Bound by the Dark Prince

The air crackled with unseen energy as Evelyn tightened her grip on the dagger. The Forgotten did not hesitate. With a single, fluid motion, they surged forward, their hollow eyes gleaming with an unnatural light.

Kael moved first, his blade slicing through the darkness like fire through ice. His movements were effortless, precise—he was a predator among phantoms, cutting down the nearest wraiths with lethal efficiency. But for every shadow that fell, another rose in its place.

Evelyn forced herself to move, ducking as one of the cloaked figures lunged toward her. Instinct guided her hand as she slashed with the dagger, expecting resistance—but the blade passed through the wraith's form as if through mist. It let out a shrill, echoing wail, stumbling back but not vanishing.

She cursed under her breath. "It's not working!"

Kael's voice was sharp as he fought beside her. "Their bodies are not bound to this realm. You must strike at their core."

Evelyn barely had time to process his words before another wraith lunged. This time, she waited until it was close enough, then twisted her blade mid-strike. The dagger pulsed in her grip, and the wraith shrieked as the steel met its center. A burst of cold energy erupted from the wound, and the creature dissolved into nothing.

She didn't get a moment to breathe. More of them swarmed, their ghostly limbs clawing at her. Panic swelled in her chest as the weight of the fight bore down on her, but she refused to give in. With each strike, her movements became sharper, more precise. The memories whispering in her mind weren't just visions—they were lessons.

She had done this before.

A flicker of understanding ignited within her, and she turned sharply, driving the dagger deep into another wraith. The force of the strike sent ripples through the chamber, shaking the very air. The remaining Forgotten hesitated for the briefest moment, sensing the shift.

Kael took advantage of their hesitation, his blade moving with brutal grace. One by one, the shadows fell, their agonized cries fading into the void.

And then, silence.

Evelyn panted, her heart hammering as she surveyed the carnage. The chamber was still again, though the air remained thick with residual power. She turned to Kael, her fingers still clenched around the dagger's hilt. "Are they gone?"

Kael's gaze swept over the room before he nodded. "For now."

Evelyn let out a shaky breath, exhaustion creeping into her limbs. She had never fought like that before—had never known she could. Yet something inside her had awakened, something instinctual and ancient.

Kael watched her closely. "You're remembering more, aren't you?"

She hesitated before nodding. "Yes. It's like… the memories are waiting for me to reach them. The more I fight, the more I understand."

Kael studied her for a long moment. Then he took a step closer, lowering his voice. "That dagger is not just a weapon. It is a conduit. The bloodline it belongs to is tied to its power."

Evelyn swallowed, glancing down at the blade. It no longer felt like a foreign object in her grasp—it felt like it had always belonged to her. "And that bloodline… it's mine, isn't it?"

Kael's lips curved slightly, though there was no amusement in his expression. "Yes. And now, there is no turning back."

The weight of his words settled over her, but instead of fear, she felt something else.

Determination.

She straightened her shoulders. "Then I need to know everything."

Kael nodded. "Then we begin at dawn."