but there was a flicker in her eyes—a hint of uncertainty. She looked at Avelon for a long moment before taking a slow, deliberate step closer. The guards, fell silent as if sensing the shift in energy.

"I needed to create a distraction," Elha said, her voice as flat as ever, though Avelon could hear the underlying tension. "You were about to demonstrate some underlying affinity that you've kept secret, and I couldn't let that happen." She glanced over her shoulder at the retreating guards, but Avelon could tell the words were not meant for them to hear.

"You don't get it, do you?" Elha snapped her gaze back toward Avelon. "I didn't have a choice." Confusion caused Avelon's brows to furrow, a deep frown finding refuge on her face. The feeling of some deeper meaning to Elha's words gripped at Avelon's mind.

Narrowing her eyes, Avelon folded her arms across her chest and sneered. "That's your explanation?"

The tension in the air was thick, and Avelon could feel the weight of the guards' whispered concerns pressing in on her. She chewed the inside of her cheek nervously, concluding that the rumours surrounding her and strange powers would start spreading rapidly- Something she was not entirely ready for. Balor would find out, would know that his experiments were working.

Elha held her gaze steadily, but Avelon could see the flicker of doubt in her eyes. She glanced toward the horses, still skittish from the earlier outburst, then back at Avelon.

"You may not understand it now," she said, her voice softer, but there was still an edge to it.

"But I did what I had to. You're dangerous, Avelon." The words hung in the air between them. Avelon could feel her left eye twitch at Elha's statement. Her words were not directed to her earlier display of air affinity, but definitely carried a deeper meaning. Avelon wanted to pry, to question and find out what the hell Elha was all about, but the need to protect herself rose higher.

"I don't have an affinity," Avelon snapped, the words coming out sharper than she intended. Her voice trembled slightly, but she refused to show weakness. "And I don't need you to tell me what I'm capable of."

Elha tilted her head, observing Avelon closely, as if weighing her next words. "You didn't just summon that wind, Avelon. It came from nowhere, like it belonged to you."

There was a glint of suspicion in her gaze now, but also something else—something like... recognition.

Avelon's pulse quickened. She had to fight the urge to reach up and touch the skin of her cheek, still tingling from the slap. She clenched her jaw, biting back the truth she could not let slip. No, she would not tell Elha—or anyone—that she could feel it.

Something stirred deep within her, something that was not quite right. Something that whispered in the depths of her blood. She had started feeling it from the first time she had encountered the tome. Had felt the stir of it during the encounter with Ernin and had felt the rush of it again now.

"I said," Avelon repeated slowly, forcing her voice to stay steady, "I don't have an affinity."

Elha's gaze softened just a fraction, but she did not back down. "Then what was that, Avelon? What do you think happened back there? The way the air shifted, the way the guards stumbled back like they'd been hit by a wall? You may not admit it to yourself, but I felt it."

Avelon's chest tightened. Her fingers twitched involuntarily, the strange warmth still pulsing faintly beneath her skin.

"I don't care what you think," she bit out, but even as she said it, something in her chest screamed in protest. She could feel the pull of that strange power.

Elha was silent for a long moment, watching Avelon closely. Then, with a resigned sigh, she stepped back, her face unreadable once more.

"Guards, ensure she is chained and watched at all times." Elha's voice rang hallow inside Avelon's head.

Avelon did not respond, and did not protest as the guards harshly took hold of her and wrapped heavy chains around her wrists. Her arms buzzed in protest, an eerie feeling enveloping her. She shrugged the feeling off, hanging her head low as the guards ushered her onto the awaiting horses.