Bound by the Dark Prince

The dagger's pulse matched the rapid beat of Evelyn's heart as she held it tightly, its cold weight grounding her amidst the chaos in her mind. Fragments of memories flickered like dying embers, taunting her with glimpses of a past she couldn't fully grasp.

Kael studied her in silence, his crimson eyes reflecting the dim glow of the chamber's ancient symbols. "You are starting to remember," he finally said, his voice laced with something unreadable.

Evelyn exhaled shakily. "Not enough. It's like looking through shattered glass—I can see pieces, but I don't know how they fit together."

Kael stepped closer, his presence commanding yet strangely reassuring. "The past does not reveal itself all at once. It tests you, ensures you are strong enough to bear its weight."

Evelyn's fingers tightened around the dagger. "And what if I'm not?"

Kael tilted his head slightly, considering her. "Then it will consume you."

A chill ran down her spine, but she refused to let fear take hold. She had come too far to turn away now. Swallowing hard, she turned her gaze back to the dagger. "What is this weapon?"

Kael extended a hand toward it, but he did not touch it. "It is the key."

"To what?"

His lips curled into a knowing smirk. "To everything."

Before she could press him for more answers, the air in the chamber shifted. A low rumbling echoed through the stone walls, and the symbols along the chamber's surface pulsed violently, as if reacting to her presence. The ground trembled beneath them.

Kael's expression darkened. "We are not alone."

Evelyn turned sharply, her senses prickling. Shadows pooled in the corners of the room, shifting unnaturally. Then, from the darkness, figures emerged—cloaked beings with hollow eyes and an aura of malevolence that sent a shiver down her spine.

"The Forgotten," Kael murmured, his tone edged with disdain.

Evelyn swallowed. "Who are they?"

"They were once guardians of the ancient bloodlines. Now, they are cursed remnants, trapped between the past and the present."

One of the figures stepped forward, its voice like dry leaves scraping against stone. "The blood has awakened. The oath must be honored."

Kael's stance shifted slightly, his hand hovering near the hilt of his own weapon. "She is not yet ready."

The figure's hollow gaze locked onto Evelyn. "She has no choice."

A cold dread coiled in Evelyn's stomach. "What do they want from me?"

The Forgotten did not answer with words. Instead, they raised their hands, and a suffocating force closed around her, pressing against her chest like an unseen weight. The whispers in her mind became deafening, clawing at the edges of her consciousness.

Evelyn gritted her teeth, fighting against the pressure. Images flashed before her eyes—faces she did not recognize, battles she had never fought, a throne that felt both foreign and familiar. Her vision blurred, and she staggered.

Kael moved in an instant, his presence grounding her. "Focus, Evelyn. Do not let them break you."

She clenched her jaw. "I won't."

Summoning every ounce of strength she had, she tightened her grip on the dagger and took a step forward. The weight of the past bore down on her, but she refused to yield.

"If you want my blood," she said, her voice steady, "then you'll have to fight for it."

The Forgotten did not hesitate.

And neither did she.