✓ | The Borrowed Identity (Fate's Transgression Series, #4)

TBI 15: Commander

[ Chapter 15: Commander ]

—Omniscient—

As time went by, cumulus clouds began to gather and coalesce, their billowing forms casting an ominous shadow over the tranquil waters of Jasmine Lake. The once serene atmosphere took on an air of foreboding, an indiscernible tension that lingered in the very essence of the surroundings.

Valan stood resolute upon the floating bamboo, his gaze fixed on the horizon, determination coursing through his veins. He knew that the arrival of the unexpected guest loomed near, Sigrid's shadow is heralded by the encroaching darkness and the palpable shift in the atmosphere. The weight of their imminent encounter hung heavily in the air, like a coalescing storm poised to unleash its fury.

As the cumulus clouds continued succumbed the entire sky, their once pristine white surfaces transformed into brooding shades of gray, painting an eerie tableau across the sky. The air crackled with an electric energy, making Valan hold his ground. He tightened his grip on the bamboo, readying himself for the impending clash between forces unknown.

Suddenly, the unwelcomed guest materialized without warning, his arrival unannounced and unsettling. Valan's eyes locked onto his form, a figure enigmatic and cloaked in mystery. The energy emanating from him was potent and unsettling, casting a pall over the already somber scene.

"It's been a while, Commander of the Blue Steel."

Valan's muscles tensed as the voice echoed through the darkened skies, its timbre resonating with an otherworldly depth. It bore an unmistakable sense of authority, wrapped in an aura of menace that carried a tangible threat within each uttered word.

He locked his gaze upon the enigmatic figure before him, shrouded in a cloak of mystery. The atmosphere grew heavy with an unsettling presence, the very essence of danger lurking beneath the surface. Valan recognized the power that emanated from this being, an entity that commanded respect and evoked a primal fear.

Through sheer force of will, Valan steadied himself, his resolve unyielding despite the mounting trepidation within him. With a firm yet measured voice, Valan addressed the entity, refusing to falter in the face of danger. "Indeed, it has been a while," he responded, his words laced with an unwavering determination. "What brings you here, especially in that form instead of your original body?"

"Something pricks my interest," the figure said. "The alluring scent of the royal blood of a mermaid drenched the jasmine lake. I've been looking for this little white pearl."

Valan maintained his composure, his voice steady despite the palpable tension that hung in the air. He locked eyes with the figure, his gaze unwavering as he sought to understand the depths of their intent.

"I assure you, Sigrid, there is no mermaid present in Jasmine Lake," Valan asserted, his words carrying an unwavering conviction. "Your senses may deceive you, for the scent you seek is not within these waters."

The figure's eyes narrowed, their piercing gaze penetrating Valan's defenses. The air crackled with an undercurrent of power and danger, swirling around them like a tempest poised to strike. Valan's instincts told him to be cautious, to tread carefully in the presence of this enigmatic being.

"I've never been wrong, Commander," Sigrid's voice resonated with frustration, their words laced with a mixture of determination and impatience. "The scent of royal blood is unmistakable. It draws me closer, it's here, and very near.."

Valan's mind raced, searching for a solution to diffuse the escalating tension. He knew the mermaid's safety hinged on his ability to divert Sigrid's attention away from Jasmine Lake.