The rain hadn't stopped. It hammered against the rooftops, washing the blood and ash of the battle down the broken cobblestones. The alley stank of smoke and iron, the echo of the commander's scream still clinging to the walls.
Kael leaned heavily against the damp brick, his breaths shallow. His sword hung loosely in his hand, its glow dimming with each passing second. He had held strong against a commander of shadows—but the cost had nearly broken him.
Liya sat on the ground beside him, her back pressed against the wall. Her body still trembled from the surge of light that had ripped through her veins. Every part of her felt scorched, as though her own power had been fire consuming her from within.
For a long time, silence stretched between them, broken only by the rain.
Finally, Liya whispered, "You knew… all this time, didn't you? That I was… whatever they called me."
Kael's eyes, gray as storm clouds, lifted to hers. There was no victory in them, only sorrow."Yes. From the moment I sensed your presence. The blood of the Heir cannot be hidden."
Her throat tightened. "Then why didn't you tell me?"
"Because knowledge is a burden," he answered quietly. "And once you carry it, there is no going back. I wanted you to have one more night of peace, before destiny took everything from you."
She hugged her knees, biting her lip so hard it bled. Destiny. The word felt like a chain around her neck."I didn't ask for this," she whispered.
"No one does," Kael murmured, turning his gaze skyward.
A Prince's Burden
The silence didn't last. From the shadows, the echo of that mocking laugh seemed to linger, the memory of the figure on the rooftop like a phantom still watching.
"Kael…" Liya's voice trembled. "Who was he, really? That… general?"
Kael's grip on his sword tightened. "One of the Shadow King's heralds. His name is Varos. Cruel, patient, cunning. Unlike the mindless spawn, he thinks. Plans. He was once—" Kael stopped, the words catching in his throat.
"Once what?" she pressed.
He looked at her, pain etched into every line of his face. "Once a prince… like me."
Her breath caught. "You mean…?"
"Yes. He was my brother."
The world seemed to tilt. Liya stared, trying to comprehend the weight of that revelation. "Your… brother is hunting me? Serving this Shadow King?"
Kael's jaw clenched. "He chose the abyss. He bent his knee to darkness for power, and in doing so, betrayed everything. Now he hunts what he once swore to protect."
Her chest tightened, sympathy and dread twisting inside her. If Kael could lose his own brother to shadow, what hope did she have against the same force?
The Fractured Truth
Kael's wounds demanded attention. Reluctantly, Liya tore a strip of fabric from her own sleeve and pressed it to the cut at his side.
He flinched but didn't pull away. "You don't need to—"
"Shut up," she muttered, pressing harder. "If you bleed out, who's going to explain all of this to me?"
For the first time since the battle, a faint smile ghosted across his lips.
But Liya's heart was far from steady. Every time her hands brushed his skin, she remembered how fiercely he had stood between her and death. How desperately he had fought for her, even as his body broke.
Why would he do that for me? For someone he barely knows?
When Kael finally spoke again, his tone was heavier, more solemn."There's something you must understand. You are not just the Heir of Light. You are the last. The others before you… all are gone. Slain. Or consumed."
Liya froze. "Others? You mean… there were more like me?"
"Yes." His eyes darkened. "And the Shadow King made sure none survived. That is why he wants you so desperately. If you rise, his reign ends. If you fall, his dominion will be eternal."
Her stomach churned. The idea that she was the only one left made the walls feel as if they were closing in.
Unwanted Awakening
The night dragged them onward, Kael half-leaning on her as they made their way out of the ruined district. Every shadow seemed alive, every flicker of movement a threat.
They found temporary refuge in an abandoned chapel, its windows shattered, its pews broken. Once, it had been a place of prayer and peace. Now it stood hollow, forgotten.
Kael collapsed onto a bench, exhaustion overtaking him. Liya sank beside him, staring at the faded mural above the altar—an angel painted in gold, its wings spread against a sea of darkness.
She whispered, "Do you ever wonder if… maybe I wasn't meant for this? That they chose the wrong person?"
Kael's eyes fluttered open, his gaze sharp despite his fatigue. "The light does not choose wrongly. It chose you because you are stronger than you believe."
Her hands curled into fists. "I nearly lost control. I could have destroyed everything around me. Including you."
"But you didn't." His tone was firm, unyielding. "You mastered it, even if just for a moment. That is more than most heirs before you managed on their first awakening."
The weight of his words sank into her chest. She wanted to believe him, but doubt clawed at her.
Stronger than I believe… or just a pawn in a game I can't win?
The Hook of Destiny
As the storm outside finally began to fade, Liya's eyelids grew heavy. She drifted against the wooden bench, exhaustion claiming her.
But dreams did not bring peace.
She stood in a field of black glass, the sky split by rivers of crimson fire. From the horizon, shadows surged like a tide, endless and suffocating. And above them all… a figure. A throne of bone. Eyes like dying stars.
The Shadow King.
His voice slithered into her mind, smooth as poison."My child… you cannot hide from me. Your light is mine. Your soul is mine. And when you break… he will be mine as well."
Chains of darkness shot from the ground, wrapping around her wrists, her throat, her chest. She struggled, but the more she fought, the tighter they grew, pulling her toward that throne.
And on the steps below it stood a girl.
A girl with crimson eyes. Her hair long and dark, her expression unreadable. She was beautiful, haunting—and her gaze pierced straight through Liya's soul.
The girl smiled faintly. "Don't fight it. Sooner or later… you'll understand. You and I are bound, whether you wish it or not."
Before Liya could scream, the chains yanked her into darkness.
Awakening
She jolted awake, gasping, drenched in cold sweat. Her hands clutched at her throat, but there were no chains—only air. Kael was beside her instantly, sword half-drawn.
"Liya—what happened?"
Her lips trembled. "I… I saw him. The Shadow King. And… there was a girl. She… she knew me."
Kael's face went pale. He gripped her shoulders, his voice harsh with urgency."What girl? Describe her."
Liya swallowed hard. "Dark hair. Crimson eyes. She said… we were bound."
For the first time since she had met him, Kael looked shaken. Truly shaken. His voice was barely a whisper."No… it can't be…"
"Who was she?" Liya demanded.
Kael's jaw tightened, as if the truth itself pained him."She is not just anyone. She is the Shadow King's daughter."
Liya's heart stopped.The daughter of her greatest enemy… had found her in her dreams.And worse—Kael's haunted eyes revealed a truth he hadn't dared say aloud.He knew her.