The crypt was still. The lingering shadows had retreated, leaving only the faint glimmer of golden embers that flickered around Kael and Evelyne. Her hands cradled his face, brushing away the damp strands of hair that clung to his forehead. He trembled beneath her touch, the remnants of pain etched into his features.
"It's over," she whispered, her voice trembling. "She's gone."
Kael's chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath. The absence of the cursed force was palpable, like a heavy chain removed from his soul. Yet, even as the malevolent presence faded, the emptiness it left behind was undeniable.
"But at what cost?" he murmured, his gaze drifting to the shattered fragments of the cursed heart. "The past doesn't simply disappear."
Evelyne traced her fingers along his jaw, anchoring him in the present. "We made it through. That has to mean something."
A distant rumble echoed from the depths of the crypt, the ancient stone walls trembling. Kael tensed. "This place is collapsing. We have to get out."
Evelyne nodded, her fingers entwining with his as they stumbled through the crumbling chamber. The golden flames cast shadows along the walls, revealing faded carvings of forgotten battles and long-buried secrets. As they navigated the winding passages, Evelyne's mind raced.
"Kael," she said, her voice strained. "When she…when your mother destroyed the heart, it didn't just break the curse, did it? I felt something else. Something deeper."
He swallowed hard. "The curse may be broken, but its echoes remain. There are consequences."
The weight of his words settled heavily between them, but there was no time to dwell on the unknown. With the walls threatening to cave in, they pushed forward, the exit looming ahead. As they reached the threshold, Kael's legs faltered, and Evelyne caught him just in time.
"You're hurt," she murmured.
"I'm fine," he insisted, though the exhaustion in his eyes said otherwise.
They stumbled into the dim light of dawn. The sky was streaked with pale gold and violet, as though the heavens themselves bore witness to the end of an ancient torment. Yet the air remained thick with uncertainty.
Evelyne gently lowered Kael to the ground, brushing the dirt from his face. "We need to get you somewhere safe."
He reached for her hand, his grip weak but steady. "There is no safety, Evelyne. Not yet. The remnants of the curse…they're still out there. And the kingdom will demand answers."
She frowned, the weight of reality crashing down upon her. "Then we face it. Together."
Kael's eyes searched hers, something unspoken passing between them. In that moment, it no longer mattered that they were bound by a shattered past. All that mattered was the future they would fight for.
Hours passed as they made their way through the overgrown woods. Evelyne supported Kael as best as she could, though the strain of their journey wore heavily on both of them. The looming silhouette of the palace emerged in the distance, its towers rising against the pale sky.
"The court will be waiting," Kael said bitterly. "They'll want to know why the curse has lifted."
Evelyne's jaw tightened. "They deserve to know the truth. And so do we."
But as they neared the palace gates, a figure emerged from the shadows. Lord Varyn, Kael's closest advisor, stepped forward, his expression unreadable. Soldiers flanked him on either side, their hands resting uneasily on the hilts of their swords.
"Prince Kael," Varyn's voice was laced with suspicion. "The curse has broken. The skies have cleared. Yet the people are afraid."
Kael straightened, though every movement seemed to strain against his weakened body. "I know. But the curse was not as it seemed. There are truths that must be told."
Varyn's gaze flickered to Evelyne, his eyes narrowing. "And the bride? She still stands."
"Because we fought for it," Evelyne said firmly. "Together."
The soldiers exchanged uncertain glances, but Varyn did not waver. "The council awaits your presence. Your fate will be decided within the hour."
Evelyne's fingers tightened around Kael's. The echoes of the past still lingered, and the battle was far from over.
"Then let's finish what we started," Kael said, his voice unwavering.
Together, they stepped forward, ready to face whatever remained in the shadows.
The great hall of the palace was eerily silent. Marble pillars loomed high above, their surfaces adorned with ancient carvings. Flickering torches lined the walls, casting dancing shadows upon the stone. At the head of the chamber, the council of Eldoria had assembled—a dozen stern faces watching Kael and Evelyne's every step.
"Prince Kael," the eldest councilor, Lord Greston, addressed him, his voice like brittle parchment. "You return with the bride, but the curse is broken. Explain yourself."
Kael's gaze remained steady. "The truth is far more complicated than the legends. The curse was never merely a punishment. It was a prison, forged to bind my mother's soul. When she was destroyed, the curse unraveled."
A murmur rippled through the council. Lord Varyn stepped forward. "And what of the ancient prophecy? The bride who dies to break the curse? She lives."
Evelyne lifted her chin, her voice unwavering. "Because we chose to defy it. The prophecy was twisted to serve the curse. I saw the truth—the curse was never meant to end through sacrifice. It was meant to end through choice."
Lord Greston's gaze darkened. "And what of the kingdom? The people demand justice."
"Justice?" Kael's voice rang through the hall. "Justice was stolen the moment the curse began. My mother enslaved the souls of countless brides, condemning them to an eternal fate. The people deserve to know the truth."
The councilors exchanged uneasy glances. But before any could respond, a low rumble echoed through the hall. Evelyne's breath caught as the shadows along the walls twisted unnaturally.
"It isn't over," she whispered.
Kael's hand instinctively found hers. The curse had shattered, but its remnants clung to the edges of existence, refusing to be forgotten.
"Then we face it," he said, determination burning in his eyes. "Together."
And as the shadows stirred once more, Evelyne knew their fight was far from finished.