A Dangerous Truth
385 Words
The following day, Seraphina was summoned to the council chamber.
She had expected a room filled with advisors, warlords, and generals. Instead, she found only Kael—standing beside a massive wooden table strewn with ancient scrolls.
She hesitated at the threshold. “Where is everyone?”
Kael didn’t look up. “This concerns you alone.”
That sent a shiver down her spine.
Wordlessly, he motioned for her to step inside. She did, keeping her back straight, her chin lifted.
If he thought she would cower, he was mistaken.
Kael tapped one of the scrolls. “This is the prophecy.”
Seraphina stepped closer, her eyes scanning the old parchment. The words were written in an ancient tongue, but she could make out enough to understand.
The curse will claim the blood of two. One of shadow, one of light. Only together shall the chains be broken—or reforged.
A chill crept through her bones. “What does it mean?”
Kael’s jaw tightened. “It means you weren’t just sent here to be my bride.”
Seraphina’s throat tightened. “Then what am I?”
Kael finally looked at her, his eyes dark and unreadable.
“My equal.”
The room fell into silence.
Seraphina’s mind raced. Equal? In what way? Power? Rule? Magic?
Her voice was quiet when she spoke. “Are you saying… I’m part of the curse?”
Kael didn’t answer.
But he didn’t deny it.
Seraphina’s pulse pounded. She had known something was wrong the moment she stepped foot in this castle. But this?
This was something else entirely.
Kael finally turned away, his hands braced against the table. “If the prophecy is true, then you and I—”
“We’re bound,” Seraphina finished, her voice barely above a whisper.
A slow nod.
Her stomach twisted. “But if that’s true, then we have two choices.” She swallowed hard, staring at the words etched into the scroll. “We either break the curse… or we make it worse.”
Kael’s expression was grim. “Exactly.”
A weight settled over her chest. The future of the Shadowlands—perhaps of both their kingdoms—rested on them.
On their choices.
On their bond.
And neither of them had any idea what that truly meant.
- Writer
