The night air hung heavy with the scent of rain, though no storm had come. Beyond the palace walls, the darkened city lay in a restless slumber. Yet within the castle, the shadows stirred.
Evelyn stood by the window, the silken sheets draped loosely around her, Kael's warmth still lingering against her skin. The steady rhythm of his breathing filled the room, a comforting sound in the silence. She traced the faint mist that clung to the glass, the council's warnings still echoing in her mind.
"The embers awaken. You cannot sever what was never meant to die."
A part of her had hoped the message was nothing more than a bluff—a desperate attempt to sow fear. But the cursed shard's steady pulse told her otherwise. Something ancient stirred, and its reach was growing.
Kael shifted, his arm instinctively searching for her. When he found only the cool sheets, his eyes fluttered open.
"Evelyn?"
She turned to him, her heart clenching at the tenderness in his gaze. "I'm here. I couldn't sleep."
He rose, the golden light from the dying embers in the fireplace casting shadows across his bare chest. The silver scar that marked his heart caught the glow, a silent reminder of the darkness they had already overcome.
"Is it the message?" he asked softly, brushing his fingers along her jaw.
She nodded. "And the shard. Seraphina said it reacts to something. What if… what if it's trying to lead us somewhere?"
Kael's brow furrowed, his protective instincts flaring. "If it is, we will follow it on our terms. No shadows will dictate our path."
He cupped her face, his thumb brushing away the tension that gathered there. The steadiness of his touch, the unwavering resolve in his emerald eyes, reminded her of the strength they shared. Together, they were unbreakable.
But even as the warmth of his embrace settled around her, a faint whisper drifted through the air—low and distant, like a breath carried on the wind.
"Evelyn..."
She stiffened, the sound curling through her mind like a ghostly caress. Kael's gaze sharpened, sensing the shift.
"What is it?"
"I heard it," she whispered, her voice trembling. "A voice. Calling my name."
Kael immediately crossed to the window, scanning the shadows beyond the palace grounds. Yet the night remained still.
"We need to find Seraphina," he said firmly. "She'll know if the shard is stirring again."
Evelyn nodded, but the unsettling echo of the voice lingered. It had been neither threatening nor cruel. Instead, it had held a strange, sorrowful yearning—a whisper from something long forgotten.
Kael drew her closer, his fingers tracing reassuring patterns along her back. "Whatever it is, we'll face it together."
But even as he spoke, Evelyn's heart remained uneasy. For in the depths of the night, something waited. And it was calling her name.
Evelyn exhaled slowly, her gaze lingering on the mist-shrouded garden below. The ancient statues lining the pathways seemed to watch in silence, their stone eyes unblinking. She could almost feel the pulse of the shard even from here — a steady thrum that echoed through her bones.
Kael's arms remained around her, his warmth a steady anchor, yet the voice's lingering presence gnawed at her resolve. What if it wasn't just a whisper from the past? What if something, or someone, awaited her beyond the veil of shadows?
"Promise me," she murmured, her fingers curling against his chest. "Promise we won't face it alone."
"Never," Kael vowed, his lips brushing her forehead. "Not in this life, or any other."
But deep within the earth, where the cursed shard pulsed with dark intent, the whispers stirred once more.
---
Within the lower chambers of the palace, the air was damp and cool. Flickering torches lined the ancient stone walls, their flames casting wavering patterns across the rough surfaces. Seraphina awaited them in the chamber of artifacts, her silver hair gleaming beneath the torchlight.
The shard, encased within its crystal vessel, pulsed steadily—its faint heartbeat matching Evelyn's own.
"It has grown restless," Seraphina said, her voice low. "The visions may be gone, but the shard remembers."
Evelyn approached the vessel, her fingertips brushing the glass. The cursed fragment stirred beneath her touch, as though recognizing her presence.
"And I heard it," she murmured. "A voice. It called my name."
Seraphina's eyes darkened. "The remnants of ancient magic linger within the shard. Some believe the echoes of past souls remain tied to such objects. It could be a memory… or a warning."
Kael stepped closer, his jaw tight. "Then how do we uncover the truth?"
Seraphina's expression was grim. "There is one way. But it is not without risk. To reach the source of the voice, we must forge a connection—a bridge between the shard's memories and Evelyn's mind."
Kael's hand tightened around Evelyn's. "Is it safe?"
"I will guide her," Seraphina assured. "But the shadows may resist. We must be prepared for whatever they reveal."
Evelyn met Kael's gaze, determination burning within her. "I need to do this. If the past holds answers, we cannot turn away."
Kael's lips brushed against her forehead, lingering there. "Then we face it together."
With a nod, Seraphina began the preparations, drawing symbols of protection around the chamber. The torches dimmed, the flickering light giving way to an eerie stillness. Evelyn's heart pounded, but as Kael's hand remained firmly in hers, she knew no shadow could break them.
"Close your eyes," Seraphina instructed. "And listen."
Evelyn obeyed, her breathing steadying. The pulse of the shard grew louder, its ancient whispers curling through her mind. Darkness swirled, and then—
A flash of crimson light. A fractured crown. And a single voice, trembling with sorrow.
"Remember…"
Evelyn's eyes flew open, her chest heaving. Kael caught her, his arms steadying her trembling form.
"What did you see?" he asked urgently.
Her gaze locked onto the shard, the pulse now slower, as though awaiting her response.
"A crown," she whispered. "Broken and forgotten. And a voice… it wants me to remember."
Kael's jaw clenched. "Then we will. Whatever truths lie hidden in the shadows, we will uncover them."
Evelyn nodded, resolve hardening within her. The whispers of the past would no longer be ignored.
The embers had awakened. And now, so had she.