The curse between us

The moon hung low over Elyndor, casting a silver glow across the ancient forest. Tall trees stretched toward the night sky, their branches twisting together above the narrow paths. Mist drifted between the trunks, and strange shadows danced beneath the pale moonlight. Aurelia pulled her cloak tighter around her shoulders and hurried between the trees. She shouldn't have been there. Everyone in Elyndor knew the forest was forbidden after sunset. Strange things were said to happen beneath its ancient branches…whispers with no voices, shadows that moved without bodies, and lights that appeared where no lanterns had been lit. But tonight, Aurelia needed somewhere quiet. As the princess of Elyndor, she was expected to follow rules, attend royal dinners, and behave as though nothing in the world could trouble her. Everyone seemed to have an opinion about the woman she was supposed to become. Sometimes, she simply wanted to be herself. And tonight, she wanted to think about her mother. It had been years since her mother's death, but Aurelia still remembered her gentle smile and the stories she used to tell before bedtime. Some of those stories had been about kingdoms that no longer appeared on any royal map. Whenever Aurelia asked her father about her mother's past, he answered kindly but rarely said much. There were times when Aurelia wondered whether her mother had kept secrets from everyone. She shook the thought away and continued walking. A sudden c***k sounded behind her. She froze. Slowly, she turned. Nothing. Only trees and mist. "Just a branch," she whispered. She started walking again, trying to ignore the uneasy feeling creeping up her spine. Then she heard footsteps. Someone was following her. "Who's there?" she called. No answer came. Aurelia was about to convince herself that she had imagined it when a voice spoke from behind her. "You're lost." She spun around. A young man stood several steps away, half-hidden beneath the shadow of an enormous tree. He wore a dark cloak, and a silver sword rested at his side. His jet-black hair fell messily across his forehead, while his storm-grey eyes watched her with unsettling calm. There was something intimidating about him, though Aurelia couldn't explain why. "I'm not lost," she replied. One corner of his mouth lifted. "Then you have a very strange way of knowing where you're going." Aurelia narrowed her eyes. "And you have a very strange habit of talking to strangers." "I could say the same about you." "I was here first." "An impressive achievement." She stared at him. Was he making fun of her? "Who are you?" she demanded. The stranger stepped into the moonlight. "Valen." His name sounded strangely familiar, though she couldn't remember where she had heard it. "And you?" he asked. Aurelia hesitated. She knew better than to reveal her identity to a stranger, especially in a forbidden forest. But something about his expression irritated her. "Aurelia." Valen's expression changed. Only for a moment, but she noticed. His gaze dropped briefly toward the necklace hidden beneath her cloak before returning to her face. "You know my name?" she asked suspiciously. "No." "Then why did you look at me like that?" "Like what?" "Like you've just discovered something you weren't expecting." For a moment, he said nothing. Then he replied, "Perhaps you're imagining things." Aurelia folded her arms. "You're insufferable." "I've been told." Before she could respond, a distant howl echoed through the forest. The sound was deep and unnatural. Valen's amusement vanished. His hand moved immediately to the hilt of his sword. Aurelia stepped backward. "What was that?" "We need to leave." "Why?" "Because whatever made that sound is getting closer." Another howl echoed between the trees. This time, something moved in the darkness. Aurelia couldn't make out its shape, but she felt certain it was watching them. Valen stepped in front of her and drew his sword. "Stay behind me." For once, Aurelia didn't argue. They waited in tense silence. The mist shifted between the trees, and somewhere nearby, a branch snapped. Then the shadow disappeared. Valen kept his sword raised for several seconds before finally lowering it. "We're leaving. Now." They hurried along the narrow path until they reached a fork in the trail. One path led toward the distant lights of Elyndor's palace. The other disappeared deeper into the forest. Valen pointed toward the palace. "Go that way." Aurelia frowned. "What about you?" "I have somewhere else to be." "You're seriously going to leave me here after all that?" "You seem perfectly capable of finding your way back." "I was capable before you appeared." "Then I have complete confidence in you, Princess." Aurelia's eyes narrowed. "Stop calling me that." "Would you prefer Your Royal Highness?" She glared at him. He looked far too pleased with himself. "You're the most irritating person I've ever met." "And yet you've survived meeting me." Aurelia almost laughed, but quickly stopped herself. She had no intention of encouraging him. "Goodbye, Valen." "Try not to get lost." "And try not to get eaten by whatever that was!" For the first time, she caught a glimpse of a genuine smile. Then Valen stepped backward into the shadows and disappeared among the trees. Aurelia watched the place where he had vanished. She should have been relieved. Instead, she was left with more questions than answers. Why had Valen's expression changed when she told him her name? Why had he looked at her necklace? And why had he seemed so familiar? She touched the silver pendant beneath her cloak. Her mother had given it to her when she was young and had always insisted that she keep it close. Whatever happens, never lose it. Aurelia had never understood why those words mattered so much. She had always assumed the necklace was simply a precious keepsake. Now, for the first time, she wondered whether her mother had known something she had never shared. Aurelia lowered her hand. It was only a necklace. Valen was only a stranger. And the forest was somewhere she would never visit after sunset again. At least, that was what she told herself as she hurried toward the palace lights. She didn't notice the shadow watching her from between the trees. Nor did she hear the whisper that drifted through the darkness after she had gone. "The princess has returned." Far beyond Elyndor's borders, an old secret stirred.