*****Harper
Azragoth's glowing eyes dimmed as his hands slowly slipped away from mine. I was still trembling slightly from whatever strange spell he had used on me, but his gaze wasn't on me anymore — it was fixed on Kael.
"I would like to speak with you alone," Azragoth said, his tone heavy and unreadable.
Kael's expression didn't change. He simply nodded once and turned to me. "Wait outside, Harper."
Something inside me sank. There was a twinge in my chest, a sharp sting that had nothing to do with Azragoth's strange power. But I nodded obediently, pretending not to care.
"Of course," I said quietly.
Kael's hand brushed my shoulder for a brief second — light, fleeting — and then he guided me to the heavy doors before they closed behind me with a dull, echoing thud.
The hallway outside was cold and silent. My heart was racing, and no matter how many times I tried to tell myself to calm down, the uneasiness wouldn't fade. I pressed my palm against my chest and took a shaky breath.
It's fine, I told myself. They're just talking. There's no reason to be nervous.
But there was something… wrong.
The longer I stood there, the more that strange feeling grew — like my soul was whispering warnings I didn't understand.
Then curiosity struck me. No— not curiosity. Instinct.
Before I could stop myself, I crept closer to the door, placing my ear gently against the wooden frame.
Azragoth's deep, aged voice came first.
"You were right, Kael. Your predictions were correct."
My stomach tightened. Predictions?
"She is dangerous," Azragoth continued. "That girl's very existence poses a threat — not only to you, but to the balance of our realm. You should get rid of her before she destroys everything you've built."
My breath caught. The words felt like a dagger sinking deep into my chest.
He… he can't mean me.
I waited — I waited for Kael to speak, to deny it, to tell him he was wrong. To say something like, 'I'll protect her. She's mine to guard.'
But there was nothing.
Not a word.
The silence that followed was louder than any scream.
My heart stopped.
When I finally heard footsteps approaching, panic shot through me like lightning. I stumbled back from the door, my pulse thrumming wildly in my ears. I tried to steady my breathing, forcing myself to look calm. When the door creaked open, Kael stepped out — expression unreadable as ever.
"There you are," I said quickly, forcing a smile. "Are we leaving already?"
"Yes," he said shortly, placing a hand around my waist. "We're done here."
He didn't elaborate, and I didn't ask. I just let him hold me as he used his power — and in a blink, the cold, shadowy hall was gone.
We reappeared in his palace, in the familiar vast corridor lined with black marble and flickering blue torches.
Kael turned to one of his guards. "Fetch my right-hand man. Tell him I need him immediately."
Then his eyes fell back on me, softening slightly. "Go to your room and prepare for the Banquet of Blood. It's in a few days. I'll handle the rest."
I nodded slowly, trying not to let my voice shake. "Alright."
He gave a brief nod, and then he was gone.
As soon as he left, the calm mask I had been wearing shattered.
I wrapped my arms around myself and began pacing my room restlessly. Every word I had overheard echoed in my mind like a curse.
She's a threat.
Get rid of her.
And Kael… Kael didn't deny it.
I stopped walking and stared at my reflection in the mirror — pale face, eyes wide with confusion and betrayal.
"Why… why didn't you say anything?" I whispered to myself.
I didn't know how long I stood there before I felt it — a flicker in the air, a soft pulse of energy that made the candles flicker.
Then, a voice. Calm. Familiar.
"I told you he couldn't be trusted."
I turned sharply. Ellis was standing there, her silver hair catching the dim light, an I-told-you-so expression plastered across her face.
I groaned. "What now? Are you here to confuse me again?"
She sighed, stepping closer. "I'm not here to confuse you, Harper. Since the banquet is in two days, I came to help you prepare."
"I don't need your help," I snapped. "Please leave."
"Alright," Ellis said softly, raising her hands in surrender. "But before I go… let me see your fingers."
"What?"
"Just give me your hand."
Something about her tone made me hesitate. It wasn't demanding — it was almost… gentle. Against my better judgment, I raised my hand toward her.
The moment she took it, I felt a sting — sharp, biting, like a thousand tiny needles under my skin. I gasped and tried to pull back, but her grip tightened.
"W–what are you doing—?"
Before I could finish, the pain vanished as quickly as it came. Ellis pulled me into a sudden embrace, warm and unexpected.
Her voice was soft against my ear. "You'll know the truth soon, Harper. Very soon."
And then — just like that — she was gone.
I stood frozen in place, clutching my hand where she'd touched me, my heartbeat racing in confusion and fear.
Her words lingered in my mind, haunting and cryptic.
The truth will come soon.
I didn't know what truth she meant…
but somehow, I was sure it wouldn't be something I wanted to hear.