Love, After Dark

UNKNOWN POV “The castle is under attack! Come with me!”, I heard a guard yell, as I ran through the halls with the prince in my arms. I turned and ran toward the knight. The newborn whimpered against my chest, his tiny fingers clutching my gown as the walls trembled with the sound of steel and screams. Clouds of smoke curled through the corridors, thick and bitter, stinging my eyes as panic clawed its way up my throat. I tightened my hold on him, pressing his warm body closer to me. I whispered a prayer I wasn’t sure anyone was still alive to hear. The guard’s boots thundered ahead of me as he led the way, shouting orders to servants and soldiers alike. Fear threatened to slow my legs, but I forced myself to push forward. I could not fall, not with him depending on me. The air shifted. A low, vicious growl echoed through the corridor before a massive wolf burst from the shadows. His black eyes were wild, and his body was wrong, twisted by dark magic. The guard shoved me back instinctively, drawing his blade. “Run!”, he shouted without looking at me. “I’ll hold it off! Go!” I hesitated only for a beat. The prince cried louder now, sensing the danger, his fear cutting deeper than any blade ever could. Steel clashed behind me as I turned and ran, the sound of battle fading beneath my pounding heart. I flew through passage after passage until muscle memory took over, guiding my feet to a narrow stone wall only a few even knew existed. My fingers found the hidden lever, and the stone groaned softly as the secret passage opened. I slipped inside just as shouts echoed nearby. The passage delivered me to the Queen’s private chambers. I stopped. Through the veil of magic, I could see into the room, but no one within could see me. The Queen stood tall, regal even in terror, her blood slowly staining the marble floor at her feet. Standing before her was the one man I never would have suspected- her trusted advisor. His blade flashed, and I bit back a scream as she fell. “Find the child,” he ordered coldly, turning to the rogues behind him. “Leave no survivors.” My blood turned to ice. I stepped backward slowly, silently, until the passage swallowed me once more. Only then did I turn and run, my breath coming in ragged gasps as I called out, reaching for my coven sisters, begging anyone to answer. Doubt gnawed at me. Trust was a luxury I no longer had. I changed course, forcing my way toward the throne room, toward the safety of the King. The mighty doors stood ajar. Inside, the King lay motionless, sprawled at the base of his throne. His crown had fallen, his blood pooling beneath him. The sight stole the air from my lungs. In that moment, the weight of the world crashed down upon me. There would be no orders, no rescue. They were all gone. The child in my arms was all that remained of the monarchy. Grief hardened into resolve. I moved again, faster now, deadlier. As rogues crossed my path, I did not hesitate to end them. Magic burned through my veins as I cut them down, driven by instinct and desperation. I barely remember how I reached the outer gates, only that the night air hit my face like freedom and loss all at once. I looked around for any survivors. The castle grounds were a battlefield. Bodies piled high, familiar faces met with eternal slumber. With the last of my strength, I summoned a portal, the magic tearing through me as it opened. I turned once more, tears streaming down my face as I looked upon the burning castle- the home I had sworn to protect. The prince cried in my arms. “I’ve got you, little one”, I whispered, though I wasn’t sure of anything anymore. I stepped forward into the portal and the world behind me vanished