Eclipsed heart

her's

hispers in the wind, and the

t how to live with honor and purpose. They trained under the harsh discipline of the Eternals, learning the wa

ng could erase the truth

atural grace, an aura of light that seemed to draw people to him. He spoke gently, always seekin

.. Darian w

liant in battle, there was a certain ruthlessness in the way he fought-as if victory was the only thing that mattere

ss in battle that concerned

used when necessary but abandoned when inconvenient. He was not cruel, nor did he ever take pleasure in unn

terrified El

d bear Azir's soul, he kn

hood of Lig

ences, Kael and Dari

an stepped forward. When Darian lost control, Kael pulled him

l stronghold was attacked by bandits. It was not an invasio

ad gone to help without waiting

ing them to leave before the Eternals arrived. Darian, however,

oo late to stop

, Kael had knocked two men unco

re, but out of pure instinct-because they were a threat, because Kael had been in danger,

ian had simply looked up and said, "If I had

lm. Not proud. Not cr

ow whether to be

her's

not deny i

m. There were moments-just fleeting ones-when his presence seemed to shift, when his eyes glow

revealed, but the gli

ad been

s could not g

hing he could-he lo

im with more warmth, hoping, praying that if he surrounded him w

the more his wife, Se

ate him, nor was she cruel to him, but she saw what Elias refused to acknowledge-the partiality, the way

d Elias one night, as they sat o

ffened. "That

"And what's worse-you

ger flashing in his eyes. "

oice quiet but firm. "And you believe-if you love him

uth to argue, but he co

she wa

hers Who

mattered to K

together, and in the quiet hours of the night, when the weight of their father's exp

differently," Kael had said once. "We we

kled. "You real

don

something sad in his eyes. "Kae

l wh

unreadable. "The whispers. The weight. The thing

d. "What are yo

grin. "One day, we'll both be Eternals, right? Y

iled. "No m

always been-one light, o

kness in Darian

oubted his choi

her husband would not reg