Kael stirred from his sleep at the sound of a soft knock on the door. His eyes fluttered open, and for a brief moment, he was disoriented, the events of the day swirling in his mind like fragments of a dream. The steady rhythm of the knocking brought him fully back to the present, and with a groggy exhale, he pushed himself up from the bed.
"Kael," a voice called from the other side of the door. It was Lina, the housekeeper who had been with the Draylen family for as long as he could remember. Her gentle, no-nonsense tone was unmistakable. "Dinner will be ready soon. You should freshen up."
Kael rubbed the sleep from his eyes and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. "Got it," he called back, his voice still hoarse with sleep.
The sound of Lina's retreating footsteps faded down the hall as Kael stretched, his muscles protesting slightly from the stiffness of his nap. He glanced toward the window, noting how the light had shifted; the golden glow of the setting sun spilled across the room, casting long shadows that danced on the walls.
Rising to his feet, Kael made his way to the adjoining washroom. The cool water he splashed on his face was a welcome relief, washing away the remnants of exhaustion and clearing his mind. As he straightened and caught his reflection in the mirror, he couldn't help but pause. The changes were still startling, even to him. The sharper angles of his face, the striking blue of his eyes—each detail a reminder of how far he'd come and how different he'd become from the Kael of the past.
He shook his head, dispelling the lingering thoughts, and focused on getting ready. After tidying his hair and adjusting his attire to something more appropriate for dinner, Kael took one last glance at himself before stepping back into the bedroom. The nap had done its job, giving him a renewed sense of energy, and now he was ready to face whatever the evening held.
As he left his room and made his way toward the dining hall, the familiar sounds of the Draylen estate reached his ears: the quiet murmur of the staff, the faint clinking of dishes being set on the long dining table, and the rhythmic ticking of the grandfather clock in the main hall. It was a symphony of order and routine, yet tonight it felt different—he felt different.
As Kael left his room and began walking toward the dining hall, the familiar sounds of the Draylen estate reached his ears: the quiet murmur of the staff, the faint clinking of dishes being set on the long dining table, and the rhythmic ticking of the grandfather clock in the main hall. It was a symphony of order and routine, yet tonight it felt different—he felt different.
Ahead of him, Kael caught sight of a familiar figure walking in the same direction. Elara moved with the same poised grace she always had, her sharp features and dark hair making her an unmistakable presence. She didn't acknowledge him at first, her expression distant and cold, as if his presence was of no consequence to her.
"Elara," Kael greeted, keeping his tone neutral.
Elara glanced back at him briefly, her green eyes flickering with disinterest. "Kael," she replied, her tone flat and indifferent.
They walked in silence for a few moments, and Kael found himself studying her out of the corner of his eye. She held herself with the same air of aloofness he remembered, her demeanor as cold and impenetrable as the halls they walked through. But as the light from a nearby window caught his face, her gaze lingered on him longer than usual.
She slowed her steps slightly, her eyes narrowing as she turned to look at him more directly. "What happened to your face?" she asked abruptly, her earlier indifference replaced by curiosity. "And your eyes... they're different."
Kael met her gaze evenly, his expression calm. "Something happened in the forest," he said simply. "I'll tell you at dinner."
Elara's brow furrowed slightly, but she didn't press further. Instead, she turned her attention back to the hallway ahead. "Fine," she said curtly. "Don't think I won't hold you to that."
They walked together in silence until they reached the grand double doors of the dining hall. Elara was the first to step forward, pushing the doors open with practiced ease. The soft glow of the chandelier bathed the room in warm light, and the long dining table was already set with fine china and polished silverware.
At the head of the table sat their mother, Evelina Draylen. Her posture was as regal as ever, her hands delicately folded in her lap. She glanced up as they entered, her sharp, calculating eyes immediately settling on Kael. Unlike Darius's cold scrutiny, Evelina's gaze was more subtle, but no less piercing. It felt as though she could see straight through him, stripping away every layer of pretense.
"Kael," Evelina said smoothly, her voice composed but with a faint edge. "I see you've decided to join us."
"Mother," Kael greeted, inclining his head respectfully as he took a seat at the table.
Elara slipped into the chair beside their mother, her expression unreadable as she silently observed the interaction. Kael could feel her eyes on him, the curiosity she'd displayed earlier still lingering beneath her otherwise composed exterior.
As the servants began bringing in the first course, Evelina spoke again, her tone even but carrying an undertone of expectation. "Your father mentioned you returned today. He also mentioned you've... changed. I trust you'll have something to say about that during dinner."
Kael nodded, keeping his voice steady. "I'll explain everything."
"Good," Evelina said simply, her gaze briefly flicking to Elara before returning to Kael. "I hope your explanation is as... interesting as your transformation appears to be."
Kael suppressed a sigh, the weight of the evening settling on him once more. This dinner, it seemed, would be anything but ordinary.
