THE PRISONER BENEATH THE THRONE
994 Words
The chains shattered.
Deep beneath the palace.
Deep beneath the Lunar Throne.
Deep beneath the foundations of the Dominion itself.
Ancient silver links exploded into fragments.
Runes that had glowed for centuries died one by one.
And in the darkness…
Something stood.
Something that had been imprisoned for nineteen years.
Waiting.
Watching.
Planning.
A pair of silver eyes slowly opened.
Not human silver.
Not royal silver.
Something older.
Something darker.
⸻
Far above…
Elaria woke suddenly.
Gasping.
Her heart hammering against her ribs.
Moonlight flooded her chambers.
Yet she felt cold.
Terribly cold.
As though invisible fingers had brushed against her soul.
The same feeling she experienced during the Trial.
The same feeling she sensed beneath the palace.
The same feeling that haunted her nightmares.
Something had changed.
Something important.
Something dangerous.
⸻
A loud knock exploded against her door.
Before she could answer—
The doors burst open.
Lucien entered first.
Followed by Varis.
Both looked alarmed.
Very alarmed.
Elaria immediately stood.
“What happened?”
Neither answered immediately.
Which frightened her more than any words could.
⸻
“The prison.”
Varis finally said.
His voice sounded strained.
Almost disbelieving.
“The seals have failed.”
Silence.
Elaria stared.
“The prisoner escaped.”
The room became very still.
Because she already knew exactly which prisoner.
⸻
“The one beneath the Throne?”
Lucien nodded.
His expression darker than she had ever seen.
“Yes.”
A chill crawled through Elaria.
The timing couldn’t be coincidence.
The Shadow Court declares the return of the Shadow King.
The ancient prisoner escapes.
Both on the same night.
No.
These events were connected.
⸻
Minutes later…
The palace erupted into organized chaos.
Guards flooded every corridor.
Ancient wards activated.
Silver runes illuminated the walls.
The kingdom’s strongest defenses were being awakened.
Defenses not used for nearly two decades.
⸻
Elaria joined Selene, Lucien, and Varis in the Hall of the Throne.
The ancient chamber felt different tonight.
The silver throne glowed softly.
Almost nervously.
As though even it sensed danger.
⸻
Selene stood before the throne.
Silent.
Pale.
Her eyes fixed upon the ancient seat.
Then she asked the question everyone feared.
“Who was imprisoned beneath it?”
No one answered.
For several moments.
Then Varis stepped forward.
Slowly.
Reluctantly.
Like a man approaching his own execution.
⸻
“The kingdom was never told the truth.”
The statement immediately drew everyone’s attention.
Elaria folded her arms.
“What truth?”
Varis closed his eyes.
Then answered.
⸻
“Nineteen years ago…”
The room became silent.
“…two prisoners were taken.”
Elaria frowned.
“Two?”
The old councilor nodded.
⸻
“The first was Cassian.”
No surprise there.
The traitor had already exposed himself.
But then—
“The second was far more dangerous.”
A chill settled across the room.
⸻
“Who?”
Elaria asked.
⸻
Varis swallowed.
Then finally spoke the name.
⸻
“King Orion.”
⸻
The world stopped.
Selene staggered backward.
Lucien froze.
Elaria stared.
Unable to process the words.
⸻
“My father?”
Varis nodded.
Pain filled his face.
Regret.
Shame.
Old wounds reopening.
⸻
“After the attack…”
His voice trembled.
“…we found him.”
Silence.
“…alive.”
Another silence.
“…but changed.”
⸻
Nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
⸻
“What do you mean?”
Elaria whispered.
⸻
Varis looked toward the throne.
Then toward the moonlight.
Then finally back at her.
⸻
“He was infected.”
The words echoed heavily.
⸻
“Infected by what?”
Lucien demanded.
⸻
The answer came softly.
Almost fearfully.
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“Shadow.”
⸻
The chamber fell silent.
Absolute silence.
⸻
Elaria remembered the ancient prisoner.
The silver eyes.
The darkness.
The chains.
The terrible presence.
⸻
“No.”
She whispered.
⸻
Varis nodded.
Slowly.
Painfully.
⸻
“The Shadow Court didn’t simply attack the palace.”
His voice grew quieter.
“They wanted the king.”
⸻
Selene closed her eyes.
Tears escaped.
Old tears.
Nineteen-year-old tears.
⸻
“They corrupted him.”
Varis continued.
“Body.”
Another pause.
“Mind.”
Another.
“Soul.”
⸻
The horror settled over everyone.
⸻
King Orion had survived.
But survival wasn’t the same as salvation.
⸻
Then Elaria understood.
The prisoner beneath the throne.
The man in chains.
The voice.
The silver eyes.
⸻
Her father.
⸻
The realization hit like lightning.
⸻
“No…”
Selene whispered.
⸻
Because another realization had arrived.
Far worse.
⸻
If the prisoner escaped…
Then Orion escaped.
⸻
The king was no longer imprisoned.
⸻
The king was free.
⸻
At that exact moment—
The great doors exploded open.
A bloodied guard stumbled inside.
Half-conscious.
Barely standing.
⸻
“Your Majesty!”
The man collapsed.
Several guards rushed forward.
⸻
“What happened?”
Lucien demanded.
⸻
The guard struggled to breathe.
His entire body trembled.
Not from injury.
From fear.
⸻
Pure fear.
⸻
The man looked directly at Selene.
Then spoke.
⸻
“We found the prison.”
⸻
Silence.
⸻
“And?”
Varis asked.
⸻
The guard swallowed.
Then whispered.
⸻
“It was empty.”
⸻
Another pause.
⸻
Then came the sentence that shattered the room.
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“Except for a message.”
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Elaria’s pulse stopped.
⸻
“What message?”
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The guard looked toward her.
Terror filling his eyes.
⸻
Then repeated the words carved into the prison wall.
Words written by the escaped prisoner himself.
⸻
I AM COMING FOR MY DAUGHTER.
⸻
Silence.
Absolute silence.
⸻
Far beyond the Dominion…
Far beyond the mountains…
A lone figure walked beneath the moon.
A man wrapped in darkness and silver light.
A king.
A prisoner.
A father.
Or perhaps something worse.
⸻
And as he walked, countless shadows followed him.
Like an army.
Like loyal servants.
Like a kingdom waiting for its ruler’s return.
⸻
The Shadow King smiled.
- Writer
