A castle full of Lies
362 Words
The east wing of Raventhorn Palace was colder, darker — untouched by the warmth of morning sun. As Aria stepped into the long corridor, her footsteps echoed on polished marble, the silence swallowing every sound.
Damien stood by the tall windows at the far end, his silhouette sharp against the gray light beyond. He didn’t turn when she entered, but she felt his awareness of her, like a tether pulling tightly between them.
“You summoned me,” Aria said quietly, folding her hands in front of her to still the trembling.
“You’re awake,” he replied, still not looking at her. “That’s good.”
She stepped closer, wary. “What did you do to me?”
He turned then, slowly, and his gaze met hers. Not cruel, but unreadable. “What was necessary.”
Aria flinched. “You bit me.”
“I claimed you,” he corrected, stepping forward. “The mark ensures no other vampire can take you. You are protected.”
“Protected?” she scoffed, bitterness rising in her throat. “I didn’t ask for this. You’ve changed me, Damien.”
His jaw tensed. “You’ve always been different, Aria. I only awakened what was already there.”
She froze. “What do you mean?”
But he turned away again, evading her question. “There are things you don’t yet understand. Things I can’t explain.”
“No, of course not,” she whispered. “Because no one here tells me the truth.”
She left the room before he could stop her, her footsteps quick and angry. The hallways blurred around her as her heart pounded in her chest.
As she passed through the servant corridors, she overheard a hushed conversation.
“They say she’s not just human,” a maid whispered. “He wouldn’t have chosen her otherwise.”
“They say her blood called to him,” another answered. “Like the prophecy said.”
Aria paused, her breath catching. Prophecy?
She backed away before they could see her, her mind spinning.
This wasn’t just about a forced marriage.
This was about her.
Why her?
And what exactly had Damien awakened?
- Writer
