The weight of the book in Evelyne's hands felt unbearable, as if centuries of grief and tragedy seeped through its leather-bound cover. The flickering candlelight barely illuminated the faded ink, but she could still make out the chilling words—the tale of the first Moonlit Bride.
A woman with dark hair and violet eyes.
Her own reflection stared back at her from the yellowed pages.
It was her.
Or someone who had once been like her.
Her throat tightened as she turned to Kael, his emerald eyes shadowed with something unspoken. He hadn't moved since opening the book, standing still as a statue, watching her reaction.
"You knew about this," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Didn't you?"
Kael exhaled sharply. "Not everything. I knew the curse existed, but not the full truth." He closed the book with a quiet thud, the sound reverberating through the chamber. "Until now."
Evelyne's mind spun. A curse that had plagued every century… A bride chosen to be sacrificed… To keep the balance between their kingdoms.
Her stomach churned. "Why me?"
Kael's jaw tightened. "Because you are the next in line. Every hundred years, the Moonlit Bride must be from Eldoria, and the groom must be from Valdoria. It has been this way for centuries. And each time, the bride—" He hesitated. "She never survives the wedding night."
A sharp, icy shiver ran down her spine.
Never survives.
She felt the walls of the chamber closing in, the suffocating scent of old parchment pressing against her senses.
"Then why did you agree to marry me?" she demanded, anger and fear twisting in her voice. "Why would you go along with this?"
Kael flinched, guilt flickering in his eyes before he masked it with his usual stoic expression. "Because I had no choice."
"No choice?" Her voice rose, emotions threatening to break free. "You're a prince! You have power! You could have refused!"
"You think I don't know that?" Kael snapped, his voice sharper than she had ever heard it. He ran a hand through his raven-black hair, the tension in his stance clear. "Do you think I want this? That I would willingly stand by and watch you die?"
Evelyne opened her mouth, but the intensity in his gaze froze her.
"Everything has already been set in motion, Evelyne," he continued, his tone softer now, but no less grave. "The ritual begins the moment we are wed. The moment the vows are spoken, the curse will awaken fully. And if we don't stop it—" He hesitated, his fists clenching at his sides. "You will not live to see the sunrise."
The air between them grew thick with silence.
Evelyne's mind screamed for her to wake up, to break free from this nightmare. But the cracked mirror in her chamber, the whispering voice, the reflection that wasn't her own—it had all been real.
A dark, ancient force wanted her gone.
And Kael… Kael was the only one standing in its way.
She sucked in a shaky breath. "Then tell me, Kael." Her voice steadied, determination flaring in her chest. "How do we stop it?"
His gaze darkened. "There is a way. But it will not be easy."
She lifted her chin. "Tell me anyway."
Kael hesitated only for a moment before speaking. "We have to find the first Moonlit Bride's resting place. Her spirit holds the answers to breaking the curse. If we can reach her tomb before the wedding, we might have a chance."
A chance.
It wasn't much. But it was something.
Evelyne squared her shoulders. "Then let's go."
Kael stared at her, as if searching for hesitation, but he found none. A slow, almost imperceptible nod followed. "We leave tonight."
The moon loomed high in the midnight sky as Evelyne and Kael slipped through the palace gardens. The scent of night-blooming jasmine filled the air, masking the damp, earthy smell of the cobblestone path beneath their feet.
Kael led the way, his movements precise and silent. Evelyne followed closely, her heart hammering against her ribs. If they were caught, there would be no escaping the king's wrath.
"Where is the tomb?" she whispered.
Kael didn't turn back as he spoke. "Beyond the southern cliffs, past the ruins of the old temple. It was hidden centuries ago to keep the truth buried."
Evelyne frowned. "And yet you know where it is?"
A flicker of something—guilt?—passed over his face. "I've been searching for it since I first heard the whispers of the curse. But I couldn't enter alone."
"Why not?"
"Because the Moonlit Bride's blood is the key."
Her stomach twisted. "You mean… me?"
Kael nodded. "Without you, the tomb remains sealed."
A heavy silence settled between them. Evelyne had expected many things from this arranged marriage, but being the key to unraveling a centuries-old curse had not been one of them.
They moved quickly, the night air biting against her skin as they approached the castle walls. Kael pressed a hand against a portion of the stone, and to Evelyne's surprise, a small section slid open—a hidden passageway.
"Hurry," he urged.
Evelyne hesitated only a moment before stepping inside.
Darkness swallowed them whole.
The tunnel was narrow, the scent of damp stone and moss filling the air. Their footsteps echoed softly as they moved through the passage, lit only by the flickering torch Kael had grabbed from the entrance.
Evelyne's breath came shallow. Something about this place felt… wrong.
The air grew colder, the walls closing in. Shadows stretched unnaturally along the stone, and for a moment, she swore she heard whispers—the same voice from the mirror.
She stopped.
"Kael."
He turned, brows furrowing. "What is it?"
She swallowed. "Something's here."
Kael's grip tightened on his sword. "We're not alone."
The torchlight flickered violently, the flame bending as if something unseen was moving through the air. The whispers grew louder, the chilling murmur of a voice just out of reach.
Then—a gust of wind.
The torch extinguished.
Darkness swallowed them.
Evelyne barely had time to react before something cold and unseen wrapped around her wrist. A gasp tore from her lips as a force pulled her back.
"Kael!"
She stumbled, yanked toward the shadows.
Kael's hand shot out, grabbing her arm. His grip was strong, anchoring her to reality.
"Hold on!"
A low, eerie laugh echoed through the tunnel.
"She belongs to us," the voice whispered.
And then—everything went silent.
Kael yanked her forward, pressing her against his chest. His heartbeat was strong and steady against her ear, his presence the only warmth in the consuming cold.
"Evelyne," he murmured, his voice low. "Are you hurt?"
She shook her head, breathless. "What was that?"
His expression was grim. "The curse is waking up."
She gripped his cloak tightly. "Then we need to move. Now."
Kael nodded, his jaw set. "Stay close to me."
She didn't need to be told twice.
As they pressed forward, the whispers faded—but the danger was far from over.
And somewhere, deep within the shadows,
something was watching them.
Something that would not let her go so easily.
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