The first course was placed in front of them with practiced precision, the subtle clinking of silverware and porcelain filling the otherwise quiet room. Evelina sat at the head of the table, her composed demeanor unchanged as she took a delicate sip of wine. Elara, seated beside her, idly picked at her plate, her sharp green eyes occasionally flitting toward Kael with a mix of curiosity and suspicion.
Kael waited for a moment, letting the silence stretch as he gathered his thoughts. He knew this dinner wasn't just about eating—it was about being watched, assessed, and, in his mother's case, dissected. If he wanted to navigate this evening successfully, he'd need to take control of the conversation.
"I suppose I should start by saying it's good to be back," Kael said, his voice even but carrying a warmth that hadn't been present during his earlier interactions. His gaze shifted between his mother and Elara. "The forest was... an experience, to say the least."
Evelina raised an eyebrow, her expression remaining neutral. "An experience," she echoed. "Do elaborate, Kael. We're all ears."
Kael leaned back slightly in his chair, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "It's hard to sum up in just a few words, but let's just say the forest wasn't exactly forgiving. There were days when I thought I might not make it out. But, as you can see"—he gestured to himself—"I survived."
"That much is obvious," Elara said dryly, though there was a flicker of intrigue in her tone. "But how? I imagine the forest didn't just let you stroll out unscathed."
Kael chuckled softly, deciding to steer the conversation toward the safer parts of his story. "Well, I ran into a Shadowfang along the way. It wasn't exactly thrilled to see me and made that pretty clear."
"Trust me, it's every bit as dangerous as they say," Kael continued. "It caught me off guard, and for a while, all I could do was dodge and stay out of its reach. Eventually, I had no choice but to fight back. I used my sword—it wasn't pretty, but it was enough."
Evelina observed him quietly, her sharp gaze unwavering, as though she were weighing his words. Beside her, Elara leaned forward slightly, her earlier indifference fading into a flicker of interest.
"It sounds like a tall tale," Elara remarked, though her tone carried a faint air of curiosity. "But, considering you're here, I suppose it worked."
Kael nodded, taking a sip of water to buy himself a moment. He knew this was the time to craft the story of his awakening—something believable, but not too close to the truth. Setting the glass down, he continued.
.
"There was another moment," Kael said, his tone growing more serious. "One I don't think I'll ever forget. It was during one of the more... heated battles."
Evelina's attention sharpened, and even Elara's posture straightened slightly. Kael had their full focus now.
"I came across this... beast," Kael began, weaving the tale carefully. "I'm not entirely sure what it was—something between a bear and a lizard, with scales that shimmered like wet stone. Its claws could tear through bark like paper, and it wasn't exactly fond of me invading its territory."
"And you fought this thing?" Elara asked skeptically, though her eyes betrayed her interest.
"I didn't have much of a choice," Kael replied, keeping his tone measured. "It attacked, and I barely had time to react. For a while, it was all I could do to stay on my feet, dodging and weaving as it tried to tear me apart. But then... something changed."
He paused, letting the weight of the moment sink in before continuing. "I don't know what triggered it—maybe it was adrenaline, or maybe it was sheer desperation—but I felt something stir inside me. It was like... a surge of energy, something I'd never felt before. Before I knew it, I was calling water to my hands, shaping it into a shield to block its attacks."
Elara's eyes widened slightly, and even Evelina's composed expression faltered for a brief moment. "You're saying that's how you awakened your water affinity?" Evelina asked, her tone skeptical but intrigued.
Kael nodded, leaning forward slightly. "It wasn't graceful, and it wasn't controlled. But it was enough. The water shield held long enough for me to find an opening, and with one last strike, I managed to drive the creature off. After that... well, let's just say I started to understand the potential of what I'd awakened."
The room fell silent for a moment, the weight of Kael's fabricated story hanging in the air. He could see the wheels turning in Evelina's mind, her sharp gaze assessing every word. Elara, on the other hand, seemed less interested in analyzing and more in the raw excitement of the tale.
"Well," Elara said finally, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. "I suppose I'll give you credit for that, if it's true. Not bad, Kael. Not bad at all."
Evelina didn't comment immediately, instead taking a sip of her wine as she studied him. "An interesting story," she said at last, her tone neutral. "Though I'm sure your father will want a more detailed account tomorrow."
By the time the main course was served, the initial frostiness of the evening had melted away, replaced by something... less cold. While the warmth of true comfort felt distant, there was an undeniable shift in the atmosphere, a faint stirring of something closer to ease. Nate—no, Kael—found himself caught between two realities: the memories of this family that weren't entirely his own and the man he had become in their absence. As he watched Evelina and Elara engage in conversation, he realized that no matter how much he'd grown, no matter how much he'd changed, this house and these people would always be part of Kael's life... and now, Nate's as well.
It wasn't exactly home, but perhaps it could be something else. Something new.