Part One

Caelum had woken up that morning with a pounding headache. Every day felt more exhausting than the last, but he had to keep pushing. Why? Because those were her last words to him before she disappeared, leaving only a haunting memory behind.

Caelum grabbed his basket, another day of solitude, another day without her smile. He headed to the Sylvenwood Forest, the same forest where he gathered herbs and flowers for his shop. A place of wild beauty, with ancient trees and vibrant foliage. The forest was a mix of lush greens and deep earth tones, scattered with wildflowers. And at the far end, hidden beneath a thundering waterfall, was the gateway that led to the bustling city where he ran his small perfume shop.

As he combed through the forest for ingredients, his eyes caught sight of a rare flower. It was one he usually didn't see in this region, its deep violet petals shimmering under the soft beams of sunlight breaking through the trees. This would be perfect for the new scent he had been crafting. Picking the flower carefully, he felt the familiar satisfaction that came with his work. Caelum had always been sensitive to smells, and owning a perfume shop allowed him to channel that gift into something meaningful.

Suddenly, the air shifted. The temperature dropped and a chill ran through his spine. He looked up to see a warp opening above him, swirling ominously as cold, stale air seeped through. His heart skipped a beat as a figure plummeted through the warp, crashing directly into him before the portal sealed itself shut. The impact sent him stumbling backward, and he quickly pushed the girl off him, his expression sharp with irritation.

"Who in the world would be foolish enough to open a portal here? And so early in the morning, no less?" he muttered under his breath, frowning at the unconscious figure before him. He crouched down, tilting her head to the side, her dark hair falling away to reveal her face.

His breath caught.

He had seen her before. A face from a dream that had plagued him long ago, though he had never understood its significance at the time. He had dismissed it back then, thinking it was just his imagination playing tricks on him, especially when all he could think about was Silvia. And yet, here she was, real, solid, and lying unconscious before him.

Curious, he reached out to feel if there was any magic coursing through her veins. It was faint, barely detectable. Just as he leaned closer to check her pulse, her eyes fluttered open.

"Are those wings? Am I dead? Are you an angel?" she mumbled, her voice weak but laced with confusion.

Caelum jumped back, his wings spreading out reflexively, ready to fly. She could see him—his true form. The veil was supposed to protect him from prying eyes. How could she have seen past it? Who was she?

Before he could press further, her eyes rolled back and she fainted again.

"Great," he muttered, glancing around as he heard footsteps approaching. The guards—wolves. They must have felt the magic from the portal.

If they found her, they would take her straight to Shane. And Shane's paranoia would have him convinced she was a spy.

She wouldn't survive a single encounter with him, especially now, with the political tensions rising between Lupinmere and the neighboring packs. The looming threat of war, compounded by Shane's upcoming awakening ceremony, made everything so much more dangerous.

"Well, it's not my problem," Caelum said to himself, standing and brushing off his cloak. He flew up, using the shadows of the trees to conceal himself as he moved away from the clearing.

But no matter how far he flew, his mind couldn't seem to shake the image of her lying there, vulnerable. Sigh. He turned around, cursing his own instincts.

He swooped down, picked her up carefully, and wrapped them both in his cloak, using a concealment spell to hide her from the guards.

As the guards passed, sniffing around for the residual magic, Caelum's heart pounded in his chest. If they found him, he would be trialed as a traitor for harboring a stray.

Thankfully, they found nothing, snarling in frustration before leaving the area. Once the coast was clear, he sighed with relief and set her back down.

He eyed the Isilaven Stone she had with her, the small crystal that had fallen from her pocket—the very thing that had allowed her to travel here. This would lead them straight to her, he thought.

He drained its magic, and crushed it, making it unusable.

She was stuck here now, her return impossible, and without your magic to protect her, she'd be exposed. His conscience gnawed at him.

"Just leave her," he thought. "You've done enough." He convinced himself further.

But as he turned to leave, he couldn't. She was defenseless, with her life force running low. Muttering a series of incantations, he restored her energy.

Even though it was restored, her body still needed at least a day's rest to heal. He placed a protective barrier over her body.

"I've done the best I can," he convinced himself.

But no matter how hard he tried, sleep didn't come that night. Her face—those deep brown eyes—haunted him. It was strange. His mind usually wandered to Silvia, the woman he had lost, but tonight... it was this girl. This stranger.

By the time the next morning came, Caelum knew the barrier had been broken. She was awake. He grabbed his Lucisyr Crystal, a stone faes used to communicate and watch each other for protection. He wasn't sure why he was checking up on her—maybe it was just curiosity. Surely, she had a plan when she opened that portal, and risked her life to get here, right?

His eyes narrowed in disbelief. If she had a plan then why was she running—wildly, aimlessly—while the guards chased her through the city. He could only shake his head. "Who is this nut job?" he thought, barely suppressing a laugh.

"The perfume shop will hide your scent and keep you safe," he whispered into her mind through the connection. The moment he sent the message, he regretted it.

He had lived a life of isolation for so long, waiting for the end to claim him. So why in the name of the ancients was he inviting trouble into his life now?

————————-
How do we like the story so far?