Blood Ties
1077 Words
Eva’s POV
The further we moved into the tunnels, the more it felt like we were descending into something ancient. Something wrong.
“This wasn’t here when I was a child,” I murmured, pressing my palm against the damp stone. “My father never mentioned another wing of the ruins.”
Trent walked ahead of me, blade drawn, eyes sharp. “Because he didn’t want anyone finding it.”
Our footsteps echoed down the corridor. My fingers tingled with energy, magic coiling just beneath the surface of my skin.
“I can feel him,” I said softly. “It’s like his energy’s soaked into the walls.”
Trent didn’t look back. “Good. That means we’re close.”
We passed through a broken archway, ducked beneath a collapsed beam, and emerged into a wide chamber—low ceilings, dim torches flickering on the walls.
And we weren’t alone.
A tall man stepped from the shadows. His black cloak billowed slightly, though there was no breeze. Scars ran down his cheek, and his eyes gleamed amber.
“I was wondering when you’d come,” he said coolly. “Dale said you would.”
I stepped forward. “Where is he?”
The man tilted his head. “Closer than you think.”
Trent shifted beside me. “You work for him?”
“I follow him,” the man said. “Because he’s the only Alpha this land deserves. And his grandson… he’ll be more than a prince. He’ll be the weapon that reshapes this broken world.”
My blood ran cold. “You stay away from my son.”
The man chuckled. “Your son isn’t just yours. He’s legacy. Power. Purity. We’ve been preparing him long before you even knew you were pregnant.”
Trent growled. “You’ll regret saying that.”
The rogue lunged.
Trent met him head-on. They clashed in the middle of the room, fangs, claws, sparks flying. I threw a pulse of golden fire, but the rogue rolled and dodged, fast as lightning.
“You’ve got a spark, girl,” he hissed, grinning. “But it’s just a flicker compared to what you’ll become.”
I blasted him again, this time hitting his leg. He staggered, snarling.
“Eva!” Trent shouted. “Left!”
Another rogue dropped from the ceiling. I spun, palm glowing, and struck her midair. She screamed, her body dissolving in a flash of golden flame.
My hands trembled.
I’d never done that before. Not with that much force. That much… destruction.
I glanced at Trent, he saw it too.
“What was that?” he breathed.
“I don’t know,” I said. “But it’s growing.”
The rogue lieutenant snarled and charged again. Trent ducked, slammed him into the wall, but the man twisted free, slashing Trent’s side.
Trent roared, claws glowing.
I stepped forward, gathering light in both hands. “Get away from him!”
I released it, pure energy exploded across the chamber, slamming the rogue into a column. He collapsed, gasping, stunned.
I strode over to him, panting. “Tell me where Dale is.”
He coughed blood. “You’re too late.”
“Too late for what?”
He smiled, blood on his teeth. “The boy’s already marked. The bond has begun. There’s no breaking it now.”
“What bond?” I demanded.
But he died before he could answer.
Trent leaned heavily against the wall, breathing hard.
“You’re bleeding,” I said.
“I’m fine,” he muttered.
I tore off part of my sleeve and pressed it against the wound. “You’re lucky. That s***h could’ve been deeper.”
He stared at me as I tended him.
“What?”
“You’ve changed,” he said quietly.
“So have you,” I replied. “We both had to.”
He nodded slowly. “But you… you’re stronger now. And not just your powers.”
I looked down. “I had no choice. After what you did…”
“I know,” he cut in. “I know I broke you. But I want to help fix what I can.”
I stood. “Then help me find my father before he does something we can’t undo.”
We kept moving, navigating turns and stairwells until we reached another sealed door. This one wasn’t just blocked, it was marked with glowing red runes.
Trent traced them with his fingers. “Blood magic.”
I stepped closer. “Can you break it?”
“I don’t know,” he said. “But someone’s behind this wall. I can feel it.”
Athena stirred inside me. *Him.*
I pressed my hand to the stone.
A voice crackled through the other side.
“I knew you’d come.”
I froze.
Trent stepped back. “Is that—?”
“Yes,” I whispered. “It’s him.”
Dale Garcia’s voice echoed faintly through the stone. Calm. Measured. Terrifyingly familiar.
“You always were stubborn, Eva. Always too soft. But you’ve finally started becoming what I wanted. You’re almost ready.”
I gritted my teeth. “Ready for what?”
“To take your place. To lead what I built. With your son at your side.”
“You’re insane!”
“I am prepared,” he replied. “Prepared for the world that’s coming.”
“I’ll never follow you,” I said. “And neither will Nathan.”
He laughed. “You think this is a choice? You think you can deny your blood?”
“I did once,” I said. “And I’ll do it again.”
There was silence for a long beat.
Then his voice darkened.
“If you walk away now… I’ll take the boy myself.”
I slammed my hand against the door, golden energy searing across the runes.
They sparked. Cracked. Flared.
The wall trembled.
“I’m not running anymore,” I whispered.
“Then we’ll see what survives the fire,” he said.
The voice faded.
Trent grabbed my arm. “Eva—what did he mean about a bond?”
“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “But I’m going to find out.”
The runes cracked again, this time glowing brighter.
Behin
d us, the tunnels shook.
A low rumble echoed through the stones.
Trent looked at me. “We need to get out. Now.”
The tunnel began to collapse.
We ran.
- Writer
