CHAPTER 7:THE FIRST KING
1519 Words
Adrian couldn't move.
The man standing before him had his face.
His eyes.
His voice.
Even the small scar above his eyebrow was there.
But something about him felt terribly wrong.
The stranger wore a black crown that seemed to absorb the light around it.
Adrian slowly reached for his sword.
“Who are you?”
The stranger smiled.
“You still don't remember.”
“Answer me.”
“You have asked that question before.”
“When?”
“A thousand years ago.”
Adrian's breathing became uneven.
The stranger stepped closer.
“You were standing in the same chamber.”
“I wasn't alive a thousand years ago.”
“Your body wasn't.”
Adrian froze.
The stranger's smile disappeared.
“But you were.”
A sharp pain suddenly pierced Adrian's head.
He fell to one knee.
Images flashed through his mind.
A palace beneath the ocean.
Thousands of people kneeling.
Seraphina standing beside him.
A blue crown on her head.
His own hands covered in blood.
Then darkness.
He grabbed his head.
“Stop!”
The stranger watched calmly.
“You're remembering.”
Adrian looked up.
“Who is Seraphina?”
The stranger laughed.
“You really have forgotten everything.”
“Tell me!”
“She was your queen.”
Adrian's heart stopped.
“My queen?”
“In another life.”
The chamber began to shake.
Water leaked through the cracks in the walls.
The stranger turned toward the shattered mirror.
“Your memories were taken from you.”
“By whom?”
The stranger looked at him.
“By the woman you trust most.”
Adrian's face hardened.
“Who?”
Before the stranger could answer, footsteps echoed from the staircase.
Lady Miriam.
She appeared at the entrance.
Her face went white when she saw the stranger.
“No…”
The stranger smiled.
“Hello, Miriam.”
She immediately raised both hands.
Water rushed from the walls and formed a barrier between them.
“Adrian, run!”
He stood.
“Who is he?”
“Now!”
“I need answers.”
“And you will get them.”
Miriam's voice trembled.
“But not from him.”
The stranger laughed.
“You've been protecting their lies for a thousand years.”
Miriam's eyes filled with tears.
“I did what I had to do.”
“No.”
The stranger's expression became cold.
“You did what you were ordered to do.”
Adrian looked between them.
“What is he talking about?”
Miriam didn't answer.
The stranger raised his hand.
The water barrier exploded.
Miriam was thrown against the wall.
“Miriam!”
Adrian rushed toward her.
But the stranger was already gone.
Only his voice remained.
“Ask her about the night Seraphina died.”
Adrian froze.
Seraphina died?
He turned toward Miriam.
“What did he mean?”
Miriam slowly pushed herself upright.
She looked terrified.
“Nothing.”
“Don't lie to me.”
“I wasn't there.”
“You knew him.”
“Yes.”
“Who is he?”
Miriam looked toward the empty chamber.
“The First King.”
Adrian swallowed.
“First King of what?”
Miriam hesitated.
“The first ruler of Aqualis.”
Adrian frowned.
“That makes no sense.”
“It should.”
“Kings don't live for a thousand years.”
Miriam looked directly into his eyes.
“This one isn't human.”
Seraphina woke beside the sea.
She had no memory of leaving the palace.
Sand covered her hands.
Her dress was soaked.
And the ocean was whispering her name.
Seraphina…
She slowly stood.
“Where am I?”
The waves moved toward her feet.
A strange blue light appeared beneath the surface.
Then a voice whispered:
“You came back.”
Seraphina stared at the water.
“Who are you?”
“You know me.”
“No, I don't.”
The ocean became still.
Then something rose from beneath it.
A woman.
Not a reflection.
Not made of water.
A real woman.
She stood on the surface of the sea as if the water were solid ground.
Her long silver hair floated around her.
Seraphina couldn't breathe.
“Mother?”
The woman's eyes filled with tears.
“My child.”
Seraphina stepped forward.
“Where have you been?”
