The cursed throne

Chapter Four: The Binding

The next morning, I woke to the sound of the heavy iron doors groaning open. A maid entered, her head bowed low, her steps hurried. She placed a bundle of clothes on the foot of my bed, avoiding eye contact as though looking at me might invite some curse upon herself.

“Your Highness,” she murmured, her voice trembling. “His Highness has requested your presence in the Hall of Shadows.”

The Hall of Shadows. The name alone sent a chill down my spine.

I wanted to ask her what it was or why Kael had summoned me, but before I could open my mouth, she turned and scurried from the room as though she were fleeing some unseen predator.

Left alone, I pulled the bundle of clothes closer. They weren’t what I expected—gone were the soft silks and flowing fabrics of Valtoria. In their place was a gown of midnight black, the material heavy, the design sharp and austere. It felt like armor, though it didn’t leave me feeling exposed.

When I stepped into the corridor, the same two guards from before were waiting for me. They said nothing, only motioned for me to follow. I tried to maintain my composure as we wound through the castle’s labyrinthine halls, but the oppressive silence was suffocating.

Finally, we reached the Hall of Shadows.

The doors swung open, revealing a cavernous space lit by flickering black flames that seemed to devour light rather than cast it. The air was thick with an unnatural cold, and at the far end of the hall stood Kael, his figure framed by the eerie glow.

He was waiting for me.

“Princess,” he said as I approached, his voice echoing in the vast emptiness of the room. “Do you know why you’re here?”

I stopped a few feet away from him, my heart hammering in my chest. “I imagine you’re about to enlighten me.”

His lips twitched into a faint smile. “Clever as always. But no, this is not a lesson. It’s a ritual. One that will bind you to Isolde… and to me.”

A ritual. My stomach twisted.

“You can’t possibly think I’ll agree to something like that,” I said, my voice steady despite the unease creeping into my bones.

Kael stepped closer, the shadows shifting around him like living things. “This isn’t a request, Princess. It’s a necessity. As my bride, you must be bound to this kingdom. Without the ritual, Isolde will reject you… and you won’t survive.”

His words sent a chill down my spine. “And what does this ‘ritual’ entail?”

Kael raised a hand, and the black flames around the room surged higher, casting his face into sharp relief. “A simple exchange,” he said, his voice low. “A piece of your light… for a piece of my darkness.”

I didn’t fully understand his words, but I didn’t like the sound of them. “And what happens if I refuse?”

Kael’s expression darkened. “Then you will not last the week. Isolde’s curse will consume you, just as it has consumed everything else.”

My breath caught. Was this his way of ensuring my compliance, or was he telling the truth? Either way, it seemed I had no choice.

“Fine,” I said, lifting my chin. “Let’s get this over with.”

Kael’s gaze lingered on me for a moment, his dark eyes searching mine. Then he extended a hand. “Come.”

I hesitated, but only for a moment. My fingers brushed against his, and I felt it—the pulse of his curse, cold and sharp, like ice seeping into my veins.

Kael led me to the center of the hall, where a circle of runes had been etched into the stone floor. They glowed faintly as we stepped inside, their light pulsing in time with the beat of my heart.

“Stand here,” Kael instructed, positioning me in the center of the circle. He stepped back, his hands raised as he began to chant in a language I didn’t recognize.

The air around me grew heavy, the shadows pressing closer until they felt like a second skin. The runes beneath my feet flared brighter, and I felt a strange warmth spreading through my chest—a warmth that quickly turned to searing heat.

I gasped, my knees buckling, but I refused to fall.

Kael’s voice grew louder, his chant rising to a crescendo. The shadows swirled around me, and I felt them sinking into my skin, mingling with the heat that now burned like fire.

Then, as quickly as it began, it was over.

The shadows receded, the runes dimmed, and I was left trembling in the center of the circle. I looked down at my hands, expecting to see some mark, some sign of what had just happened. But there was nothing.

I turned to Kael, my voice trembling. “What… what did you do to me?”

Kael stepped closer, his expression unreadable. “You’re part of Isolde now,” he said. “Its shadows will protect you… but they will also test you. If you are weak, they will destroy you.”

I wanted to scream, to demand answers, but my voice caught in my throat. The weight of what had just happened settled over me like a shroud.

Kael’s gaze softened, just slightly. “You’re stronger than you realize, Evanna. But strength alone won’t save you. You’ll need to understand the darkness if you hope to survive it.”

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving me alone in the Hall of Shadows.