Chapter 2
963 Words
Eight years earlier...
The night began with rain.
Elena sat beside the window, watching droplets race down the glass.
She was twelve years old.
Her mother was in the kitchen, humming softly while preparing dinner, and the small house smelled of roasted herbs and warm bread.
It was an ordinary night.
At least, that was what Elena believed.
"Mama?"
"Yes, sweetheart?"
"Can I have another piece of bread?"
Her mother laughed.
"You just ate."
"I'm still hungry."
"You're always hungry."
Elena smiled.
Her mother placed another piece of bread on the table.
"Here."
"Thank you."
She reached for it.
Then—
BOOM.
The entire house shook.
Elena froze.
The cup beside her fell to the floor and shattered.
Her mother stopped moving.
For several seconds, neither of them spoke.
Then came another sound.
A scream.
This time, much closer.
Elena slowly stood.
"Mama?"
Her mother rushed toward her.
"Get up."
"What happened?"
"Now, Elena."
There was something in her mother's voice Elena had never heard before.
Fear.
Real fear.
Her mother grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the back door.
"Where are we going?"
"Just run."
They stepped outside.
Rain poured over them.
People were running through the village.
Some were screaming.
Others were trying to escape.
And above the chaos, Elena saw them.
Figures moving through the darkness.
Too fast.
Too silent.
Their eyes glowed red beneath the rain.
Her mother pulled Elena closer.
"Don't look at them."
Elena looked anyway.
One of the creatures suddenly turned toward her.
Its eyes met hers.
Her mother covered Elena's face.
"Don't look!"
They ran.
Through the narrow path behind their house.
Into the forest.
Elena's little legs struggled to keep up.
"Mama, slow down!"
"I can't."
"Why?"
Her mother didn't answer.
Behind them, branches snapped.
Something was following.
Elena began to cry.
"Mama!"
"Keep running!"
Then her mother stopped so suddenly that Elena crashed into her.
Her mother turned.
There was blood on her dress.
Elena stared.
"Mama..."
"Listen to me."
Her mother knelt and held both of Elena's shoulders.
"You are going to hide."
"No."
"Elena."
"I don't want to."
Her mother pulled a small silver pendant from beneath her clothes.
She placed it around Elena's neck.
"Keep this hidden."
"What is it?"
"Don't ask questions."
"But—"
"Whatever happens, don't let them take it."
A sound came from the trees.
Her mother's face changed.
"They're here."
Elena's eyes filled with tears.
"Who?"
Her mother pulled her into a tight embrace.
"I love you."
"Mama?"
"More than anything."
Then she pushed Elena behind a large tree.
"Stay here."
"But you're coming with me."
"I'll come back."
"You promise?"
Her mother hesitated.
Then she smiled.
"I promise."
She stood.
Elena watched her disappear into the rain.
"Mama..."
A roar shook the forest.
Elena covered her mouth.
Then she heard voices.
"Where is the child?"
Another voice answered.
"Search the forest."
Elena squeezed herself against the tree.
Her mother's promise echoed in her head.
I'll come back.
Footsteps approached.
Closer.
Closer.
A shadow appeared.
Elena tried to run.
A hand caught her.
She screamed.
"Let me go!"
She kicked and struggled.
The stranger was stronger.
"Found her."
Another figure emerged from the darkness.
"Is that the girl?"
"Yes."
"Take her."
Elena screamed for her mother.
"MAMA!"
No answer.
The stranger lifted her into his arms.
She fought until she became exhausted.
Through the rain, she saw something on the ground.
Her mother's scarf.
She reached for it.
But it was already too far away.
"Mama!"
The forest disappeared behind her.
Hours later, Elena woke inside a moving carriage.
Her wrists were not tied anymore, but the doors were locked.
She sat in the corner, trembling.
Across from her sat a woman dressed in a long black gown.
Elena stared at her.
"Where am I?"
The woman said nothing.
"Where is my mother?"
Silence.
"My father?"
The woman's expression remained unreadable.
"Please."
Finally, she spoke.
"You will soon forget this place."
Elena frowned.
"What?"
The woman looked at the pendant around her neck.
For the first time, something like fear appeared in her eyes.
"Where did you get that?"
Elena covered it instinctively.
"My mother gave it to me."
The woman stared at her.
Then she looked away.
"Interesting."
The carriage continued through the night.
Eventually, the doors opened.
Elena lifted her head.
She saw enormous black gates.
Beyond them stood a palace unlike anything she had ever seen.
Black towers.
Silver windows.
Stone walls stretching into the darkness.
The gates opened.
The carriage entered.
Elena stared in silence.
She didn't know it yet, but this place would become her prison.
It would also become the place where she would discover the truth about herself.
A servant opened the carriage door.
"Get out."
Elena didn't move.
"I want my mother."
The servant grabbed her arm.
"She isn't here."
Elena began crying.
"I want to go home."
The servant pulled her from the carriage.
"You don't have a home anymore."
The words broke something inside her.
She looked back toward the gates.
The carriage that had brought her there was already turning around.
Then the gates closed.
And Elena was alone.
She looked up at the enormous palace.
High above her, behind one of the dark windows, someone was watching.
Elena didn't see him.
She didn't know who he was.
She didn't know why she had been brought there.
And she certainly didn't know that the night she entered that palace would eventually lead her to become the one woman forbidden to stand beside its king.
But there was one thing about that night that nobody told her.
The people who took Elena had not chosen her by accident.
And the reason they had taken her...
was a secret that would remain buried for years.
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