Camille’s room was like nothing she had ever seen before. It felt as though she had stepped into another world entirely, one crafted from the very essence of magic and luxury. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she took in the space—a blend of elegance and comfort, a stark contrast to the rough, faded memories of her life in Primavera Town. Her breath caught in her chest as she stepped further into the room, feeling as though she had crossed a boundary that separated her from everything she knew.
Azzel had clearly thought of everything. The carpets, thick and soft like a bed of clouds, felt like a touch of heaven beneath her feet. She had never experienced anything so comforting. The walls were adorned with shimmering murals of underwater scenes—dolphins leaping through waves, mermaids with flowing hair twirling in fluid motion—and delicate statues of coral and pearls that glowed faintly in the dimming light. The air was cool but not harsh, scented with something sweet and refreshing, like the ocean breeze carrying hints of saltwater and jasmine.
Her mind spun with wonder as she touched the fine fabrics, the elegant furniture, the gilded edges of the mirrors. Everything was exaggeratedly luxurious—far beyond what she could ever dream of. But for the first time in her life, Camille didn’t feel out of place. For the first time in years, she didn’t feel like an intruder in her own skin. Azzel’s presence, his calm and steady nature, provided her with a comfort she didn’t know she needed.
She had spent so many years wishing for a father who would look after her with kindness, and now here was Azzel, a figure who embodied that protective, fatherly warmth. It was a balm to her bruised heart, soothing her in ways she never thought possible. His curiosity about her life in Primavera Town was genuine, his questions thoughtful, and though she had always been hesitant to speak of her past, something about him made her feel safe enough to begin to share.
But the relief was fleeting. As she sank down onto the soft carpet, letting her body collapse with exhaustion, her thoughts grew heavier. Her heart, though cradled in a moment of comfort, remained tethered to the past. She closed her eyes, the weight of everything that had happened weighing down on her fragile spirit. She had been running for so long. She had been hiding from the monsters that had plagued her heart, both literal and figurative. And yet, here in this sanctuary, she couldn’t escape the shadows that clung to her. They followed her wherever she went, even in this strange and magical world.
The fact that this world, with all its beauty, had come to her so suddenly, so overwhelmingly, made it harder to breathe. How can this be real? How can this be my life now? Her mind churned with confusion as her gaze wandered over the luxurious room. The delicate furniture, the gleaming windows, the balcony that offered a view of a lush, vibrant paradise—how could this possibly be her reality now? It seemed impossible. How can I leave everything behind? How can I simply believe that I’m truly here and not somewhere else in a dream?
The sunset outside cast a soft, golden hue over everything, but inside her heart, there was only a growing sense of disconnection. How can I belong here? she wondered as she watched the golden dust in the air shimmer. She sat back on the leather couch, her chest tight with emotion, trying to quiet the chaos in her mind. But her thoughts drifted back to her family, to the life she left behind.
Adam...
Her heart squeezed at the thought of him. The guilt, the regret—how could she bear the weight of it all? It was too much for one soul to carry. And yet, the idea that perhaps, perhaps, staying here would bring him a better life—a life without her... that was a thought she couldn’t escape. She would never wish to hurt him, but what if her staying in this world could make everything better for him? For her mother? For Jordan? The tears that welled in her eyes were quiet, but they were the kind that pulled at the very heartstrings of her soul.
“Am I being selfish?” she whispered to herself, trying to drown out the pain that twisted in her chest.
“I’ll be fine,” she muttered, taking a deep, shaky breath, pushing away the memories. She didn’t want to think about them. Not now.
Her mind was growing tired. She wasn’t sure how long she could fight the sorrow and the uncertainty. Just as she was about to give in to the fatigue, a soft knock on the door startled her.
“Lady Camille?” Azzel’s voice, gentle yet filled with concern, broke through the haze of her thoughts. She stood abruptly, her heart racing as she wiped her tear-streaked face, trying to compose herself.
When she opened the door, Camille found Azzel standing there, a tray of fruits balanced gracefully in his hands. His calm yet intent expression unsettled her—kindness like his felt foreign, almost suspicious after everything she’d endured. She hesitated for a moment before taking the tray, her fingers brushing against its cool edges as her gaze flickered between him and the room behind her.
“Thank you, Azzel,” she murmured, stepping back into her room. She paused in the center of the space, glancing around with wide eyes. Despite the lingering weight of her doubts, the sheer beauty of her surroundings was beginning to chip away at her hesitation.
