*Briella*
I wondered what I was doing there.
I looked up at the path ahead of , shutting my eyes as I took in the moist but fresh air surrounding .
The sun was just starting to rise, the orange and pink lighting casting gorgeous hues over Astral Haven. I was sohow able to sneak out of bed without waking Kryzen up. Before I knew what I was doing, I was dressed and walking up the escape route he helped build.
I was a little out of breath when I finally made it up to the top of the cliff. I set my hands on my knees and focused on my breathing, feeling sweat drip down my forehead. I straightened and wiped the droplets away.
I wanted to start singing as I spun around, feeling as if I was on top of the world, even though this cliffside was a re fraction of what Lumina Mountain had been. I peered over the edge of the cliff, down at Astral Haven and the little stone hos nestled against the cliffside like bird nests. The early morning light was causing the waterfalls to shine and shimr as if embedded with crystals.
It truly was a beautiful community. It was fairly small, not much bigger than Celestial Valley, but what it lacked in size and numbers, it easily made up for with wonder and the magic hidden within the cliffs.
I carefully lowered myself down so I could sit on the edge of the cliffside with my legs dangling over the edge. I just wanted to sit there forever, gazing down at the waterfalls and enchanted pools.
A sudden sadness washed over when I rembered that we would be leaving that day, most likely in just a couple of hours. Panic quickly replaced the sadness when I realized I wasn’t ready to leave yet.
I wasn’t sure why I felt like that. I knew we needed to move on and had stayed long enough to keep these people safe. We even instilled in them a real sense of self-preservation. It was even clear to that they would be fine now. We didn’t need to stay a mont longer.
So why was I hesitating so much? Why did a sense of unease and longing fill at the thought of leaving?
“Ahh, so this is where you’re hiding.”
I rolled my eyes and didn’t even turn at the familiar voice. “I’m not hiding,” I said tersely, continuing to swing my legs casually as if I was by myself.
Kryzen chuckled and dropped down beside , his thigh brushing mine as he settled, hanging his legs down beside mine. “I suppose this would be a strange place to hide considering you are on view to everyone in Astral Haven.”
I giggled lightly but didn’t respond, staring out over the community.
Kryzen was quiet as well, but I could almost hear the gears turning in his mind as he tried to piece together why I was up there. He clearly ca up empty because he groaned.
I decided to bite. “What?” I asked innocently.
“What indeed,” he said. I could hear the eye roll in his voice. “Just wondering why my mate decided to sneak out of bed without and go on a sizable hike up the side of a cliff.”
I flinched slightly. He made it sound worse than it was, even though what he had said was completely accurate. I found myself shrugging.
I could feel Kryzen turn to stare at . “You don’t know?” he asked, his voice low.
I sighed, the sound dramatic even to my own ears, before turning to face him. “I don’t know,” I clarified. I threw my hands up. “I don’t know. Maybe I was just feeling restless cause we’re leaving or sothing. Things have been just a little crazy lately.” I allowed sarcasm to seep into my tone.
“That’s true,” Kryzen said slowly. I could hear his gears turning again, a little faster this ti. He waited, clearly expecting to say more.
I looked back down at the waterfalls, watching as mist rose up and mixed with the pink and orange lighting. “I guess I’m feeling a little nostalgic or sothing.”
Kryzen paused. “Nostalgic?” he finally asked in disbelief. “For this community that we’ve only been in for re days?”
My cheekbones grew warm. I knew how it sounded. I was still grappling with it as well. “Is that so odd?” I asked finally. “It’s a beautiful place, and everyone has been so kind to us.”
Kryzen was quiet again. I could feel his curious gray eyes on . “But it’s more than that,” he said. It wasn’t a question.
After a mont of thought, I nodded. “Yes, it is more than that,” I said. “I felt similarly when we were leaving Lumina Mountain.”
Kryzen didn’t say anything, patiently waiting for to co to the conclusion on my own.
“I feel a connection here,” I said. “It’s similar to the one I felt when Kai and I first arrived in the valley. I feel like I’ve known these people my whole life.”
Kryzen listened politely, nodding once I was done. “People have always gravitated to you, Briella,” he said simply as if we were talking about the weather. “You’ve always had that personality. You’re friendly and easy to talk to, and you’re always willing to help people.”
My face flad. Kryzen was saying these extrely kind things as if they were fact—sothing that couldn’t be argued against. Maybe so of it was true. I definitely wanted to help whenever I could, especially the people of the valley. They were my family.
