Lahat ng Kabanata ng FATED TO HIS DARKNESS : Kabanata 31 - Kabanata 40

We marched out before dawn. By the time we reached the border, the sky was still sealed in darkness, unmoved by the passing hours. The wind moved in uneasy circles, carrying the scent of damp soil and old magic. There were no bodies that spoke of the attack I saw in Keth’s vision. I ordered the camp set immediately. Tents were positioned in defensive arcs, and scouts moved ahead of us. Sorceresses anchored protective spells into the earth while healers prepared behind the lines. My warriors checked their armour and said quiet words to one another through the mind-link. They trusted me to lead them through what was coming. I wasn’t sure I deserved that trust. Behind us, my shadow warriors stood, fading into the terrain and becoming one with the dusk. The ancient shadow warriors stood apart, like sentinels carved from darkness itself. Dark energy from centuries of being dead radiated off them. I had awakened them knowing the cost. Old power never came without consequence.

AMARA’S POVOne moment, the blade was buried in my body—a decision I made to save Kael from myself.Kael held me as I bled out in a pool of my own blood. I could hear him screaming in pain as he watched me breathe my last.The pain ended too suddenly.I drifted into endless darkness.I couldn’t feel my body.So this is what death feels like, I thought.The idea didn’t frighten me as much as I expected. It felt like I was standing at the edge of something I didn’t understand, yet no longer had the strength to resist.While I was lost in my thoughts, a sudden light spilled toward me. The ground beneath my feet felt solid and cold, though I hadn’t taken a step. I looked down at myself, half expecting to see blood, wounds, proof that I was dead.There was nothing.Confusion stirred inside me as the silver glow brightened, revealing a forest clearing.“You found your way here again.”The voice stopped me cold.I turned slowly.She stood a few steps away, draped in pale light, her presence

KAEL’S POV I returned to my room after midnight. The candles had burned low. Amara was twisted in the sheets, one leg hooked over the blanket, her hair spread messily on the pillow. She had always slept restlessly, as her dreams hunted her every night. I adjusted the cover, pulling it over her shoulder. She sighed softly but didn’t wake. I stayed for a while, watching her sleep. Then I left. In the early hours of the morning, I returned to the room to dress, expecting silence. Instead, I found her awake. She stood near the bed, half-naked. She looked just as startled to see me as I was to see her. For a second, none of us moved. Her cheeks turned bright red. She turned away quickly, fumbling with the edge of the sheet as if it could shield her from my gaze. I looked elsewhere. “Sorry,” I muttered, though I wasn’t sure what I was apologising for. I reached for my clothes;my movements were stiff. The room suddenly felt too small. I could feel her presence without looking. When I

AMARA’S POVThe knock came just as the early morning light began filtering through the tall glass windows of my chamber.I had barely slept. Every time I closed my eyes, images of the Arena, the crowd, and the weight of expectations clawed their way back into my thoughts.When the knock came again, louder this time, I forced myself out of bed.“Lady Amara,” a guard’s voice called from behind the door. “The council requests your presence at the Arena.”I sat upright slowly, steadying my thoughts. “I’ll be there shortly.”His boots retreated down the hallway.For a moment, I remained still, letting the reality settle in. The Luna Trial had begun. There was no delaying it now.I swung my legs off the bed, intending to reach for my usual training clothes, but my movement halted when I noticed something unfamiliar resting across the mattress.An outfit.It was crafted from deep navy fabric that shimmered faintly in the early light. Thin silver embroidery traced the edges, forming subtle pr

KAEL’S POVThe last day of the Luna Trials had arrived. The morning air was crisp and cold, carrying the scent of pine, wildflowers, and damp earth. Mist clung low to the forest floor, curling around the roots of the giant trees, giving the sacred clearing a magical feel.I stood at the edge of the clearing, my boots sinking slightly into the damp grass. The crowd had gathered in a wide circle: warriors, council members in ceremonial robes, and kingdom folk who had come to witness the final trial. The altar of the Moon Goddess rose ahead, carved from pale stones that glimmered faintly in the soft light. Silver threads of moonlight, despite the early hour, danced across its surface as if the goddess herself were present.I stood behind Amara, my hand brushing against hers. We were both dressed in white. She wore a long, flowing gown, delicate silver embroidery tracing the edges. Her hair shone under the morning sun. She looked calm—but I could see through her. Her hands were clenched a