Bound by the Dark Prince

Evelyn's breath hitched as the word echoed in her mind. Awaken. The moment she heard it, something inside her shifted, as if an unseen lock had turned, allowing a flood of emotions and sensations she couldn't explain.

Kael watched her closely. "You heard them again, didn't you?"

Evelyn nodded, her fingers tightening around the book. "And I understood them this time."

Kael's expression darkened with something unreadable. "Then you're closer to the truth than I expected."

Evelyn ran a hand over the book's ancient cover, the leather worn but still sturdy. "What is this?"

Kael exhaled slowly. "A chronicle of those who came before you. Their experiences, their power… and their mistakes."

A shiver ran down her spine. She hesitated before opening the book again. The pages were filled with strange symbols, yet as she focused, the letters twisted and realigned into words she could comprehend.

We who are chosen must bear the burden of knowledge. For power untamed is destruction. And destruction is inevitable for those who refuse to see.

Evelyn frowned. "What does this mean?"

Kael stepped closer, his presence imposing but not suffocating. "It means your power comes at a price."

She looked up at him. "And what price is that?"

Kael hesitated. "You will understand in time."

Evelyn clenched her jaw. "Why does everyone keep telling me that? I deserve answers now."

Kael smirked slightly, though there was no humor in it. "Impatience won't change fate."

Evelyn glared at him but said nothing. Instead, she turned back to the book, flipping through the pages. The words blurred for a moment before new ones became clear:

Blood binds us. Shadows watch us. The forsaken rise again.

A chill crawled up her spine. "The forsaken?"

Kael's face hardened. "That is not a name spoken lightly."

Evelyn's heartbeat quickened. "Who are they?"

Kael reached forward, closing the book in her hands. "For now, it is enough that you know they exist. We must focus on preparing you for what's ahead."

Evelyn pulled the book back toward her. "I don't want to be prepared—I want to understand. What am I? Why am I hearing these voices? Why does everything feel like it's leading to something I don't remember?"

Kael studied her for a long moment before sighing. "If you truly wish to know, then meet me in the lower chambers at midnight. But be warned, Evelyn—some truths cannot be undone."

Evelyn swallowed hard, but her resolve didn't waver. "I'll be there."

Kael nodded once before turning and leaving the library, his dark cloak billowing behind him. Evelyn exhaled, gripping the book tightly. The weight of the knowledge within was suffocating, but she had already come too far to turn back now.

As the whispers in her mind grew louder, one thing became clear: whatever lay ahead would change her forever.