The golden shafts of morning light pierced through the hand-woven curtains of Alvira's bedroom, illuminating the dust motes dancing in the air. Outside, the hidden village was alive with the melodic chime of bells and the distant laughter of children, but inside, Alvira felt as though she were under water. The vibrant world was a stark contrast to the hollow ache in her chest.
Her thoughts were a tangled web of the previous night—the cold dread that had seized her when her mother, the Queen, had nearly pierced through her web of lies. Every second spent with Theo was a second stolen from her duty, and the debt was becoming harder to pay.
"Today is a new day," she whispered to the empty room, her voice cracking. It was a mantra she didn't quite believe.
She rose reluctantly, moving through her morning routine like an automaton. The water in her bath was infused with crushed jasmine and protective salts, but it couldn't wash away the lingering scent of damp earth and wolf that seemed etched into her skin. She chose a dress of deep navy blue—the color of the sky just before a storm—and smoothed the fabric over her hips, trying to find the reflection of the girl she used to be in the silver-framed mirror.
Leaving her room, she drifted towards her brother's room. The silence of the house was oppressive; her mother had not returned from the "urgent matter" the night before.
She pushed open her brother's door and stopped. Leo lay sprawled across his bed, the sunlight catching the soft curls of his hair. He looked so small, so devastatingly innocent. As she watched him breathe, a single, hot tear escaped her eye and trailed down her cheek.
Soon, the innocence would be stripped away. At fifteen, he would receive the Mark of the Seer. The elders would take him, cloistering him in the high towers where he would be forced to witness the tragedies of the future before they even occurred. He would be a child in a man's role, burdened with the weight of destiny. It broke Alvira's heart to know that while he was forced into a life he didn't choose, she was planning to abandon hers for a love that was forbidden.
A sharp sting of guilt pierced her heart. She was ready to leave them all—her mother, her heritage, her coven—for Theo. She had convinced herself that the coven would be better off without a traitorous daughter in their midst, but looking at Leo, she realized the lie for what it was. How would he cope with the visions of the future if his sister wasn't there to hold his hand in the present?
"Good morning, little brother," she murmured, leaning down to press a kiss to his warm forehead.
Leo groaned, a tiny frown marring his features as he burrowed deeper into his woolen blanket, refusing to face the day.
Alvira swallowed the lump in her throat, forcing a playful spirit she didn't feel. "If you don't wake up in three... two... one!"
With a final count, she lunged playfully, tickling his sides. Leo erupted in laughter, twisting away from her touch.
"Alv, stop! Stop it!" he shrieked between giggles, using the familiar nickname that always warmed her heart. He finally sat up, rubbing his eyes and throwing his small arms around her neck in a fierce hug.
Alvira held him close for a moment, savoring the feeling of his embrace. "You know today is a big day, Leo. You're finally going to visit the Temple. Your future home."
The excitement she hoped to see didn't appear. Instead, Leo's face clouded over, a look of worry settling on his features. "But I don't want to go, Alv. I want to stay here with you and Mama."
His words were a painful echo of her own conflicted feelings. She saw the apprehension in his brown eyes, so similar to her own when faced with an uncertain future. She cupped his face gently.
"You don't have to worry," she said softly, trying to sound reassuring despite the ache in her chest. "Mama and I will always be by your side no matter what happens. We won't leave you ever. We are family"
Leo looked at her with a searching gaze. "Promise?"
The word hung in the air, a question filled with hope. Alvira thought of the path she was considering, the one that would take her away from this life. Then she looked at her brother, his small face filled with trust.
"I promise," she said, the words feeling heavy on her tongue. "Now go and get ready. The Temple elders will be waiting."
She watched him get out of bed and walk slowly towards the bathroom, his shoulders slightly slumped. As the door closed behind him, Alvira leaned against the wall and closed her eyes, the weight of her choices pressing down on her.