Sometimes, the place we call home can be our greatest prison.
That night, I didn't even blink; storms were raging in my mind. Was escaping the right decision? Or was I about to make the biggest mistake of my life?
Would my father worry if I left? I doubted it. Among my siblings, my sister Elira never cared about me; she wouldn't bat an eye if I disappeared. But my brother? He was different. In this palace, he was the only one who comforted me after our mother died.
I remember when she passed, my brother hugged me and cried. That moment was unbearable for both of us. If I left now, what would happen to him? Would he forgive me, or would he turn his back on me too?
By morning, dark circles had formed under my eyes. Not a drop of sleep had touched them.
As I looked in the mirror, my ruby-red eyes—my mother's legacy—and my father's yellow, curly hair stared back at me.
My hair was a tangled mess. I grabbed a green comb and began brushing carefully, as if untangling each knot could somehow unravel the chaos in my mind.
Then I stepped into the bathroom, and under the refreshing water, I briefly forgot the weight of my curse. I got dressed and prepared myself.
Now it was time to pack my bag.
I pulled out an old, worn box hidden under my bed. Its gray wood looked ordinary, but the treasures inside were priceless to me.
When I opened it, my favorite spellbook, twenty elemental crystals, and the emerald-green, four-leaf clover necklace my mother left me caught my eye.
That necklace was a treasure she never took off before she died. I think it was passed down to her from her own mother a family heirloom handed down through generations.
I couldn't take too many clothes; they wouldn't fit in my bag. Too much luggage could turn my escape into a scream for attention.
Finally, I added the money I'd saved for my escape: twenty-four gold coins and twelve silver ones.
As I weighed the gold in my fingers, I thought about how I'd been saving for this moment for years. Even my escape had a price.
My spellbook was non-negotiable because I'm a mage—a third-level fire mage. My father doesn't know; if he did, he'd never allow it.
My mother was a fifth-level mage. She gave me this book and trained me in secret. Her teachings kept the fire inside me alive.
The elemental crystals amplify my affinity for fire, making my magic more effective. But I can only wield fire magic.
Why only fire? Truthfully, I don't know. My mother said it might be because of my curse. I hope she was wrong.
Knock, knock, knock.
"My prince, it's time to leave. The carriage is waiting downstairs."
My servant—or should I say Elira's spy?—stood at the door, staring at me with a forced smile. Useless fool.
"They can wait a bit longer. You may leave," I said coldly, my voice sharp.
As the sound of the servant's footsteps faded down the corridor, I took a deep breath. My heart was pounding like a drum in my chest. I slung my bag over my shoulder, the weight of my cloak feeling like a shield.
I glanced in the mirror one last time. My ruby eyes glowed like embers in the dark. The cursed vines on my arms stirred, their thorns pricking my skin, stirring unease within me. This curse both empowered and chained me.
As I descended the stairs, the palace's cold stone walls cast dancing shadows in the flickering torchlight. With every step, I questioned whether I was walking toward freedom or a trap.
Downstairs, a white, elegant carriage bearing the royal crest awaited me. The horses' manes swayed in the morning breeze, while two knights stood rigidly. One was Knight Carl, his impatient gaze and stiff posture grating on my nerves as always.
"Prince, it took you long enough to get ready," Carl said, his voice tinged with mockery. "If you dawdle any longer, the city won't wait for us."
I raised an eyebrow, a mocking smile curling my lips. "Isn't a knight's duty to protect the prince, Carl? Or are you just here to decorate the horses?"
Carl's eyes narrowed, his gloved hand pausing briefly on his sword's hilt. "Watch your words, Prince. My duty is to protect you, but my patience isn't infinite."
"Your patience?" I said, lowering my voice. "I think you should question the time you spend in Elira's shadow. Are you her dog, or a royal knight?"
The servants whispered around us as Carl's face flushed for a moment. But he quickly regained his composure, gritting his teeth. "The carriage is ready, Prince. Get in, or I'll carry you myself."
I smiled, but a storm raged inside me. Who was Carl loyal to? My father? Elira? Or just his own interests? In this palace, I could trust no one.
I opened the carriage door and settled inside, clutching my bag tightly to my chest. My mother's necklace pressed against my skin beneath my jacket, as if her warmth were still with me.
The horses stirred, and the wheels creaked on the stone road. As the palace's towering spires shrank behind me, we headed toward the city. The road, paved with gray stones, stretched ahead, and the morning mist cloaked the city's silhouette on the horizon like a dream.
Was the city the gateway to freedom or a new prison? I didn't know. But the cursed vines on my arms trembled as if they knew something. As their thorns pricked my skin, the fire within me grew. No matter what, I would become the most powerful mage in this realm.