United Front

The air in Elara’s chambers felt different, a subtle hum vibrating beneath her skin, a sensation so foreign and yet so achingly familiar that it brought tears to her eyes. For so long, her magic had been a phantom limb, a ghost of sensation, but now, it was a live current, a warm tide rising within her. She flexed her fingers, a faint shimmer of golden light dancing at her fingertips. It was real. It was back. A whispered word, a thought, and a small, perfect bloom of starlight unfurled in the palm of her hand, then dissolved into motes of light. A shaky laugh escaped her lips.

Leo found her by the window, gazing out at the waking realm, a soft smile gracing his face. He saw the light in her eyes, the way she held herself, a newfound confidence radiating from her. “Feeling it, are we?” he asked, his voice gentle.

Elara turned, her smile widening. “It’s… it’s more than I remembered. It’s like a river, Leo, not a trickle.”