I woke up suddenly with a terrible headache and a wave of nausea. I was lying on a soft, very large bed. To my right, a window as tall as a door let in a faint beam of moonlight. I had probably slept the entire day. Slowly, the recent events came rushing back to me with the force of a flooding river.

  I touched my left cheek. Warm.

  I looked at my hand. I’m alive.

  I glanced around as I tried to sit up. The room was simply furnished. Besides the bed I was lying on, there was a bedside table with a simple transparent vase on it. At the far end of the room, in front of me, stood a huge two-door wardrobe. To the right, near the window, there was a wooden table with what seemed to be a vase very similar to the one on the bedside table.

  I had no idea where I was.

  I got out of bed and only then realized that I was no longer wearing my clothes.

  Before I had time to question it, the door to the room opened.

  My blood froze in my veins.

  So I really had been captured by a human.

  Seeing me standing didn’t seem to make him happy, because he immediately began speaking in his language, pointing insistently at the bed. I couldn’t understand a single word.

  Without saying anything, I sat down stiffly and watched as he placed some white bandages on the bedside table. He murmured something under his breath, and the vase beside me and the one on the table suddenly lit up.

  I shuddered at the sight.

  Humans weren’t born with the ability to perceive mana, but with enough study they could become mages, gaining the power to control it just like magical creatures did. Even though mana existed in every living being, albeit in different amounts, seeing a human use it made me uneasy.

  I focused on one of the lamps, the one beside me. Looking closer, I noticed a stone inside that I hadn’t seen in the darkness before. It was emitting a brilliant blue glow. I savored the presence of that pure mana with a touch of nostalgia.

  The human tried to get my attention by waving a damp cloth in front of my eyes. I took it and tilted my head to the side as I looked at him.

  The man seemed very young. He wore a shirt that hinted at a muscular build. With a slight hint of embarrassment, I moved my gaze from his chest to his face. He had a neatly trimmed beard and short, messy light-brown hair with golden tones.

  When our eyes met, I found myself captivated.

  They were bright blue, so clear it felt as though they could see straight into my soul.

  I quickly looked away again.

  My cheeks felt warm. I didn’t know if it was because of fear, emotion, or simply the sight of another person after such a long time, even if he was human.

  I looked down at the cloth he had given me.

  “What am I supposed to do with this?”

  The confusion on his face confirmed that we couldn’t communicate through speech. The human pointed to his head.

  Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

  Without thinking, I raised the cloth and pressed it against the spot he had indicated.

  He laughed.

  His laughter was deep and warm, and without realizing it I felt myself relax slightly.

  He gently took the cloth from my hands and placed it on my head. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through me. I instinctively pulled away while he spoke more words I couldn’t understand.

  I looked at the cloth in his hands and noticed a small stain of blood.

  When I fell earlier, I must have hurt myself more than I realized.

  I froze for a moment.

  The human was treating my wound.

  A human was healing an elf.

  An unconscious smile formed on my lips.

  So… was it really over?

  Could our race finally return to living in peace?

  When he finished wrapping the bandage around my head, he sat down beside me on the bed.

  “Preon,” he said slowly, pointing to himself.

  Maybe he was telling me his name.

  “Preon?” I repeated, pointing at him.

  He smiled faintly.

  Then he pointed at me.

  “Arya,” I said, pointing to myself. Then I pointed at him. “Preon.”

  He nodded and repeated, “Arya,” pointing at me.

  I smiled too, suddenly realizing that I wasn’t afraid anymore.

  He stood up, muttering something to himself, and unsure what to do, I stood up as well. He took a few steps toward the door, but when he noticed me following him, he took my hand and guided me back to the bed, gesturing for me to sit.

  Did he want me to stay here?

  I sat down, and once he was sure I wouldn’t get up again, he left the room, pulling the door mostly closed behind him.

  I waited a few minutes in silence before standing up again. I began walking around the room until I found myself gazing out at the sky through the window.

  There were no clouds that night. The thin crescent moon hung low, leaving the sky filled with countless stars.

  It had been months since I had stopped to admire such a beautiful sky.

  Lost in their light, I opened the glass door and stepped outside. Only then did I realize I was standing on a small terrace high above the ground. The cool, silent night air brushed against my skin.

  In the distance, I saw a few lit windows and the dark silhouettes of many trees surrounding me. There weren’t many lights, and the trees seemed to encircle the few houses I could see.

  The village I had ended up in must have been very small.

  With a sigh, I thought how nice it would have been if it were an elven village. But after all these years of wandering and running from a ghost that no longer existed, I must have crossed the border of the human kingdom long ago.

  I silently cursed my younger self for never studying geography.

  Maybe I should keep searching until I find an elven village… and start my life again. Even though I have no idea where I am.

  For a while, my only thought was to jump down and run away. But with my head throbbing more and more and the exhaustion weighing on my body, even the idea of such an effort left me breathless. Most of my mana was depleted as well. A good night’s sleep would probably help me recover.

  Even if that lake…

  I didn’t like the idea of staying among humans, even though Preon had been kind to me. I wanted to leave that house as soon as possible.

  But I was still so tired.

  Swaying slightly, I went back into the room and closed the glass door behind me. I lay down on the large bed, and without another thought, I fell once again into a deep sleep.

  A warm scent woke me.

  I opened my eyes reluctantly, almost blinded by the daylight. Preon was standing nearby, holding a small tray. On it rested a bowl with something steaming inside, a piece of bread, and a jug that probably contained water.

  I didn’t want to accept food so easily, but my stomach clearly disagreed.

  I tried to sit up and immediately felt my shoulder throb with pain. A small groan escaped my lips.

  Preon looked at me with concern and placed the tray on the bedside table. Then he handed me a spoon and the bowl.

  Inside there was only a clear liquid.

  Broth, maybe?

  I still wasn’t convinced about his food. He had treated my wounds and brought me somewhere warm, but that certainly wasn’t enough for me to trust him completely. Maybe it was just a tactic to make me lower my guard.

  He must have noticed my hesitation, because without a word he filled the spoon and drank some of the broth himself. Then he filled it again and offered it to me with a small smile.

  Well… I suppose it isn’t poisoned…

  I leaned a little closer and let him feed me.

  Warmth spread down my throat. The broth had a delicate taste and a wonderful vegetable aroma. After the first spoonful, I already felt slightly reinvigorated.

  This is good… I thought, smiling.

  He handed me the bowl, and I began eating on my own.