But the people of Lumina Mountain and Astral Haven weren’t really my family. They were complete strangers. Maybe it was just their warmth and welcoming nature that caused to feel this sense of duty and connection.
Kryzen smiled and leaned toward so he could press a kiss on my forehead. The gesture was tender and consoling. He ruffled my hair before standing and holding a hand out to . “C’mon, Black,” he said, helping stand. “It’s ti we moved on.”
“We will be forever in your debt,” Luna Marina said, lowering her head in a slight bow.
“Indeed,” Alpha Azure added. “We cannot even begin to imagine what would have beco of us had you not been here to co to our aid. Know that you will always have a ho here with us.”
“Thank you,” Kryzen said, dipping his head.
Roy, Alyna, and I followed his example, lowering our heads respectfully.
I felt the need to say sothing more than just the typical thank you, feeling compelled to convey even a fraction of how much our ti in Astral Haven ant to . I raised my head and stepped forward. “You have treated us like one of your own since we stepped foot onto your land,” I said. “Your kindness and warmth have ant more than you know.”
Arista stepped forward and wrapped her slim arms around . “I feel like I’ve known you for much, much longer than just a few days,” she told , squeezing tightly.
I hugged her back, shock going through at her words. “I feel the exact sa about you,” I admitted. “I feel like I have been here before in a weird way. Maybe it is because you have all been so kind and welcoming.”
Luna Marina smiled at and her daughter before slowly shaking her head. “Relationships are a mysterious thing,” she said. “Connections ford between people can appear for reasons we could never understand. Perhaps it is sothing similar that you are both experiencing.”
“You an like destiny?” Alyna asked, her gray eyes widening as she looked between and Arista.
Alpha Azure chuckled but then nodded. “Sothing like that, yes,” he said.
I grinned at Arista as we finally pulled away from one another. I was reassured knowing that it wasn’t just who felt this unexplainable bond. I decided not to ntion the pull I sensed wasn’t just to the people here but to the land itself. I wouldn’t even know how to begin to explain that strange phenonon.
They would likely just look at as if I was crazy.
Roy stepped forward. “I don’t suppose you would have any inkling as to where those horrid beasts ca from, do you?”
The Alpha and Luna shared a glance. “I’m afraid that is truly the first ti we have encountered those evil creatures,” he said, “and hopefully the last.”
I tried not to show my disappointnt. Once again, we had no leads and no way of knowing which way to go.
“Although,” Luna Marina said, “if you continue south of here, you will enter the forest and eventually happen upon Ethereal Grove.”
“Ethereal Grove,” I repeated.
“Yes,” Alpha Azure said. “Such kind folks down there. We occasionally trade goods and correspond with them but not extrely often. They are a private community, enjoying to keep to themselves.”
“Do you have reason to believe they would know sothing about the beasts?” Kryzen asked, his eyebrows furrowing.
Luna Marina nodded. “Each mber of the community has an animal companion that is linked to them. They might not know anything about the beasts specifically, but they have a way with creatures. Perhaps they can offer you so insight.”
We thanked the Alpha and Luna and completed our heartfelt goodbyes before leaving Astral Haven. We waved at several mbers who cheered as we walked by.
“This is feeling eerily familiar,” I quipped as we exited through the gates and stepped onto the path leading south.
“What do you an?” Alyna asked.
Kryzen sent a smirk my way. “This isn’t the first ti Briella has been forced into the spotlight.”
I sent him a dark look, causing Roy to chuckle. “That’s what happens when you have a well-known grandmother,” Roy said goodnaturedly. He then smirked at his best friend. “I seem to recall Kryzen complaining that his Grandmother Eva was a little too popular.”
Kryzen rolled his eyes. “I never said that,” he said. “Grandma Eva deserves as much popularity as possible after everything she went through. She’s a hero and a legend.”
I smiled as the two continued to argue. I found it sweet that Kryzen defended his grandmother. He seed to really look up to her.
I frowned then, looking up at the sky and rembering seeing my own grandmother in the stars. I wished I could ask her how I was doing. Was I still on the right path? Was there anything more I could do to ensure that this world was safe from Tian and anyone else who threatened it?
Kryzen laughed at sothing Roy said before falling into step beside and wrapping an arm around my shoulders, pulling into his side as we walked. I gave him a sweet smile and leaned against him, allowing his warm presence to soothe .
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