Page 139 of The Last Guardian

Zaid glanced at the stairs. “We’re looking for a guest I sent here yesterday. Eirlys?”

Bea consulted the register, searching for the name. “Yes, she’s in room five. She hasn’t moved since this morning. You can go check.”

“Great, thank you.” Zaid smiled at her, placing his hand on my back and guiding me upstairs.

The mere touch of his hand sent tingles through me, even through the leather.

Stars, it was impossible to stay focused with him around.

Zaid knocked on the creaky old wood, and a female voice announced, “Come in.”

The small room opened before us as we faced Eirlys sitting at the table near the hearth, drinking a cup of tea. On the opposite wall was a massive bed with black sheets.

Curtains drawn to hide the room from any light, the room was left with only the gleam of the flames to illuminate it.

The fire flared as Eirlys turned toward us, her red lips curling, her violet eyes shining in the room’s darkness. “Your Highness, Commander.” Eirlys rose from her chair as Zaid closed the door behind us.

The wooden floor creaked under my black boots as I stepped in. Eirlys invited me to sit next to her. Zaid leaned against the wall by the fireplace, facing us, casually crossing his arms.

“Tea?” Eirlys offered, teapot in hand, and I accepted, sitting down on the chair. The sweet scent of warm vanilla and roses tickled my nostrils, wafting through the air.

“What can I do for you?” she asked, finally sitting down, brushing her elegant black velvet gown with her fingertips.

Zaid’s gaze met mine as I shifted in my seat, sipping my tea before clearing my throat. “What do you know about reaching the Threshold through dreams?” Zaidkiel asked.

Eirlys frowned, and her shoulders loosened. “Dreams?” Eirlys asked. Her carved moon shone brightly in the room. “Dreams are bridges between the perception of the inner world and reality, between who we are and who we are becoming.” The room burst into a kaleidoscope of colors, purple mingling with blackness and silver, as if the universe floated around us. “They are our hopes, our fears, the possibility of every version of ourselves.”

“But what if—” I swallowed hard, bringing my eyes to hers. “What if the dream persists?”

“Is it a place you visited in your past?” Eirlys arched a brow, and I shook my head—at least not one I remembered. “Dreams belong to the past, shaped by our memory, but they also belong to the future—things our subconscious wishes to make happen.” Eirlys’ mouth curled up in a smile. “They also belong to fate—it reveals direction, the path the soul keeps turning toward, even when the mind resists.”

“Fate, like—” I hesitated for a moment, then added, “Like destiny?”

To fulfill your destiny.

It’s your destiny.

Eirlys nodded, replying, “Can you describe your dream? The places you tend to fall into.”

I bit my lip. The urge to keep it shut, to leave the room, took hold of me.

Talking about this dream—the nightmare—was strange, too intimate. I’d dreamed about it for years, ever since my mother died. It was just a dream, nothing serious, right? So why did I feel like I was sharing a part of my soul?

“It’s always the same place, but the event tends to change,” I said, avoiding looking up at her. “It’s a cave.”

Eirlys glanced at Zaid in wonder, but his eyes were still fixed on mine, listening. “What does it look like?”

“Very dark, with rocky walls and darkness looming,” I replied, then looked at my hand where the relic now lay, the gemstone no longer shining. “And… a voice urging me to move forward.”

Eirlys leaned back in her chair, a dark emotion crossing her face. “A voice? What is it saying?”

I glanced at Zaid, still silent, curiosity sparkling in his eyes. Taking a deep breath, I quoted the voice’s words: “May your destiny be fulfilled at last, Lady of Darkness.”

To fulfill your destiny.

It’s your destiny.

My fingers brushed the relic, reaching in my pocket to let it breathe. The gemstone flared at the contact of my skin.