Bound by the Dark Prince

Evelyn followed Kael through the dense forest, her body aching from the battle. Each step sent jolts of pain through her ribs, but she gritted her teeth and pressed on. The silence between them was thick, but questions burned inside her.

"You controlled that beast," she finally said. "How?"

Kael didn't turn back. "I told you before, Evelyn. Power is not always about brute strength. Sometimes, it's about command."

She narrowed her eyes. "That thing was going to kill me. But you just… stopped it."

Kael finally paused, turning to face her. His crimson eyes flickered with something unreadable. "You passed the test. That's all that matters."

Evelyn frowned. "A test? You sent me to fight that monster as a test?"

"You survived, didn't you?"

She clenched her fists, anger flaring. "I nearly died!"

Kael tilted his head, studying her. "And yet, you didn't. You fought. You bled. And you learned."

Evelyn wanted to argue, but she couldn't deny the truth. She had faced something beyond her understanding and lived. But that didn't mean she forgave him for throwing her into danger.

"Who are you really, Kael?" she asked. "You speak of power, of tests, but what is your real goal?"

A flicker of something passed over his face, too fast for her to catch. He took a step closer, his presence overwhelming. "You want the truth, Evelyn?"

She swallowed hard but didn't back down. "Yes."

His gaze darkened. "I am not just a prince. I am the last of my kind. The darkness that you fear? I was born into it."

Her breath caught in her throat. The last of his kind? What did that mean?

Kael exhaled, as if weighing his words. "The creature you fought was not just any beast. It was bound to the shadows of my kingdom. Long ago, my people could control them. But now, only I remain."

Evelyn's pulse quickened. "Are you saying… that thing was yours?"

"In a way," he said. "It was once loyal. But the darkness has a way of changing things."

She shook her head. "Then why send me to fight it?"

Kael's expression was unreadable. "Because I needed to see if you were ready."

"Ready for what?"

His lips curled into the barest hint of a smile. "To stand beside me."

Evelyn's stomach tightened. This was no ordinary challenge. Whatever Kael was planning, she was now part of it.

They continued walking, the forest thinning as they neared the palace. The towering black spires loomed ahead, a reminder that she was now in a world she barely understood.

As they entered the gates, a cloaked figure approached. An older man with piercing silver eyes and an air of authority.

"My Lord," the man said, bowing slightly. Then, his gaze shifted to Evelyn. "I see she survived."

Kael nodded. "She did more than that."

The man studied her with an intensity that made her uneasy. "Interesting."

Evelyn crossed her arms. "And who are you?"

Kael gestured to him. "This is Lord Varian. He has been my advisor since I was a child."

Varian inclined his head. "And you, Evelyn, have stepped into a world far greater than you realize."

She let out a slow breath. "I'm starting to see that."

Kael placed a hand on her shoulder, his touch light but firm. "Rest tonight. We begin the real lessons tomorrow."

Evelyn wasn't sure if she should be relieved or terrified.

As she followed a servant to her chambers, her mind spun with possibilities. What had she gotten herself into? And more importantly… was there any way out?