The First Lie

I didn't speak to Elias for the rest of the night.

I couldn't.

Because suddenly every strange thing about him made sense.

The way he didn't know phones.

The way he spoke about kingdoms.

The way he never slept.

The way he knew things no normal person could know.

And now my dream.

His mother.

A woman I had never seen.

Yet somehow appeared in my dream.

The next morning, I confronted him.

“Who are you?”

He looked at me.

“I told you.”

“No.”

I shook my head.

“You told me your name.”

He remained silent.

“That's not the same thing.”

He looked away.

“I'm protecting you.”

“From what?”

“From the truth.”

I laughed bitterly.

“You think lying to me protects me?”

“No.”

“Then why?”

“Because once you know the truth, you can never go back.”

I stepped closer.

“Maybe I don't want to go back.”

He looked at me.

Something broke inside his expression.

“Elara…”

“Tell me.”

He closed his eyes.

Then he whispered:

“I am not human.”

I stared at him.

He continued.

“I was born somewhere beyond your world.”

My heart began beating faster.

“Where?”

“I can't tell you.”

“Why?”

“Because if the people searching for me discover that you know about my existence…”

He stopped.

“What?”

“They will come for you.”

I swallowed.

“Who?”

He looked toward the window.

“The king.”

I frowned.

“What king?”

His eyes met mine.

“My uncle.”

Chapter 6 — The Kiss

After that night, everything changed.

I should have been afraid of him.

Instead, I became afraid of losing him.

It made no sense.

We spent more time together.

He taught me strange words from his language.

I taught him how to use a phone.

He hated television.

He loved music.

He didn't understand why people took pictures of food.

And he thought elevators were terrifying.

“You're afraid of an elevator?”

“I'm not afraid.”

“You screamed.”

“I was surprised.”

“You screamed.”

He looked embarrassed.

I laughed.

For the first time in years, I felt happy.

Then one evening, we went to the rooftop.

The city stretched beneath us.

Thousands of lights.

Cars.

People.

Life.

Elias looked at everything silently.

“Do you miss your world?”

“Yes.”

“Do you want to go back?”

He looked at me.

“I don't know anymore.”

“Why?”

He took my hand.

“Because I found something here.”

My heart stopped.

“What?”

He stepped closer.

“You.”

I couldn't breathe.

“Elias…”

“I tried to stay away from you.”

“Why?”

“Because you are human.”

“And?”

“And I am not supposed to love you.”

My eyes filled with tears.

“You love me?”

He nodded.

“I have tried not to.”

I whispered:

“Don't.”

He looked confused.

“Don't what?”

“Don't try anymore.”

He kissed me.

And for the first time, I understood what it meant to be afraid of happiness.

Because somewhere deep inside me, I already knew.

Something this beautiful could never last.

Chapter 7 — The Portal

Three days later, the sky changed.

It happened at midnight.

The city lights flickered.

Every electronic device stopped working.

Cars froze in the streets.

Then the clouds opened.

A massive circle of blue light appeared above the buildings.

I ran outside.

Elias was already there.

His face was terrified.

“They found me.”

“Who?”

He took my hand.

“We have to leave.”

“Where?”

He didn't answer.

The light descended.

The air around us began to shake.

Then the world disappeared.

For one second, I couldn't see anything.

Then I opened my eyes.

I wasn't in the city anymore.

I was standing beneath a purple sky.

A massive silver moon hung above us.

In the distance stood a castle.

Not a normal castle.

It was enormous.

Its towers reached into the clouds.

Floating islands surrounded it.

Glowing rivers ran through the mountains.

I stared in disbelief.

Elias stood beside me.

“Welcome to Aetheria.”

I turned toward him.

“You really weren't lying.”

“No.”

“Then who are you?”

He took a deep breath.

“My full name is Aelion Valerian.”

The name echoed strangely through the air.

“I am the first son of King Lucien Valerian.”

He looked at the castle.

“The heir to the throne of Aetheria.”

I stared at him.

“You're a prince.”

“Yes.”

I laughed.

Not because it was funny.

Because I didn't know what else to do.

“You're actually a prince.”

He looked at me.

“And you are the first human to enter this world in three hundred years.”

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