The keeper of secrets
401 Words
Aria spun toward the sound of approaching footsteps, her heart hammering in her chest. She snatched the glowing book off the floor and pressed herself behind a nearby shelf, peering through the cracks.
A figure stepped into the library — tall, cloaked in deep navy robes, their face hidden beneath a velvet hood. They moved with a slow, deliberate grace, as though they belonged to the shadows themselves.
Then the figure spoke, voice soft, genderless, and strange. “You should not be here, Flameborn.”
Aria’s breath caught. She stepped out, gripping the book tightly. “Who are you?”
The hooded figure didn’t flinch. “I am the Keeper of Secrets — guardian of this archive. Few know of this place, and fewer are allowed to enter. Even Damien dares not disturb the oldest truths.”
Aria stood firm, despite the tremor in her hands. “Why does everyone know more about me than I do? What am I really?”
The Keeper tilted their head. “You are more than blood and more than flame. You are possibility. The last of your line… and the first in centuries who might awaken the Red Eclipse.”
“The… what?” Aria asked, voice barely a whisper.
“The ancient war between mortals and vampires was never truly won. The Flameborn were meant to decide its end — by uniting both worlds or burning one to ash.”
Aria’s stomach twisted. “And Damien? What is he to me?”
The Keeper paused. “Your fated bond. The one cursed to love you, or destroy you. Or both.”
Aria sank slowly onto a bench beside the shelf. “I didn’t choose any of this. I didn’t ask to be powerful.”
“No one asks,” the Keeper said gently. “But power does not wait for permission. It arrives when the world needs it — or when it is too late.”
They stepped forward and handed her a small scroll sealed with black wax. “Read this when the time is right. But beware, child — the queen is not the only one watching you now. Others have sensed your awakening.”
“Others?” Aria asked, her voice barely audible.
The Keeper turned toward the exit. “The prophecy has begun.”
Then they were gone, leaving only silence and the sound of Aria’s racing heartbeat behind.
- Writer
