Chapter 182
As Alvera handed Kael the key, her hand trembled slightly.
She looked away quickly, trying to hide the unease building inside her. The box… it wasn't just any old item. It was something her mother had protected, something she held close even in her final days.
Memories stirred in Alvera's mind. She remembered those quiet moments when Asana would sit by the window, staring into the falling snow. Her mother's eyes always seemed far away, filled with sadness, longing… and something else she couldn't place back then.
Back then, Alvera was just a child, naive and too young to understand the weight of her mother's silence. Even though their kind lived long lives, they didn't mature quickly. Wisdom took time, and hearts took longer.
But there was one thing Asana had always told her.
"Remember Alvera, one day someone might be sent here by Ice Dragon Viserion. He might act strange, might be rude or loud… but he will carry burdens that even the strongest warriors can't lift. When that day comes, give him my treasure."
Alvera had blinked, puzzled. She had looked up at her mother with wide innocent eyes.
"Mother, how will I know it's really him? What if he's a bad person?"
Asana had smiled softly, her usual cold expression melting for a brief moment.
"My sweet child… fate doesn't answer us. It works in ways we can never guess. You can't be sure until it happens… so trust it. Trust what you feel. You'll know when he stands before you."
That day, so far in the past, had come rushing back.
And now here he was—Kael.