The halls of the Shadow Keep were alive with whispers, the flickering torchlight casting long, sinuous shadows that seemed to crawl along the stone walls. Outside, the wind lashed against the battlements, carrying the scent of smoke, blood, and distant fire—a reminder that the world beyond the keep was in chaos, and that the curse’s hunger was never satiated.Elara stood near the edge of the main courtyard, the chill biting through her cloak, hands glowing faintly as she tried to contain the surge of magic coiling within her. The bond pulsed violently, a steady heartbeat of tension between her and Kael, who watched her from the opposite balcony. His crimson eyes burned in the darkness, unyielding, calculating, and yet impossibly magnetic.“You cannot hide it forever,” he called, voice slicing through the wind. “The fire within you will reveal itself, whether you wish it or not.”Elara swallowed, grit in her teeth. “I’m not hiding anything, Kael,” she shot back, though her voice trembl
Last Updated : 2025-10-29 Read more