Riding through the night wasn't exactly what I'd signed up for when I found myself bound to the Prince of Hell. Yet here I was on horseback, following Kaelen as we raced toward the southern village, the wind cold and the tension thick.
The rhythmic pounding of hooves filled the silence between us, but my mind wouldn't quiet. His words kept replaying in my head.
I trust you.
Why? We barely knew each other. I was a mortal from a different world, and he was… him. Dangerous. Unpredictable. A prince with too many enemies and far too many secrets.
But I couldn't forget the way his voice had softened when he said it. Or the way my heart had stupidly fluttered in response.
We rode for hours before the village lights finally came into view. Or what was left of them. Smoke billowed into the night sky, and the acrid scent of fire stung my nose.
Kaelen didn't wait for orders he dismounted with terrifying grace and stalked forward like a man ready to destroy anyone who got in his way. I scrambled after him, my pulse hammering.
"Stay close," he commanded without looking back.
For once, I didn't argue.
The village was in ruins. Buildings had been burned to their foundations, and the air was thick with the cries of frightened people. But it wasn't until I saw the bodies that the true weight of the situation hit me.
This wasn't just an attack. It was a massacre.
Kaelen's face was stone, but his eyes burned with fury. "Who did this?" he demanded, his voice low and lethal as he grabbed a nearby soldier.
The man swallowed hard. "The House of Vorel, my prince. They… they took prisoners."
Vorel. That name again.
Kaelen's jaw clenched. "Where?"
"North," the soldier said. "They're heading toward the Black Mountains."
Kaelen turned, barking orders to his men. And then his eyes landed on me.
"You shouldn't be here," he said, his voice tight.
"Well, whose fault is that?" I shot back, the fear making me reckless. "You dragged me into this, remember?"
For a second, I thought he'd snap but instead, something almost like amusement flickered in his gaze. "You have a habit of speaking when you shouldn't."
"And you have a habit of not explaining anything." I stepped closer. "Who is the House of Vorel? Why attack this village?"
Kaelen hesitated and then, finally, gave me something real. "They were once loyal to my father. When I took the throne, they saw it as a betrayal."
"Because you're… different?" I asked carefully.
His lips curled into something that wasn't quite a smile. "Because they fear what I am."
Before I could ask what that meant, a scream split the air. We both whipped around and what I saw made my blood run cold.
A group of Vorel soldiers had circled a cluster of villagers. They dragged a young boy forward, their laughter cruel and sharp.
Kaelen didn't wait. He moved with terrifying speed, his sword flashing in the firelight. I barely saw him draw it but in seconds, the soldiers were on the ground, and the boy was running back to his mother.
But one soldier still stood and he was smiling.
"Didn't think you'd come yourself, Prince Kaelen," the man sneered. "The Vorel family sends their regards."
Kaelen's face remained unreadable. "Tell them I'm sending something back."
And then his hand shot out.
I didn't see what he did but the soldier collapsed, choking, his body convulsing before going still.
I stared at Kaelen. "What… what did you just.."
He turned to me, his expression as cold as ever. "We need to move. Now."
But as we headed for the horses, I couldn't stop the chill that ran down my spine.
Because for the first time, I realized just how dangerous Kaelen truly was.