Chronicles of the Forsaken

Darkness.

It wrapped around her like an endless abyss, suffocating and pulling her deeper into nothingness. Seraphina's consciousness wavered between awareness and oblivion, her mind grasping at shreds of reality that felt just out of reach. Then, suddenly—

Pain.

A searing, all-consuming pain erupted in her chest, burning like molten iron coursing through her veins. Her body jerked violently as air flooded her lungs, and she gasped, choking on the thick, heavy silence around her. Her eyes snapped open, and she was no longer in the forest.

She lay sprawled across a cold stone floor, the rough surface biting into her skin. Dim candlelight flickered along the towering walls, casting shifting shadows across the vast chamber. The air was thick with the scent of damp stone and something sharp—metallic, almost like blood.

Seraphina groaned and pushed herself up onto shaky arms, her head pounding with a dull ache. Where was she? The last thing she remembered was that cloaked figure—moving like living darkness itself—before everything had gone black. Now, she was here. Trapped.

A slow, mocking chuckle echoed through the chamber.

Seraphina stiffened, her body tensing. She turned sharply, her breath catching as she saw him.

At the far end of the room, standing beneath the dim glow of an iron-wrought chandelier, was a man. His hood had been lowered, revealing sharp, angular features that seemed sculpted from stone. His dark eyes gleamed with something unreadable, an amusement that sent an icy shiver down her spine. He was tall, his posture relaxed yet commanding, exuding an aura of effortless dominance. His skin was unnaturally pale, as if he had never seen the light of day, and his lips curled into a smirk that was both unsettling and mesmerizing.

Seraphina's stomach twisted. There was something terrifying about him, something otherworldly.

"Awake at last," he mused, his voice smooth as silk. "I was beginning to wonder if the great Seraphina Valemont had already crumbled under a mere spell."

Her breath hitched at the mention of that name. Seraphina Valemont. It was her name now, wasn't it? The villainess of the novel. The name still felt foreign, like an ill-fitting cloak draped over her shoulders. But the man before her—he knew it well.

She forced herself to steady her breathing, masking the whirlwind of panic rising inside her. "Who the hell are you?" she demanded, her voice sharper than she felt.

The man chuckled again, low and entertained. "You wound me, Princess. Have you truly forgotten me?"

Seraphina froze. There was something unsettlingly familiar about him—his presence, his voice. It nagged at the edges of her memory, like a shadow creeping into the light. And then, realization struck her like a blow to the chest.

Her mind raced through the events of the novel. Seraphina Valemont had been feared, hated, but she had also been involved with some of the kingdom's most dangerous figures. Among them, there was one name that stood above the rest—Caius Raventhorn.

The Shadow Duke.

Seraphina's heart pounded. In the novel, Caius had been an enigma, a man who thrived in the underbelly of the kingdom, weaving webs of manipulation and bloodshed. He was a force even the royal family feared, a man who dealt in secrets and debts. And now, he was standing before her.

She masked her fear beneath a cold, disdainful glare. "If you expect me to grovel, you'll be disappointed."

Caius tilted his head, the smirk never leaving his lips. "Ah… there's that infamous arrogance. But I wonder—" He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Is it real? Or are you merely playing a role?"

Seraphina's blood ran cold. Did he know? Could he sense that she wasn't truly Seraphina Valemont?

She clenched her fists, forcing herself to meet his gaze without faltering. "I don't play games, Duke."

"Don't you?" He circled her slowly, his boots clicking softly against the stone floor. "Then tell me, Your Highness, why were you in my domain?"

Panic flickered through her mind. She had no idea why Seraphina Valemont had been in the forest before her arrival. If she was supposed to follow the novel's timeline, she should have been within the castle walls, terrorizing the court and tormenting her siblings. Something had changed.

"I don't answer to you," she said instead, her voice steady.

Caius let out a quiet hum. "Interesting."

Before she could react, he lifted a hand—and the shadows moved.

Dark tendrils slithered from the corners of the chamber, curling around her wrists and ankles like living serpents. A cold, unnatural energy surged through her skin, freezing her in place.

Seraphina's breath caught.

"What the—"

"You see," Caius murmured, stepping closer, "I don't trust you."

The shadows tightened around her, pressing against her skin with an icy grip. A flicker of panic rose in her chest.

"Why?" she forced out.

"Because," he said, "the real Seraphina Valemont would never step into my domain alone. She is many things—arrogant, cruel, reckless—but never foolish."

Seraphina's mind whirled. If she said the wrong thing, if she slipped for even a moment, he would kill her.

Think. Think.

She had to be the Seraphina he knew. The villainess.

Forcing a smirk, she met his gaze. "And you think binding me with shadows will give you answers?"

Caius leaned in, his breath ghosting over her ear. "No," he whispered. "But fear might."

The shadows constricted, pain lancing through her limbs like icy fire. Seraphina clenched her teeth, stifling a cry as white-hot agony flared through her body.

She had to do something.

"Wait—!" she gasped.

The pressure lessened, just slightly.

Caius arched an eyebrow. "Yes?"

Seraphina forced a breathless chuckle. "You want the truth?" She exhaled shakily. "Fine. But first… release me."

He studied her for a moment. Then, after an agonizing pause, the shadows slithered away.

Seraphina staggered, catching herself before she collapsed. Every muscle in her body ached, but she forced herself to lift her chin, keeping her expression composed. "The reason I was in the forest?" She met his gaze. "It was a test."

Caius narrowed his eyes. "A test?"

Seraphina smirked. "From my dear father, of course."

A lie. A calculated one. If there was one thing the King of Elarion was known for, it was his cruel games. It wouldn't be unbelievable for him to throw Seraphina into a dangerous situation to prove her worth—or to break her.

Caius studied her in silence. Then, to her surprise, he laughed. A deep, rich chuckle that sent a new wave of unease through her.

"Fascinating," he mused. "Then I suppose I should congratulate you, Princess."

Seraphina swallowed. "For what?"

Caius reached into his cloak, pulling out a small, black dagger. The blade gleamed under the candlelight—sleek, elegant, and dangerous.

And then—

He offered it to her.

"This," he said, his voice smooth as silk, "is a gift. A token of our… understanding."

Understanding?

Seraphina hesitated. Accepting this dagger wouldn't just mean taking a weapon. It meant making a deal. A deal with the Shadow Duke.

Her fingers hovered over the hilt.

This decision… could change everything.