*******Harper
I woke up to the sound of chains rattling. My head throbbed like someone had split it open, and the damp air around me carried the foul scent of mildew and blood. Blinking against the dim light, I saw jagged stones forming the walls of the place, slick with moisture. My wrists ached, bound by iron shackles bolted into the wall. For a moment, I panicked, thrashing against the chains until a familiar voice cut through the haze.
"Harper…"
I snapped my head to the right. Kael was there—slumped against the wall but awake now, his golden eyes dim in the shadows. Relief washed over me so fast my knees gave out.
"Kael…" My voice cracked. "You're awake."
He studied me, his gaze heavy, searching. Then he exhaled, a long, quiet sigh that held the weight of a thousand unspoken fears. "Are you okay?"
I hesitated, scanning myself. Bruised, yes. Exhausted, yes. But alive. Somehow. "I… I'm fine."
At my words, his shoulders relaxed, and he leaned his head back against the cold wall. "Good."
Silence hung between us for a beat, broken only by the distant dripping of water somewhere in the dungeon. Then his jaw tightened, his eyes flickering around the room. He let out another sigh, this time heavy with frustration.
I frowned. "Do you… know where we are?"
"Yes." His voice was low, grim. He didn't look at me as he spoke.
My stomach tightened. "Where?"
Kael turned his face toward me at last, and what I saw in his eyes sent a chill down my spine. "This is the Realm of the Outcasts."
The words echoed in my mind like a curse.
"The… outcasts?" I whispered.
"Yes." His tone was measured, deliberate. "This is where those who committed unforgivable sins in their own realms were cast away. The unwanted. The dangerous. Witches, demons, vampires… even members of the supreme clan." His mouth twisted bitterly on the last part.
A shiver crawled down my arms. "And… how did we end up here?"
Kael's gaze hardened. "Vaelthor. He has dominion here. This is his playground. He threw us into his dungeon like toys he isn't finished breaking yet."
The weight of his words pressed on me like a stone. I looked at the chains on my wrists again, suddenly more suffocating. "So what now? What do we do?"
He studied me for a moment, then shook his head. "For now… we wait. There's no point thrashing against what's inevitable. If Vaelthor dragged us here, it's because he has plans. He'll show his hand soon enough."
I wanted to scream. To fight. But Kael's calmness made me hold my tongue. I swallowed and forced myself to breathe.
"Give me your palm," he said suddenly, stretching his hand toward me.
I blinked. "What?"
"Your palm." His tone was steady, leaving no room for argument.
I hesitated, then slowly slid my shackled wrist toward him until my fingers rested in his open hand. His skin was warm, grounding, almost protective. He closed his eyes, his thumb pressing lightly against my pulse.
A faint glow flickered at the edges of his closed eyelids, and his brow furrowed in concentration. I held my breath, watching him.
Then his eyes snapped open, golden light glinting in their depths. "It's gone."
"What is?" I whispered.
"Vaelthor's energy." He released my hand gently. "I can't sense it inside you anymore. That means… his powers has fully returned to him."
The tension in my chest loosened slightly, but I let out a hollow laugh. "What more bad things could possibly happen now?"
Kael smirked faintly, though his eyes remained sharp. "Well, at least you're not trying to kill yourself again."
The unexpected jab made me choke on my breath. Then, despite everything—the dungeon, Vaelthor, the despair—I laughed. A raw, broken laugh, but real nonetheless.
"You're unbelievable," I said, shaking my head.
His lips quirked. "I'll take that as a compliment."
I met his gaze then, and something unspoken passed between us. Something fragile but steady. "Thank you," I whispered.
He tilted his head. "For what?"
"For… reminding me that I'm still here. That someone cares." My throat tightened, and my voice wavered. "I wanted to die, Kael. Over and over, I wanted it to end. But now… knowing I'm not completely alone, it makes me feel…" I trailed off, unable to finish.
His smile softened. "Better?"
I nodded. "Better."
For a fleeting moment, the dungeon didn't feel so suffocating.
Then—clap. clap. clap.
The sharp sound sliced through the silence. My heart stuttered, and I whipped my head toward the source.
The dungeon door creaked open, and a figure stepped inside, his presence sucking the air from the room.
Vaelthor.
His silver eyes gleamed with cruel amusement as he advanced, guards flanking him. Behind him, two soldiers moved forward and unlocked our chains. Cold hands gripped my arms, yanking me to my feet. Kael snarled, but he too was dragged out.
"Walk," one of the guards ordered, shoving us forward.
They herded us out of the dungeon and into a vast hall that seemed carved out of obsidian itself. At the far end, atop a throne of blackened stone, Vaelthor sat down with the confidence of a king returning to his domain. His aura pressed down on the room like a suffocating weight.
And beside him—Natalie. She lounged elegantly, draped in dark silk, her smirk sharp as a blade.
I clenched my fists.
Vaelthor leaned forward, his lips curling. "Harper… don't trust Kael so foolishly. He hides from you what you do not know."
My breath hitched. "What are you talking about?"
Kael's teeth ground together audibly. His whole body trembled with barely restrained fury. "Enough," he growled. "Shut your mouth."
Crack!
A whip slashed across Kael's back before he could move, the sound reverberating through the hall. I gasped, straining against the guards holding me. "Stop!"
But Vaelthor only smiled, as if savoring my fear. "Harper, think about this. If he could destroy my spell then why can't he get you both away from here now?. What's the point of acting powerless".
I blinked in confusion. What vaelthor said made sense but why listen to someone who almost killed me?.
"Oh, Harper. Let me tell you a very interesting story. One that will make you question everything you think you know."
The tension in the room was unbearable. I could hear the blood pounding in my ears, my chest tight with dread.
Before he could utter another word, however, a new voice rang out. Calm. Commanding.
"What trouble are you causing now, Vaelthor?"
The hall fell silent.
Every head turned.
A figure stood at the entrance of the throne room, his presence radiating power that rivaled Vaelthor's.
Vaelthor's eyes widened. Kael froze beside me, disbelief etched on his face.
"Brother?" they both said at once.
The word echoed in my mind, cold and sharp.
Brother.