The room itself was extraordinary. Statues of mermaids and dolphins stood elegantly in every corner, carved from shimmering pearl and polished coral. A towering fountain, shaped like a swirling cluster of coral and shells, glowed softly with streams of golden dust that sparkled like liquid sunlight. Intricate mosaics adorned the walls, depicting scenes of ocean life—whales gliding through sapphire waves, schools of fish shimmering like rainbows, and mythical sea creatures dancing in harmony. The scent of fresh saltwater mingled with something sweeter, a faint floral fragrance that seemed to drift in from beyond the balcony.
“I hope this room is to your taste,” Azzel said, his voice warm and patient as always.
Camille turned to him, her expression still clouded with uncertainty but tinged with growing awe. “It’s… more than I could ever imagine,” she whispered, her words soft but sincere.
Azzel inclined his head with a small, satisfied smile. “Allow me,” he said, gently taking the tray from her hands. With a graceful snap of his fingers, the sliding glass doors to the balcony glided open, revealing a breathtaking scene that made Camille gasp aloud.
She stepped forward, her bare feet sinking into the plush carpet, her heart pounding as she crossed the threshold onto the balcony. The world outside was unlike anything she’d ever seen before.
Directly in front of her stretched a magical jungle, its towering trees draped with luminous, silver leaves that shimmered in the twilight. The trees were unlike anything she’d seen back home; their massive trunks twisted upward, their branches cascading like waterfalls of light. Strange, glowing flowers the size of her head bloomed among the foliage, their petals shifting colors as though responding to some invisible music. Vines heavy with blossoms snaked down the side of the castle, forming an enchanting, spiraling staircase of flora that seemed to invite her to explore.
Behind the jungle, a majestic waterfall roared in the distance, its sound filling the air like a symphony. The water cascaded down into a shimmering lagoon, where schools of fish glided just beneath the surface, their scales glinting like diamonds in the fading sunlight.
To her right, past the balcony’s edge, Camille could see the vast expanse of the ocean stretching into infinity. The castle itself sat perched atop a cliff, its front facing the endless waves that sparkled with the last light of the sun. The horizon was a wash of colors—golden amber, dusky lavender, and deep indigo—blurring together like a painting. Seabirds soared through the skies, their cries mingling with the distant crash of waves.
Closer to her, the balcony itself was alive with activity. Delicate vines of purple and pink flowers wrapped around the railings, their petals releasing a soft, fragrant aroma that mingled with the salt air. Mer-fairies and butterfly fairies fluttered around the blooms, their tiny wings shimmering like stained glass in the evening light. The Mer-fairies, with their sparkling tails and translucent fins, giggled as they dipped their hands into goblets of nectar hidden among the blossoms. The butterfly fairies danced in the air, their iridescent wings leaving trails of light as they flitted from flower to flower.
“Am I insane?” Camille whispered, her voice trembling. She gripped the balcony railing as though she needed something solid to ground her.
“Insane?” Azzel repeated, tilting his head slightly. There was genuine curiosity in his voice, as though the word was foreign to him. He stood a step behind her, his presence steady and unwavering, his kind eyes fixed on her with quiet interest.
Camille glanced over her shoulder at him, her expression torn between frustration and uncertainty. “I can’t help but wonder... why am I here?” Her voice was soft, nearly lost to the gentle symphony of nature around her.
Azzel’s smile deepened, a mix of warmth and mystery in his expression. “You are here for a reason, Lady Camille. Though the answer may not yet be clear to you, in time, it will reveal itself.”
His calm assurance only made her feel more conflicted. The strange elegance of his demeanor—the way he spoke to her as though she was someone of great importance—left her uneasy. Who was this man, who seemed wise beyond his years yet was content to serve her?
“It is His Majesty’s wish for you to rest after such a long journey,” Azzel added, his tone gentle yet firm.
His Majesty. Camille felt a chill run down her spine at the words, though she wasn’t sure why. The weight of exhaustion bore down on her more heavily now, as though the mention of the Water God himself had drained what little strength she had left.
After a moment’s hesitation, she gave a small nod, her voice barely audible. “Thank you.”
Azzel inclined his head in a graceful gesture of respect before stepping back into the room. His retreating footsteps were light, leaving her alone on the balcony with the endless wonders of this strange new world.
Camille turned back to the view, gripping the cool railing as her eyes swept across the vast jungle spread out before her. The glow of the silver leaves overhead reflected faintly in the lagoon below, where the water rippled with an otherworldly sheen. She inhaled deeply, the mingling scents of salt air and floral sweetness filling her lungs. A soft breeze whispered through the vines, brushing against her skin like a gentle caress.
The sound of the distant waterfall was almost hypnotic, its low, constant rumble blending with the occasional cries of seabirds and the soft hum of the fairies flitting nearby. One mer-fairy hovered close to her shoulder, its translucent wings shimmering with tiny rainbows. Camille watched in silent fascination as it dipped toward a purple flower, delicately sipping nectar before darting off into the jungle.
