Chapter 1- The Whispering Woods
The forest was alive tonight.
Elara moved silently through the underbrush, her worn leather satchel bouncing lightly against her hip. The moon hung like a pale lantern above, its silvery glow streaming through the canopy of ancient trees. She had always loved the Whispering Woods how the breeze stirred the branches until they murmured like old friends exchanging secrets. But tonight, even the trees seemed restless, their whispers sharper, more urgent.
She tightened her cloak around her shoulders and quickened her pace. Somewhere ahead, she could hear it: the faint, ragged sound of breathing. Wounded. Male. And close.
Elara cursed softly under her breath. The villagers had warned her not to wander so close to the border this late; the king’s soldiers patrolled the roads at night, and those who strayed too far often never returned. But she couldn’t ignore someone in pain not when her gift tugged at her chest like a heartbeat out of rhythm.
She found him slumped against the roots of an ancient oak, half-hidden in shadow. His cloak was dark, soaked through with blood, and his hand clutched a blade still dripping with crimson. His eyes were closed, his face pale under the moonlight.
Elara crouched cautiously, her healer’s instincts kicking in. She pressed two fingers to his neck his pulse was weak but steady.
“Sir?” she whispered, shaking his shoulder gently.
His eyelids fluttered open, revealing eyes the color of storm clouds. He tried to speak but only managed a hoarse gasp.
“Quiet,” he rasped, his voice like gravel. “They… they’re close.”
Elara’s stomach tightened. She scanned the trees around them, her senses prickling. Whoever had done this to him might still be near.
“I can’t leave you like this,” she whispered. “You’ll bleed out.”
He let out a bitter laugh that turned into a cough, blood flecking his lips. “Better… to bleed… than be caught.”
She ignored him and pulled a small vial from her satchel, its contents glowing faintly blue. Her magic stirred inside her like a restless tide, urging her forward. She wasn’t supposed to use it not since the King’s Decree outlawed all magic healer but she’d rather risk her life than let him die here.
She uncorked the vial and dipped her fingers in the liquid, whispering an incantation her mother had taught her when she was a child. Warm light spilled from her hands, soft and golden, wrapping around his wound like a silken thread.
The stranger hissed and tried to pull away, but he was too weak to fight her off. The magic sank into his torn flesh, knitting skin and sealing veins. His breathing steadied, though his storm-grey eyes now locked onto her with sharp suspicion.
“You’re… a mage,” he whispered.
Elara’s heart pounded. She pulled her hood lower over her face. “No one will know, if you keep quiet.”
He studied her, his gaze unreadable. Then, with surprising strength, he grabbed her wrist.
“You shouldn’t be here,” he said, his voice low but commanding. “If they find you with me… you’ll hang.”
Elara stiffened. Whoever he was, he clearly wasn’t some wandering mercenary. His voice carried authority—the kind she’d only ever heard from the royal guard or high-ranking nobles.
Before she could respond, the snap of twigs echoed nearby.
Her breath caught.
Shadows moved between the trees, torchlight flickering in the distance. She could hear armored boots crunching on the forest floor. Soldiers.
The wounded man’s grip tightened on her wrist. “Go,” he hissed. “Now!”
But she couldn’t leave him. Her healer’s heart wouldn’t allow it. She shook her head. “Not without you.”
His stormy gaze softened for just a heartbeat, as though no one had ever said that to him before. Then, with a grunt, he pushed himself up, leaning heavily against her.
“Fine,” he muttered. “But if we’re caught… we die together.”
Elara’s blood ran cold, but she steadied herself under his weight. Together, they stumbled deeper into the woods, guided by moonlight and desperation, as the soldiers’ shouts grew louder.
By the time they reached the old hunter’s cabin, Elara’s arms burned from supporting his weight. She shoved the door open with her shoulder, dragging him inside. The cabin was dark, abandoned for years, but it would do. She lowered him onto a dusty cot, her hands trembling.
He groaned but didn’t protest as she peeled back his cloak to check his injuries. The deep gash across his ribs had mostly healed, but he’d lost a lot of blood.
“You’re lucky I found you,” she muttered, lighting a candle.
He chuckled softly, though the sound was laced with pain. “I don’t believe in luck.”
Elara froze. The dim candlelight revealed a sigil burned into the leather of his armor—a stylized serpent wrapped around a crown. She’d only ever seen that mark once before, carved into banners at the royal palace.
Her stomach dropped.
This man wasn’t just a noble.
He was the Crown Prince of Eryndor.
And she had just used forbidden magic to save him.
The prince’s eyes flickered open again, sharp despite his exhaustion. “What’s your name, healer?”
Elara hesitated. If she gave her name, she’d be signing her own death warrant.
“Just… Elara,” she whispered.
He smirked faintly. “Elara. You’ve just made yourself a very dangerous friend.”
His words sent a chill down her spine. She had no idea just how true they would become.