Chapter 271 Failed Expectations

We stumbled out of the portal, gasping for air. This time, the air was cool, and the sky opened above us. I looked around, my chest heaving...A scream almost tore from my throat.

We stood at the edge of a cliff, the wind howling so fiercely that I had to plant my feet not to tumble off. Below us stretched nothing but an endless sea, waves smashing against rocks.

Damon looked down, whistling low. "You’re getting better, at least this one’s scenic."

I clenched my fists. "If you don’t shut the Fuck right now, I’m going to throw you off the cliff and feed you to the SHARKS!" My chest rose and fell heavily.

He raised a brow. "Yes, master." He bowed his head slightly.

For a heartbeat, I wanted to shove him off the cliff just to see if his calm mask would finally crack. Instead, I inhaled sharply and summoned the magic again.

The portal snapped open for the third time, its light not as perfect as before, and the edges became more undefined. I stepped through without a word, bracing myself for whatever fresh disaster awaited.

When I opened my eyes again, we were back in a forest, the same damn forest we had left.

Damon stepped out behind me, inhaling deeply. "Ah, back to where we started. A full circle, wonderful."

My teeth ground together. "One more word and I swear..."

He raised both hands in mock surrender, though that infuriating smile lingered on his lips. "Easy, Master. I’m just grateful we’re not roasted or drowning. Trees feel... safer."

I turned away from him, my hands trembling from both exhaustion and rage. The power had drained me more than I wanted to admit. My legs felt heavy, and my chest ached.

But I refused to let him see the weakness.

I straightened, brushing the dirt off my dress. "Fine. We’ll walk, If we are going to get lost, then so be it."

Behind me, his low chuckle rolled out again, annoyingly warm. "As you command."

I rolled my eyes inwardly. "Let’s take a break," I said.

I slumped to the ground immediately the words left my lips, I exhaled, leaning my head against the tree, and shutting my eyes.

The dried leaves crumbled, then I felt Damon sitting beside me.

"Tired?" His voice rang through my head.

I refused to say a word. ’What kind of master fails three times in front of his servant? How embarrassing.’

"You are not allowed to speak," I ordered.

My brows furrowed as my heart started beating faster, and a high-pitched noise rang through my ears, I felt my consciousness slipping away.

"Aeris, Aeris, Aeris... Aeris!" The continuous call of a familiar voice echoed through my head.

However when I opened my eyes, everything was white and smoke was drifting softly around the space, even the ground was oozing with smoke.

My eyes darted around, there was nothing except the endless white stretching in every direction.

"Aeris..." The voice came again, clearer this time. My chest tightened. It wasn’t Damon... Who is it? It was softer, warmer, almost familiar in a way that made my heart race.

I turned sharply, searching through the haze. "Who’s there?" My voice echoed faintly as if the space itself swallowed the sound.

The smoke shifted, parting like a curtain, and I saw a figure standing in the distance. Their outline blurred, but the longer I stared the more I could not make sense of what it was.

Golden butterflies shimmered into view, their wings glinting with that same soft brilliance, fluttering around the space.

It wasn’t just the butterflies, behind them, a faint image of a woman’s face flickered in the haze, she was beautiful, ethereal, her eyes burning in gold, her long silver white hair cascading down her back.

My breath hitched. "Who are you?"

The woman smiled, reaching her hand out for a butterfly to sit on it.

"Nice to meet you too... Jasmine." Her voice was as soft and light as a feather.

My eyes widened, stinging with emotions I thought were buried. ’She knows me... She knows the real me... I believed my name had been forgotten in this world, that I was just living someone else’s’ life... but she knows me.’

"What are you talking about? I’m Aeris... Princess of the Fae realm." My voice cracked.

Her smile widened, warm and peaceful. "I know you are Princess Fae, but you are just living in her body, I’m talking to the soul in the body."

My throat tightened, and I stepped back, unable to believe that someone saw through me. "How can I leave here?"

"Don’t be afraid, you are here for a purpose. The body was just a vessel for you... Only your soul is strong enough for what is to come." She walked closer to me.

"What do you mean?" I arched my brow. Her features... they were so familiar like I had seen her somewhere before.

"You’ll understand when the time comes..." She paused, staring down at my chest. "... you tore your heart in half." She stated before looking straight into my eyes.

I swallowed, the air became suffocating... I could hear her fury.

She shook her head, before turning around. "As the next chosen, you truly haven’t lived up to the expectation."

The words sank deep inside me, pressing into me until I couldn’t breathe. A thousand thoughts swarmed through my mind, but none of them made any sense. I just stood there, frozen to my spot, staring at her, as the smoke curled around us.

Only when the silence was unbearable, did I part my lips. "What do you mean by that? And what expectations?" My voice cracked louder than I meant it to. "Answer me!"

The woman’s eyes shimmered with something unreadable, was it pity, maybe? Or disappointment. The butterflies swirled around her like a crown, their glow dimming and brightening with her every breath.

"You ask questions, but you are not ready for the answers," she said gently. "When you tore your heart, you broke a sacred law as a Chosen. Do you know what it means to split the very core of your soul?"

My lips parted, but no words came out. My chest felt tight, almost burning under her gaze. "I..."

"You weakened yourself," she continued, her voice like a soft chime cutting through the white smoke. "A heart is not meant to be halved. Do you know what hunts the Chosens that are incomplete?"

A chill slithered down my spine. "What... hunts?"

Her smile faded. "The Hollow."