This place—it was unlike anything she had ever imagined. A sanctuary carved out of dreams and wonder. Yet, for all its beauty, there was a lingering sense of unease in her heart. She could not shake the feeling that she was adrift in something far bigger than herself, caught in the currents of a fate she did not understand.
But as the breeze ruffled her hair and the sounds of the magical jungle wrapped around her like a lullaby, a sliver of peace crept into her weary soul. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, she allowed herself to exhale, to set aside her fears, if only for a moment.
This world, strange and overwhelming as it was, offered her something she hadn’t felt in so long: the faint, fragile hope of sanctuary.
Camille sighed heavily, sinking into the plush comfort of the leather couch as Azzel exited, leaving her alone with her thoughts. The weight of everything she’d endured pressed down on her, an invisible shackle that bound her to memories of a life she might never return to. Golden motes of dust swirled in the air like fireflies, mesmerizing her as they danced against the backdrop of the magical jungle visible through the balcony doors. But her mind was far from the beauty of this place.
Adam.
His name lingered in her thoughts like a tether, pulling her back to a world that felt impossibly distant. She saw his face in her mind’s eye—his easy smile, the way his laughter could chase away her darkest moments, the warmth of his presence that felt like home. She imagined him now, wondering where she was, his worry etched into his features. She felt her chest tighten as a pang of guilt clawed its way through her.
I’m sorry...
Her eyelids grew heavy, exhaustion weighing her down until the swirling gold became a blur. As sleep claimed her, she curled up on the couch, her breathing evening out.
From a distance, the God of Water watched her. He stood on the balcony, a shadowed figure against the moonlit backdrop. His sharp, otherworldly gaze fixed on her as he studied her fragile form.
Camille...
The sound of her name rolled from his lips in a voice that was deep and resonant, yet impossibly soft, like the murmur of waves caressing a shore. It drifted toward her as if carried on the wind, reaching her in her dreams, though she did not wake.
He stepped forward, his presence commanding yet fluid, like the tides he ruled. The soft glow of moonlight illuminated him fully: his raven-black hair, unruly and wild, fell in soft waves against his neck, a stark contrast to his skin—smooth and pale as polished ivory, glowing faintly as though lit from within. His robes, woven of silken threads that shimmered with golden accents, hung loosely over his muscular frame, revealing a sculpted torso marked by intricate, luminous patterns etched into his skin. The tattoos moved faintly, as if alive, tracing his abdomen and glinting like liquid light.
His eyes, a shade of blue so vibrant and piercing they seemed to hold the entire ocean within them, never left her. They sparkled like diamonds, cold yet mesmerizing, holding secrets as deep and unfathomable as the sea itself.
He moved closer, his bare feet making no sound as he approached. Lowering himself to the couch, he sat beside her sleeping form, tilting his head as he observed her. His sharp, angular features remained impassive, yet his gaze softened slightly as he took in her face, serene in slumber but lined with the traces of pain she carried in her soul.
He could see it all—every scar, every wound hidden beneath her surface. The anguish of betrayal, the ache of love, the burden of survival. It was written in the invisible language of the soul, and he read it as clearly as he could feel the currents in his ocean.
And yet, amidst all that brokenness, he saw something else. A tether—a fragile but unyielding thread that tied her to someone. To him.
Adam.
The God of Water’s lips pressed into a thin line as the name slipped from her lips in a barely audible whisper. He watched her brow furrow in her sleep, her lips trembling as though she were calling out to someone who would never answer.
On impulse, he reached out, his fingers brushing against a strand of her hair. It was soft, catching the faint golden light as it slid through his hand. Carefully, he moved the hair away from her face, revealing her tear-streaked cheeks and the faint shadows under her eyes.
There was no reaction from her. She remained still, vulnerable, lost in her dreams.
For a long moment, he simply watched her, his expression unreadable. To think that once again, a human had found her way into his domain—a creature so delicate, so fleeting, yet so capable of stirring such a deep and unrelenting ache within herself.
He sighed, turning his gaze toward the rising moon, his jaw tightening as he fought to master the emotions stirring within him. Somewhere in the distance, he could feel the weight of another’s gaze upon him. Someone was watching, and he knew it well.
Still, his eyes drifted back to her as her lips moved again, forming a single name like a plea.
“Adam...”
The sound of it made his expression harden, though deep within the ocean of his soul, a ripple of something unidentifiable stirred. He rose slowly, his robes trailing behind him as he stepped back into the shadows.
This human girl was broken, yes—but there was something else about her that intrigued him. Something that called to him in a way he could not yet understand.
And as he vanished into the night, he resolved to uncover it, no matter what it meant.