Lysandra's pulse thundered in her ears. The weight of Kastian's words settled over her like a storm cloud, heavy and inescapable.
Join him.
The idea was almost laughable. She had spent her entire life fighting against those who sought to control her, those who thought they could use her power for their own ends.
And now, a prince—the very embodiment of the kingdom's rule—was standing before her, offering her a place at his side.
"Do you expect me to believe that you, a prince, have been suffering under this curse just as I have?" she asked, voice sharp.
Kastian didn't flinch. "Believe whatever you like." He flexed his fingers, the eerie glow of his curse pulsing along his skin. "But whether you accept it or not, our fates are bound. You can either fight against the tide or learn to control it."
Lysandra's grip tightened around the hilt of her dagger. "And you? Have you learned to control it?"
A shadow passed over his expression—so quick she almost missed it.
"I'm still alive," he said simply.
It wasn't an answer.
The Prince's Truth
Kastian took a slow step forward, and for the first time, Lysandra didn't move away.
"Tell me, Shadow Beast," he murmured. "Have you ever wondered why our curses are the same?"
Lysandra stiffened.
Of course, she had. But she had never dared to dwell on the thought for long.
Because the answer terrified her.
Kastian's gaze bore into hers. "This curse is not some random misfortune. It was designed."
Her stomach twisted. "Designed by who?"
Kastian exhaled, and for the first time, she saw something in his eyes that looked dangerously close to fear.
"The Forgotten God," he said. "And we are his greatest mistake."
A History Erased
Lysandra's heart pounded. "What do you mean, mistake?"
Kastian turned away, running a hand through his hair. "You've been fighting to survive. But have you ever stopped to wonder why you were cursed in the first place?"
She had. Countless times.
But no one had answers. The world feared the curse, but no one knew its origins.
Until now.
Kastian's voice was quiet but firm. "Our curse was never meant to exist."
Lysandra's breath caught.
He continued, "The Forgotten God crafted something… impossible. A power beyond even his own control. And when he realized his mistake, he tried to erase it. But it was too late."
A chill ran down her spine.
"He cursed his own creations," Kastian said. "He turned me into a monster. He turned you into a beast. He shackled us with magic that ensured we would never fully awaken our power."
Lysandra felt the weight of his words settle in her bones.
A curse that wasn't just punishment—it was containment.
"So what?" she said, forcing steel into her voice. "Are you saying we're just the remnants of a god's failed experiment?"
Kastian turned back to her, his expression unreadable.
"No." His voice was barely above a whisper. "I'm saying we're the only ones who can kill him."
The Burden of Power
The words hung in the air, heavy and absolute.
Lysandra took an unsteady breath.
A god. The source of their suffering. The being that had decided their fate before they were even born.
And Kastian was suggesting they destroy him?
She should have laughed. Should have called him a fool.
But instead, deep inside her, something stirred.
For the first time in years, the weight of her curse didn't feel like a burden.
It felt like a weapon.
And maybe—just maybe—she was ready to use it.