Chapter no 3 : The Shadow king
1008 Words
The castle had never felt so alive. Or so afraid. Elara could hear movement beyond the chamber doors - boots striking stone, hurried voices, the clashing of steel.
Somewhere in the distance, wolves were howling as though they were calling to one another.
Kael still held her hand. His grip was firm, warm, and strangely reassuring. “Stay close,” he said. Elara glanced at him.
“You keep saying that.”
“Because you keep trying to walk into danger.” “I didn’t ask to become the Moonborn.”
“I know.”
His voice softened. “But danger doesn’t care whether you asked for it.” They stepped into the corridor.
The moment the guards saw Elara, they moved aside.
Some bowed. Others stared. A few looked at her with fear. Elara lowered her voice.
“Why are they looking at me like that?”
Kael didn’t turn.
“Because they know the prophecy.”
“What prophecy?”
He stopped. Before he could answer, a massive explosion shook the castle. Elara lost her balance.
Kael caught her around the waist.
For one breathless moment, she was pressed against his chest. His eyes met hers. Neither spoke. Then another explosion shattered the moment.
Kael immediately released her.
“Stay here.”
“No.”
“Elara.”
“You said stay beside you.”
His jaw tightened.
“You’re impossible.”
“So I’ve been told.”
Despite himself, Kael almost smiled. Then the castle doors at the end of the corridor exploded inward. A wave of black smoke poured inside. The guards raised their weapons.
Kael stepped forward.
His eyes turned silver. A deep growl escaped his throat.
“Everyone behind me.”
The smoke twisted. A figure emerged from it. A man.
Tall.
Dressed in black armor. His face was pale, almost unnaturally so, and his eyes were completely black. The temperature in the corridor dropped. Kael’s expression hardened.
“Shadow King.”
The stranger smiled.
“So the stories are true.”
His gaze moved past Kael.
Straight to Elara.
“The Moonborn has returned.”
Elara’s heart pounded.
Kael moved in front of her.
“You will not touch her.”
The Shadow King laughed softly.
“Still playing the hero, Kael?”
“You should have stayed buried.”
“And you should have accepted your fate.”
The Shadow King’s eyes flashed. Darkness exploded across the floor. Kael raised his hand.
A wall of silver light appeared between them. The two powers collided. The castle shook.
Elara stumbled backward.
Then she heard a voice. Not Kael’s. The same voice from the forest. Elara.
She froze.
Come to me. Her mark began glowing. “Stop,” she whispered.
Kael looked back.
“Elara?”
The voice grew louder.
You know who you are.
“No.”
Your mother lied. Elara covered her ears.
“Stop!”
The Shadow King smiled.
“He’s speaking to you, isn’t he?” Kael turned toward him.
“What did you do?”
“Nothing.”
The Shadow King looked at Elara. “She can hear the ancient blood.”
Kael’s expression changed.
“What do you mean?”
“She hasn’t told you?”
The Shadow King laughed. “You truly know nothing about her.”
Elara looked at Kael.
“What is he talking about?”
Kael didn’t answer. The Shadow King stepped closer.
“Ask your precious Wolf King why your mother really sent you away.” Kael’s eyes flashed.
“Enough.”
He attacked.
Silver energy tore through the corridor. The Shadow King disappeared into smoke, reappearing behind the guards. Before anyone could react, he reached toward Elara. Kael moved faster.
He grabbed Elara and pulled her against him.
The Shadow King’s hand stopped inches from her face. For one terrifying second, their eyes met. Then Elara’s mark burst with light.
The Shadow King screamed. Black smoke erupted from his body. He stumbled backward.
His expression changed from amusement to shock.
“No…” Elara stared at her own hand. The crescent was burning brighter than ever. The Shadow King looked at her as though seeing something impossible.
“You have her power.”
“Whose?”
He smiled.
“Your mother’s.”
Then he vanished.
The corridor fell silent. Elara turned slowly toward Kael.
“What was he talking about?”
Kael said nothing.
“Kael.”
His eyes avoided hers.
“You knew.”
“Knew what?”
“That my mother wasn’t just a healer.”
He remained silent. Elara stepped closer.
“You knew who she was.”
“Yes.”
“And you knew what happened to her.” His silence was enough.
Tears filled Elara’s eyes, but she refused to let them fall.
“Where is my mother?”
Kael finally looked at her. His face was filled with regret.
“Elara…” “Where is she?”
Kael swallowed.
“She disappeared nineteen years ago.”
“Disappeared?”
“We never found her.”
Elara’s voice broke. “You promised her you’d protect me.”
“I did.”
“You failed her.”
Kael looked down.
“Yes.”
For the first time, Elara saw the weight he had been carrying all these years. But before she could say anything, a wolf rushed into the corridor.
“King Kael!”
Kael turned.
“What?”
The wolf was breathing heavily.
“The northern border has been breached.” Kael’s face hardened.
“By how many?”
The wolf hesitated.
“An army.”
Elara looked toward the dark windows. Far beyond the castle walls, thousands of red lights were appearing across the mountains. Eyes.
Not human eyes.
Kael reached for his sword. Then he looked at Elara.
“You wanted the truth.”
She nodded.
“I’ll tell you everything.”
He stepped closer.
“But first, you need to survive the night.”
Outside, the army began marching toward the castle. And beneath the mountains, the ancient door began to open.
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