The candlelight flickered, casting restless shadows along the chamber walls. Evelyn's pulse still thrummed with the remnants of the vision. The fractured crown, the crimson light — the sorrow etched into that haunting voice. It clung to her, a lingering echo refusing to fade.
Kael's hands remained firmly on her shoulders, his emerald gaze locked on her own.
"Evelyn," he murmured, his voice low. "What else did you see?"
She shook her head, her breath still uneven. "Just fragments. A crown, shattered. And the voice… it sounded so lost. As if it had been calling for an eternity."
Seraphina studied her with an unreadable expression. The silver strands of her hair gleamed beneath the dim light, the runes carved into the stone walls reflecting a faint glow.
"A fractured crown…" Seraphina echoed, her voice laced with concern. "There are countless forgotten relics bound to ancient curses. But if the shard showed you that, it could be tied to the source of its power."
Kael's jaw tightened. "And the voice? Could it be connected to the shard's creator? Or… something else?"
"Perhaps both," Seraphina said cautiously. "Memories entwined with such magic rarely fade. They linger, waiting for a vessel to remember them. Evelyn, the shard may see you as that vessel."
The thought sent a chill down Evelyn's spine. "But why me?"
"Because it senses your strength," Seraphina replied, her gaze unwavering. "And perhaps… because the shadows believe you are the key to what was once lost."
Kael's grip on Evelyn's hand tightened. "We won't let it control her."
Seraphina nodded. "That is why we must proceed carefully. Visions like these are rarely clear. They demand patience… and courage."
Evelyn swallowed the knot forming in her throat. "Then we find out what it wants. If this voice seeks to be heard, I'll listen. But on my terms."
A flicker of pride crossed Kael's face. "We face it together."
Seraphina moved to the pedestal where the shard rested. Encased in its protective crystal, the dark fragment pulsed with an ominous rhythm. It no longer felt dormant. The shard was awake.
"The connection you made will remain," Seraphina said. "The voice may return. But until then, I suggest caution. Keep the shard close, but do not let it consume your thoughts. Its whispers will grow bolder if you let them."
Evelyn nodded, though the memory of the voice still lingered. *Remember*, it had said. The weight of that single word pressed down on her. But why? And what did it want her to remember?
---
Later that night, the castle had fallen into an uneasy stillness. Kael and Evelyn returned to their chambers, but sleep remained elusive.
Kael sat at the edge of the bed, his fingers tracing the silver scar on his chest—a reminder of the heart that had once failed him. Evelyn watched him in the dim light, the warmth of his presence grounding her.
"You're worried," she murmured.
He exhaled softly. "I am. Not about the shard alone, but what it could mean for you. I won't stand by if it tries to harm you."
Evelyn moved closer, her hand resting against his. "I know. But we can't run from this. Whatever the shard's memories hold, we have to uncover them. Together."
Kael cupped her face, his thumb brushing along her cheek. "Then we will. No matter what it takes."
She leaned into his touch, the warmth of his embrace chasing away the lingering shadows. But as the night wore on, and the castle remained silent, Evelyn couldn't shake the feeling that the voice had only just begun to call.
And somewhere, in the farthest reaches of the night, the shadows stirred once more.
---
A soft breeze drifted through the chamber as Evelyn rested her head against Kael's shoulder. The tension that gripped her heart eased slightly as a memory surfaced—one of laughter and light, far from the weight of cursed shards and ancient whispers.
"Do you remember the day they chose me as your bride?" Evelyn's voice was gentle, the corners of her lips curling into a faint smile.
Kael's eyes gleamed, the silver threads of memory weaving through his thoughts.
"How could I forget?" he murmured, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. "You were furious."
Evelyn laughed softly. "I was. I thought it was nothing more than a political decision. The council paraded me before you like I was some prize to be claimed."
"But I saw something else," Kael whispered, his gaze unwavering. "You refused to bow. Even as the others curtsied and fluttered about, you stood your ground."
She could still recall the grand hall, gilded and vast, the echoes of noble chatter fading as she had met his eyes for the first time. His presence had been commanding, but his emerald gaze had held no malice—only curiosity.
"You asked me why I didn't smile," Evelyn recalled, a teasing lilt in her voice. "And I told you I wasn't there to entertain you."
Kael chuckled. "That was when I knew. You weren't like the others."
He had chosen her not because of alliances or duty, but because she had challenged him. Her strength, her defiance—it had drawn him in. And as the council's murmurs of approval had filled the chamber, Kael's decision had already been made.
"When they announced it, I felt like I had won a battle," he said, his voice tinged with warmth. "But in truth, I had simply been given the greatest gift of my life."
Evelyn's eyes softened, her fingers tracing along his scarred chest. "We've come so far since then."
"And we'll go further still," Kael vowed, pressing a lingering kiss to her forehead. "No curse, no shadow, will stand between us."
The memory lingered like a golden thread in the fabric of the night, a reminder of the bond they had forged. Though darkness stirred beyond the castle walls, Evelyn drew strength from the warmth of Kael's embrace.
Together, they would face whatever awaited them. And this time, no force—past or present—would tear them apart.