⚔️ **CHAPTER 34 — Shadows Shared**
The forest was heavy with mist again, thicker than before, curling around Kael and Caelin like a living thing. The path ahead was uneven, roots jutting from the ground, rocks slick with moisture. Every step demanded care, and yet the danger now was not just physical.
Kael felt the first pull in his mind as they walked. The nightmares were returning, stronger this time, and… different. They weren't only his. He could sense Caelin's presence beside him, and faintly, almost imperceptibly, the echoes of fear and uncertainty were tugging at the prince too.
Caelin's hand brushed against his shoulder. "Kael… they're testing both of us now."
Kael nodded, tightening his grip on his sword. "I can feel them… in your mind too."
"Yes," Caelin admitted, voice low. "The forest doesn't separate the living from the disturbed. Once it knows one is vulnerable, it probes everything nearby."
A shadow flickered through the trees—twisting, distorted, almost human in shape. It lingered at the edge of their vision, whispering in voices both familiar and foreign. Kael's chest tightened as he saw images flash: burning villages, broken paths, faces screaming in despair—but this time, he noticed Caelin flinch beside him.
Kael reached for him, steadying the prince. "Focus on the trail, not them. Step by step. Together."
Caelin exhaled slowly, nodding. "Right. Together."
The mist seemed to pulse with the rhythm of their synchronized steps. Kael forced himself to see the shadows for what they were: tests, not reality. The images flickered at the edge of perception, and for the first time, he could anchor someone else—Caelin—in the same focus. He realized that his growing mental resistance could extend, at least slightly, to the other.
The shadows hissed and twisted, reacting to Kael's defiance. Shapes of nightmares lunged from the fog, trying to pierce their minds. The air thickened, heavy with the weight of fear.
"Step faster," Kaelin instructed, voice calm but firm. "Don't let them settle in your thoughts. Keep moving, keep together."
Caelin followed, matching his pace. As they moved side by side, Kael felt the first stirrings of mastery: a strange rhythm in his chest, a tether connecting him to the prince, something like shared focus and shared calm. The nightmares attempted to push at Caelin, but Kael's presence acted as a shield, steadying the prince's mind just enough to withstand the visions.
The forest seemed to react, twisting branches and roots to create obstacles. One root shot up beneath Kael's foot—he leapt, landing perfectly, and immediately reached for Caelin to pull him past a jutting stone. Step by step, they navigated the treacherous path, side by side.
By nightfall, they reached a small clearing where the mist thinned. Kael's body trembled with exhaustion, and Caelin's shoulders were tense, but both were still standing. The forest, patient and deliberate, seemed to pause—watching, measuring, waiting for the next move.
Kael exhaled, gripping his sword loosely. "They won't control us anymore."
Caelin smiled faintly, a rare show of relief. "Not while we're together. Not if we keep this rhythm. You've learned to anchor yourself… and me."
Kael looked into the shadows at the edges of the clearing. They still lingered, still whispered, still tried to claw at the mind—but their strength had waned. The nightmares would return, certainly, stronger still, but Kael now had the first glimmer of control, and the first understanding of how to protect not only himself, but the companion walking beside him.
The forest exhaled, patient and watchful. The mist curled around them, shadows pressing lightly against the edges of perception.
But for the first time, Kael faced the night without fear of falling.
And Caelin, for the first time, realized just how formidable his companion could become.
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