The moon hung low, veiled in a layer of smoky clouds as Lioras followed the silver trail of light through the ancient forest. Each step felt heavier, as though the very ground pulsed with secrets it had no intention of revealing. The deeper she went, the more the trees whispered—hollow echoes of magic and warnings.
She had dreamt of this place. The obsidian archway twisted with vines. The blue fireflies that danced like living stars. And most of all… the glowing sigils pulsing faintly against the bark of the trees.
The same ones that had branded Lucian's skin.
She stopped in the clearing where the air felt thick and humming. In the center, a circle of glowing blue runes shimmered beneath the earth, forming a magic sigil unlike anything she had ever seen. Her breath hitched.
Was this... the origin of the curse?
Suddenly, a rush of cold air burst through the trees.
"You shouldn't be here." His voice was like a shadow slicing through the light. Deep. Rough. Familiar.
Lioras turned around—and there he stood.
Lucian.
His dark hair was windswept, his cloak half undone, his eyes stormy with fury and something else she couldn't quite name. Concern?
"I followed the markings," she whispered. "They led me here. This place—"
"This place is dangerous," he growled, stepping closer. "It's not meant for the living. And definitely not for you."
Her heart thudded in protest. "Why not me? Because I'm human? Or because I make you feel something you don't want to feel?"
He stiffened. "Don't."
But she wouldn't stop.
"Why do your eyes follow me when you think I'm not looking? Why do you save me over and over, and then pretend like I'm a burden?"
Lucian's jaw tightened. He looked like he wanted to walk away—but his feet didn't move.
"You don't understand what I am," he said hoarsely. "What I've done. What I've lost."
Lioras stepped inside the glowing circle.
"I don't care what you are," she said, chin raised. "I see you, Lucian. The protector. The man who carries pain like armor. You saved me when you didn't have to. Again and again."
He growled low in his throat. "And you keep running toward the danger. Toward me."
"Because I'm not afraid of you."
He reached her in one swift movement, closing the space between them in a heartbeat. The air snapped between them like a thread pulled too tight. His hand hovered near her cheek—but didn't touch.
"You should be," he whispered, voice dark with warning.
Lioras stared into his eyes, saw the gold flicker underneath the blue. "Then make me afraid."
Their breathing collided. The world seemed to still—just for a second. It was like standing at the edge of a cliff, knowing the fall could kill you, and still leaning forward anyway.
But Lucian pulled back first.
"I won't hurt you," he said raggedly. "Even if it means breaking myself to pieces."
Then, without warning, the runes beneath them flared.
A gust of energy surged upward, knocking them both back. Lioras hit the ground hard, her vision swirling with stars. The trees screamed with wind. The circle was glowing bright red now, pulsing like a heartbeat.
A deep growl echoed across the forest. And then—something stepped into the clearing.
It was tall. Shadowy. Cloaked in darkness. A creature made of nightmare and curse, its body twisting like smoke, eyes glowing red.
Lucian moved before Lioras could blink.
His body shimmered—shifting.
Fangs. Claws. His figure grew taller, shoulders broader, his aura flaring with raw power. Magic rippled off him in waves as his transformation completed—not into a beast, but into something ancient and regal.
He was the Shadow Prince. The Cursed One. And the creature before them… was drawn to him.
Lioras watched, stunned, as Lucian stepped protectively in front of her.
"Back," he commanded her.
But she stood too.
"No."
His head whipped around. "What?"
"I'm not leaving you to fight this alone."
A flicker of something flashed in his expression—shock, admiration, maybe even something like hope. But he didn't argue.
The shadow beast lunged.
Lucian met it midair. Their collision cracked through the forest, sending shockwaves that bent the trees. Magic clashed like thunder, the ground burning beneath their feet.
Lioras, heart racing, remembered the spellbook she'd stolen from the hidden room in the castle. She pulled it out, flipping through pages wildly. Her hands trembled, but her eyes caught a familiar sigil—one matching the runes on the ground.
She traced it with her fingers, chanting the words beneath her breath. "Lux velare. Lux velare. Lux velare…"
The circle responded, light bursting upward in a column that struck the creature mid-chest. It screeched, disoriented.
Lucian took his chance—plunging his blade into the beast's core. A burst of light exploded outward. The creature dissolved into smoke.
Silence.
Panting, Lucian turned to her. His shirt was torn, his skin smeared with ash and blood. But his eyes… they were locked on her like she was the only thing anchoring him to reality.
"You used light magic," he breathed. "Where did you—?"
"I learned it. For you."
He stared at her like she'd just rewritten the stars.
Then slowly, he stepped toward her. One step. Two. His hand came up, cupping her cheek gently this time, like he couldn't resist anymore.
"You'll be the death of me," he whispered.
"Maybe," she whispered back. "But at least you won't die alone."
And then… he kissed her.
It was raw and fierce and filled with unspoken promises. The kind of kiss that burned through centuries of pain and made time stand still.
The trees bowed in the wind. The fireflies danced around them.
And for the first time since the curse had begun—Lucian let himself hope.