The woman didn't answer.
“Why did you hide me?”
Still nothing.
“Why did you let me forget?”
Her mother looked toward the palace.
“Because remembering would have killed you.”
“Who was going to kill me?”
The woman whispered:
“Everyone.”
Seraphina shook her head.
“That doesn't make sense.”
“It will.”
Her mother stepped closer.
“You must leave Aqualis.”
Seraphina's heart sank.
“What?”
“Leave before the next moon disappears.”
“Why?”
“Because when the moon disappears a second time, the gates beneath the sea will open.”
Seraphina remembered Cassian.
“Is Father behind this?”
Her mother's expression changed.
“No.”
“Then who is?”
The woman looked frightened.
“The one who wears the black crown.”
Seraphina's blood ran cold.
“The First King?”
Her mother nodded.
“He was never supposed to wake.”
“Why?”
“Because he doesn't want your power.”
Seraphina frowned.
“Then what does he want?”
Her mother looked directly into her eyes.
“He wants you.”
The ocean suddenly became violent.
Her mother reached for Seraphina.
“Listen to me carefully.”
“What?”
“Do not trust Adrian.”
Seraphina stepped backward.
“No.”
“Seraphina—”
“I know what everyone keeps saying about him.”
“He is dangerous.”
“You don't know him.”
“I knew him before you were born.”
“You knew the man from a thousand years ago.”
Her mother looked away.
“That is the problem.”
“What happened between us?”
Her mother's eyes filled with sadness.
“You loved him.”
Seraphina's breath caught.
“And?”
“You loved him enough to die for him.”
The waves crashed behind them.
Seraphina whispered,
“Did he kill me?”
Her mother closed her eyes.
“No.”
Relief flooded Seraphina.
Then her mother continued.
“But he was the reason you died.”
Before Seraphina could ask another question, her mother's body began dissolving into seawater.
“Wait!”
Seraphina reached for her.
“Where are you going?”
Her mother whispered:
“Remember the red door.”
“What red door?”
“The door beneath the palace.”
Then she disappeared.
Seraphina stood alone.
A single tear rolled down her cheek.
She wiped it away.
Then she noticed something in the sand.
A small key.
It was made of black metal.
And engraved on it were two words:
RED DOOR.
Back at the palace, Adrian confronted Lady Miriam.
“You said the First King isn't human.”
Miriam nodded.
“Then what is he?”
“Something older than the kingdom.”
“Older than Aqualis?”
“Yes.”
Adrian looked toward the window.
“Why does he have my face?”
Miriam went silent.
“Answer me.”
“He doesn't have your face.”
Adrian stared at her.
“I saw him.”
“You saw what he wanted you to see.”
“What does that mean?”
Miriam stepped closer.
“The First King can take the form of anyone connected to him.”
Adrian's expression changed.
“Connected to him?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“I don't know.”
“You're lying again.”
Miriam sighed.
“There are things I cannot tell you.”
“Because the king ordered you not to?”
“No.”
“Then why?”
“Because if I tell you, you may remember everything.”
Adrian stared at her.
“And what happens if I remember?”
Miriam looked at him with sorrow.
“You'll remember why you killed Seraphina.”
The words hit him like a blade.
Adrian stepped backward.
“I didn't kill her.”
“You don't know that.”
“I would never hurt her.”
Miriam's eyes filled with tears.
“That is what you said the last time.”
Adrian's hands began shaking.
Then—
A scream echoed through the palace.
Seraphina.
Adrian ran.
He found her standing in the throne room.
She was holding a black key.
The entire room was flooded with water.
But Seraphina stood perfectly dry.
Her eyes had changed.
One was deep blue.
The other was silver.
Adrian stopped.
“Seraphina?”
She looked at him.
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Then she whispered:
“I remember the red door.”
Adrian's face went pale.
“What red door?”
Seraphina looked toward the floor.
“It's where I died.”
The water around them suddenly turned black.
And beneath the palace—
A door began to open.
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