The following day, Kleo awoke early. Careful not to disturb Jack, she slipped away to immerse herself in the pool. The warm waters embraced her, soothing the lingering tension in her muscles. She let out a contented sigh, her body floating as her mind swirled with thoughts.

  Everything had changed so quickly. Worries, questions, and unspoken fears jostled for her attention, but she pushed them aside. There would be time enough to sift through the chaos later. She let herself savor the moment—the warmth, the calm, the peace.

  The binding had been profound, more than she had ever dared imagine. The memory of it lingered, her body tingling from the intimacy they had shared. Yet, as much as she had enjoyed their physical connection, the deeper bond they now shared gave her a sense of completeness she had never known.

  For Jack, everything was new—sudden, unexpected, and perhaps overwhelming. But for her, it was the culmination of something long anticipated, something she had carried within her for years.

  The dreams had always been there, woven into the fabric of her life like threads of fate. They had started in her earliest memories, vivid and immersive, painting a future she couldn’t yet grasp. Jack had been a part of them from the beginning—a constant presence in her mind’s eye, familiar and distant all at once.

  But the dreams hadn’t stayed confined to her sleep. They bled into her waking life, especially during the long, monotonous hours of study and training. In her daydreams, she traveled the world with him, laughed with him, and loved him. And in return, she felt the warmth of his love, imagined but unshakably real.

  Seeing Jack for the first time had been a shattering moment. Something within her—something tightly wound and fragile—broke the instant her eyes fell on him. She remembered the scene vividly: Jack stepped out of the public house in the small village, carrying his meager belongings, the weight of the road etched into his every step. Her heart had stopped, time seeming to pause as her mind reeled. She wanted to convince herself it wasn’t real, that she was dreaming again. But even her most desperate lies couldn’t hold. This was real. Jack was real.

  When Rugr introduced him, saying his name aloud, it was as though the world cracked open. Her heart raced, her thoughts jumbled, and a crushing weight settled on her chest as she struggled to breathe. And then, without warning, it broke. Whatever had held her back all these years shattered. The world stood still.

  In that suspended moment, she felt a spark deep within her, barely perceptible at first. The spark grew, blossoming into a small flame, then a fire, and then an all-consuming blaze. The heat raced through her body, lighting every nerve and infusing her with a strange, alien energy. In its wake, she felt alive—transformed.

  And then, as suddenly as it began, the moment ended. The world restarted, spinning as it always had. But she was not the same. She had been reborn into Kadas Shadoom.

  She had waited years for that moment. Longer than anyone of her kind had ever waited. The absence of Kadas Shadoom had hung over her like a shadow, a constant source of whispers and veiled glances. Even Rugr, though he tried his best to hide it, had shown concern. At twenty-two, she had become an anomaly, a question with no answer.

  Meeting Jack was more than fate—it was her awakening.

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  Jack woke with a start, his heart skipping a beat when he realized Kleo was no longer beside him. He sat up quickly, scanning the room, and felt his breath catch in relief when he spotted her by the carry bag, securing the straps and gathering the remaining water supplies.

  “Good morning, sleepyhead,” she said with a playful grin, though her movements were brisk and purposeful. She was already deep into the preparations to leave.

  “Morning,” Jack mumbled, running a hand through his disheveled hair. His thoughts felt sluggish, still stuck between dreams and waking reality. “I need to tell you about the Whispering Secret. It was... strange.”

  Without looking up, Kleo replied, “Hold that thought until we’re on the road. It’ll be midday before we start if we don't leave soon.”

  Her tone was light but firm.

  Jack deflated slightly. “Okay,” he said, clearly a bit disappointed.

  “Oh, and you should probably take a quick dip in the pool,” Kleo added, eyeing him with mock scrutiny. “You’re likely sticky after last night.”

  “Sticky?” Jack raised an eyebrow.

  “And stinky,” she quipped, smirking.

  Jack groaned but obeyed, making his way to the pool while Kleo resumed packing. The water was luxuriously warm, soothing his tired muscles. He let out a low sigh, the tension from days of travel and the previous night's events melting away.

  “I’m going to miss this,” he murmured, letting the warmth seep into his skin.

  When he returned, refreshed and dripping, he found his clothes neatly laid beside his boots and bag. As he dressed, Kleo attempted a surprise slap at his exposed rear, narrowly missing when he dodged.

  “Nice try,” Jack said with a grin.

  Kleo rolled her eyes but gestured to a small portion of food she’d set aside. “There’s breakfast. It’s not much—just some meat, bread, and cheese. We’ll need to figure out the food situation soon. It’s going to be a long trip.”

  Jack sat down, grabbed the food, and threw his bag beside hers. “

  Okay,” he said between bites. “What’s the plan? Where are we going, and why?”

  Kleo tightened the last strap on her bag. “We’re heading northeast. It's more east than north, but yeah, northeast. The destination is a city called Ilimar. Have you heard of it?”

  “Of course,” Jack said, perking up. “Ilimar’s massive—bigger than Cabal. Traders and merchants were always traveling between the two cities. Pretty much any good you could think of flowed back and forth. I remember one merchant’s daughter who was absolutely—” He stopped mid-sentence, realizing his mistake.

  Kleo’s eyes narrowed her expression deadpan. “Go on, husband. Finish your story.”

  Jack coughed, scrambling for a recovery. “Uh, who was absolutely... awful. Yeah, she was a total nightmare. Just terrible. I couldn’t stand her. I wanted to throw rotten fruit at her, but—” he paused dramatically, “—it was the only thing I had to eat, so I didn’t. You’re welcome.”

  “Uh-huh,” Kleo said, unimpressed but faintly amused. “Anyway, we’re nowhere near roads, villages, or civilization. It’s going to be rough for a while. The journey might take two weeks—maybe less if we’re lucky. Can you handle that?”

  Jack straightened up, adopting a mock-heroic tone. “I’ll follow you anywhere, m’lady.”

  “Uh-huh,” she said, clearly unconvinced.

  “So,” Jack continued, trying to pivot, “what’s in Ilimar? I assume you’ve been there.”

  Kleo’s face clouded slightly, and her tone grew quieter.

  “Jack... just so you don’t keep presuming things, I’ve never been anywhere. I was born in Astiria and lived there my entire life. It was like a cage. I’d never left—not even once—until I made the trip to that little backwater village where I met you. You know the rest.”

  Jack stared at her, a flicker of understanding crossing his face. “Then... how do you know so much? Dreams?”

  Kleo smiled faintly. “Books, Jack. I had a lot of time, so I studied a lot. And... yes, dreams. Some things come from dreams.”

  Jack nodded thoughtfully. “Okay. So you're book smart, and I’m definitely street smart. Together, we’re unstoppable. Ilimar better watch out—here we come.”

  Kleo laughed at his theatrics, her previous solemnity breaking like sunlight through clouds. “All right, Mr. Street Smart,” she said, slinging her bag over her shoulder. “Grab those bags, and let’s get moving.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Jack said with a grin, shouldering his bag and following her out.