Hearts before dawn

Shadows In The Garden

The scent of burnt lilacs still haunted the garden behind the royal quarters.

Kaleen stood motionless, her hand hovering above a singed rose bush. The petals had curled inward like frightened children, and the ash coating them made the once-beautiful blossoms look ghostly.She’d dreamed of this place last night—only in her dream, the garden had been on fire, and a figure cloaked in ember flames had walked through the blaze, whispering her name.“Kaleen.”The voice behind her wasn’t a dream this time.She turned. Prince Aric stood near the marble bench, his silver cape fluttering gently in the morning breeze. His storm-gray eyes searched hers, but Kaleen was no longer the fragile girl he remembered.“You shouldn’t be here,” she said quietly.He stepped forward. “Neither should you. Not after last night.”She stiffened.The memory surged—those secret words whispered to her in the alley by the masked rebel: “The queen knows you’re alive. And she knows what you carry.”Kaleen clenched her fist. The pendant hidden beneath her bodice felt heavier today. It was more than a family heirloom—it was the key to the Heart of Ember, the sacred flame the royal family had stolen generations ago.“Kaleen, look at me,” Aric said, voice softer now. “What did you see in the flames?”She hesitated. Could she trust him? Could she risk another betrayal?“I saw her,” Kaleen replied finally. “Queen Ysolde. But not as she is now—as she was. Before the crown. Before the power.”A shadow passed over Aric’s face. “That’s not possible.”“It is,” Kaleen whispered. “And I think she’s trying to erase her past… by erasing me.”The prince was silent.Just then, the wind shifted—and the garden’s bronze gate creaked open.A cloaked figure slipped through, their steps soundless, their face hidden.Kaleen and Aric turned in unison.The figure lifted a gloved hand and tossed something toward them. It spun through the air, catching the light—A flame-shaped emblem… with the royal seal cracked down the middle.A warning.Without a word, the figure vanished into the trees.Aric reached for Kaleen’s hand. “We need to leave.”“No,” she said, her voice steel. “We need to find the truth.”And for the first time in years, she let herself believe that maybe… she wasn’t alone.