The moon hung heavy in the sky, its pale glow casting silver shadows across the palace gardens. Lila stood on the edge of a reflecting pool, her bare feet brushing against the cold stone. She could feel the hum of magic in the air, vibrating softly against her skin. Tonight felt different. Something ancient stirred in the world around her.
Cassian's condition had improved slightly since their last encounter, though his sight had not returned. Still, Lila could feel the weight of the curse more keenly than ever. It was a living thing—snarled, dark, coiled within him like a serpent. Her discovery that her water affinity allowed her to see the curse had been a turning point. Now, it was a matter of understanding what she saw.
She knelt by the water, focusing her mind. The surface rippled in response to her thoughts, forming patterns, symbols, glimpses of Cassian's eyes—the shadows that clung to them.
"I need to go deeper," she whispered.
Drawing a breath, Lila summoned her power. The water responded with an eager lurch, curling upward in a spiral before flattening into a smooth, glass-like disk. Her reflection stared back at her—then shifted. The image of herself blurred and was replaced by Cassian's face. His eyes, veiled in shadow, pulsed with threads of black magic.
Her vision tunneled.
Suddenly, she was no longer in the garden but standing in a realm of twilight. Dark mist curled around her feet, and before her, Cassian stood, motionless. The cursed shadows danced across his eyes, now fully visible.
"Cassian?" she called.
He didn't respond. His expression was blank, as though he were under a trance. But his presence… it was strong, and familiar.
"This is where the curse lives," said a voice behind her.
Lila turned to find the Wind King, his form more ethereal than before. He floated inches above the mist, his robes fluttering in a non-existent wind.
"You've found the veil," he said. "The boundary between the spirit realm and the mortal world."
"What is this place?"
"A reflection of Cassian's soul under the influence of the curse. Your affinity with water opened the path. Water is not only fluid—it sees. It reveals."
Lila turned back to Cassian, who now raised his head, sensing her. His lips parted, and a single word escaped: "Help."
Suddenly, the shadows surged forward, snarling like beasts. They slammed into her, and she staggered back, her spirit energy flaring in defense. The Wind King held out a hand, stabilizing her with a gust of calming wind.
"You cannot fight the curse directly—not yet," he said. "You must first learn what feeds it."
"What do you mean?"
The Wind King's gaze drifted to Cassian. "There is fear within him, and guilt. The curse is not only an external force—it entwines itself with the wounds of the soul. You must understand his past to break it."
The shadows began to part like curtains, revealing fragmented visions: a child, abandoned and crying in the cold. A noble house steeped in cruel traditions. A father's harsh voice. Magic locked away in chains. Betrayal by a trusted friend. And the worst of all—a blood pact gone wrong.
Lila's heart ached. She had known Cassian only as the guarded noble who bore his curse with quiet strength. But these glimpses told a different story. He had suffered, been molded by pain. The curse had found fertile ground in a soul already cracked.
"I have to help him," she said. "Not just break the curse, but… heal what it's feeding on."
The Wind King smiled. "You are beginning to understand the truth of your powers. Healing comes not from strength, but from empathy. Come. There is more to see."
The realm dissolved, and she was back in the garden, panting and drenched in sweat. The reflection pool had gone still again, as if nothing had happened. But inside, everything had changed.
End of Chapter 19