Bound to the dark king

*Serena*

The moment I walked back into the hall, I felt everyone's eyes on me—hundreds of pairs, unblinking, piercing, and unrelenting. Every face turned toward me as if I were some kind of anomaly, a human girl foolish enough to tread where gods and monsters walked freely. My chest tightened, and I fought the urge to shrink into myself.

I forced my feet forward, step by step, keeping my gaze fixed on the long table where the other maidens sat. The sheer opulence of the room was almost enough to distract me—almost. The floor beneath me felt like glass but held the cold solidity of stone.

Each step echoed louder than it should have, and I could feel the weight of every supernatural gaze pressing down on me. My face burned, but I kept moving until I reached the table. I suddenly wished I had not left my seat in the first place.

I back slid into the empty seat beside Anita, thankful that I didn't have to sit beside my insufferable cousin again. Carla gave me a cruel smile which I ignored and smiled at Manila who was watching me carefully. 

"Are you all right?" Manila's voice was soft, barely audible above the murmur of the crowd. Her silver eyes regarded me with concern, her delicate hands fiddling with the beaded edge of her gown.

I gave her a quick nod. "I just needed some air."

She didn't press me, but her gaze lingered for a moment longer, as if she didn't quite believe me. I turned my attention to the goblet of water in front of me, using it as a distraction. The cool metal against my fingers was grounding.

I barely had time to collect myself when the herald's voice boomed across the hall, cutting through the din like a blade.

"His Royal Highness, Prince Malcom of the Sky Kingdom!"

The hall erupted into cheers and applause as the prince entered, his golden hair catching the light like a halo. He walked with an easy grace, his handsome face adorned with a practiced smile. His presence was magnetic, and the crowd responded to him as if he were the sun itself.

I couldn't help but remember the way he had spoken to me earlier—gentle, kind, and friendly, 

As he moved past our table, his blue eyes caught mine. He smiled warmly and gave me a small wave, so subtle that I might have imagined it. But the sharp intake of breath from Carla behind me told me otherwise.

I glanced at her, catching the jealous glint in her eyes as she clenched her goblet. It was almost satisfying to see her mask slip, even if only for a moment.

The applause hadn't yet died down when the herald spoke again.

"Her Highness, Princess Nikki of the Sky Kingdom, and the Dowager Queen Valeria!"

The princess entered first, her presence commanding despite her petite frame. Her gown, a deep emerald green, shimmered with every step she took. She was beautiful, but there was a sharpness to her beauty—a precision that made her seem untouchable.

Behind her, the Dowager Queen followed, her movements slower but no less regal. Her silver hair was braided intricately, adorned with jewels that caught the light with every turn of her head.

The room quieted as they took their seats, and I allowed myself a small breath of relief. Surely this was the end of the formalities.

But then the herald's voice rang out once more, deeper this time, almost reverent. It was as if the room itself was bracing for his announcement, the very walls thrumming with anticipation.

"All rise up for his Majesty, King Zade of the Sky Kingdom!"

The words cut through the hushed murmurs of the crowd, and a thick silence followed, heavy and expectant.

My fingers tightened around the edges of my seat as the massive doors at the far end of the hall swung open. The space beyond was cloaked in shadow, but then he emerged—tall, imposing, and radiating an aura that was almost suffocating.

"His Majesty, King Zade of the Sky Kingdom!"

The air in the hall seemed to shift, growing heavier, as if the mere mention of his name carried a weight that pressed down on everyone present. The room fell silent, all eyes turning toward the massive doors at the far end of the hall.

And then he entered.

My heart stopped.

It was him.

The man from the tower.

The man I had threatened to kill with my knife.

His presence was suffocating, even more so than it had been last night. Dressed in black and gold, his armor gleaming faintly, he was every inch the ruthless king I had heard stories about. But there was something in the way he moved—calm, deliberate, and unyielding—that made the tales seem almost laughable in their inadequacy.

As he descended the stairs, his golden eyes scanned the room, and I prayed—begged—that they wouldn't find me.

But they did.

Our gazes locked, and the world seemed to tilt on its axis. The noise of the hall faded into nothing, the faces around me blurred into shadows. It was just him and me, and the memory of the knife in my hand, his mocking smile, and the way he had looked at me as if I were insignificant.

Now, he looked at me with something else. Recognition.

I couldn't move. My hands clenched the edge of the table, my breath coming in shallow gasps.

The corner of his mouth curved upward, just enough to send a chill down my spine.

He knew.

And I knew I was in more danger than I had ever imagined.

The man from the tower was the Dark King. What an evil coincidence, I thought.

I couldn't breathe. I needed to get away from here fast enough! The situation would have been laughable if I was t surely getting killed for threatening and disrespecting the king of the whole freaking realm.

"You good? Serena?" Manila asked, watching me gently. "You look like you just saw a ghost."

I turned to her and tried to hide the fear that I was sure was evident on my face, and failed. "I might as well have," I answered her question as the king's wicked gaze caught mine once more and I felt the fire from within him trying to burn me whole.

what have I gotten myself into??

***