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Lahat ng Kabanata ng Bound To The Shadowed Heir: Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 10

33 Kabanata

The Devil’s Bride

“You will not ruin this day with your tears, Elara.”Father’s fingers dug into my arm as he pulled me toward the mirror. The white gown felt like chains around my body.I jerked away from him. “Then why are you selling me to that monster? Everyone knows what he is. They call him the Devil’s son for a reason.”“Because our kingdom is days away from falling to Eldoria’s armies,” he snapped. “This marriage is the only way to save us. You should be grateful. Your cursed blood makes you the perfect sacrifice anyway.”I stared at my reflection. The maids had painted my face pale and put flowers in my hair like I was some gift. “Grateful? You locked me away my whole life because of those rumors you started yourself. Now you throw me to the wolves.”Old Martha stepped forward, her hands shaking as she adjusted my veil. “Please, princess. The guests are waiting. Prince Darius is already at the altar.”I laughed. “Of course he is. Ready to claim his prize.”Father stepped closer, his breath hot

Wedding Night Shadows

I swallowed hard, my fingers twisting in the lace of my gown. “You… you asked if I was ready for what comes next.”He didn’t move at first. Then he turned, slow and deliberate, those dark eyes locking onto mine. The candlelight cast sharp shadows across his face, making the rumors feel too real.“Most brides tremble on their wedding night,” he said, his voice low and even. “You look like you’re waiting for me to grow horns and drag you to hell.”I lifted my chin, even though my knees wanted to buckle. “They call you the Devil’s son. What else should I expect?”A faint sound escaped him, almost like the start of a laugh but colder. He took one step closer, then another, until the space between us felt too small. “And what do they say about me exactly? That I drink blood? That I killed my own mother with a curse?”I backed up until my legs hit the edge of the massive bed. “They say misfortune follows you. That anyone close to you ends up broken or dead.”He stopped a few feet away. His

Emperor’s Midnight Command

The Emperor’s private wing stretched before us like a throat ready to swallow us whole. Torches flickered low along the stone walls, throwing long, twisted shadows that danced like fingers reaching for my throat. Darius kept his hand firm on my lower back, guiding me forward, but his touch felt more like a warning than comfort.Ronan walked a step behind us now, his boots echoing softly. That charming smile of his never left his face, but in the dim light it looked sharper, almost hungry.We stopped at massive double doors carved with snarling beasts. Two guards pushed them open without a word.Inside, the air hung heavy with smoke from a dying fire. The Emperor sat on a raised throne-like chair, his face half-hidden in shadow. He was older than I expected, with silver threading through his dark hair and eyes that looked like they had seen every sin in the world.Darius bowed his head slightly. I copied him, my knees stiff.“Father,” Darius said, his voice flat. “You summoned us on ou

Blood on Silk Sheets

The intruder’s words hung in the air like poison as he lunged toward me, blade raised high.Darius roared and slammed into him from the side, their bodies crashing against the heavy wooden table. Wine glasses shattered across the floor. The hooded man swung wildly, his knife slicing through the air inches from Darius’s throat.I pressed myself against the bedpost, my hands shaking so badly I could barely grip the wood. “Darius!”“Stay back!” he snarled, dodging another strike and driving his own dagger upward into the man’s shoulder.The intruder grunted in pain but didn’t fall. He twisted free and kicked Darius hard in the chest, sending him stumbling into the chair by the fire. The hooded figure turned to me again, breathing heavy under the mask. “Your mother sent me. She’s in the old tower. They’re coming for her tonight because of this marriage. You have to...”Darius was on him before he could finish. He grabbed the man by the hood and slammed his head against the wall with a si

Proof for the Palace

The guards stepped into the chamber, their boots crunching over broken glass and dried blood. Torchlight from the corridor spilled in behind them, making the room feel colder.Darius stayed positioned over me, his body a solid wall between me and the intruders. His bleeding arm left fresh drops on the silk sheets, dark red against white.“Get out,” he growled, voice low and dangerous. “This is our wedding chamber. You have no right.”The taller guard didn’t lower his sword. “Emperor’s orders, Prince Darius. Lady Seraphina reported strange noises. We must confirm the marriage is properly sealed. For the alliance.”Seraphina lingered in the doorway, her emerald gown glowing in the low light. She tilted her head, that sweet smile still fixed on her face. “Don’t be shy, brother. We’ve all heard the stories about your… temper. Father just wants to make sure the Voss girl isn’t already broken.”I felt my face burn with humiliation. My hands clutched the sheets. Darius’s weight pressed me do

Midnight Council

The heavy fist pounded on the chamber door again, louder this time, shaking the wood.“Prince Darius! Open this door by order of the Emperor!”Darius kept his hand on my arm, his grip steady but not bruising. His eyes locked on mine for one sharp second. “Remember what I said. Stay behind me. Let me talk.”I nodded quickly, my heart slamming so hard it felt like it would crack my ribs. The blood from earlier still stained the edge of my new robe. I could smell it.Darius pulled the door open just enough to face the guards without letting them push inside. Three of them stood there now, swords half-drawn, faces hard under their helmets. Seraphina wasn’t with them this time, but I knew she was behind this.“What is the meaning of this interruption?” Darius asked, his voice cold and commanding, like he was the one giving orders.The lead guard didn’t bow. “We found a body in the river below your balcony. A man with a dagger wound and poison in his blood. The Emperor demands to know if yo

Emperor’s Private Threat

The Emperor’s words landed like stones in still water. Every eye in the council chamber turned to me.I sat frozen beside Darius, my hands clenched so tight under the table that my nails dug into my palms. The deep blue gown suddenly felt too tight, too exposing. Darius’s fingers brushed mine again, a quick, hidden touch that steadied me just enough.“Answer the question, girl,” the Emperor said, his voice sharp as a whip. “Did a stranger enter your wedding chamber last night? And why would anyone risk death to warn you about your mother?”I swallowed hard. The room smelled of polished wood, old incense, and power. Ronan leaned back in his chair across the table, smiling like he was watching a play. Seraphina watched me with bright, hungry eyes, her fingers tapping lightly on the arm of her seat.Darius spoke before I could. “Father, this is hardly the place for such accusations on the morning after my wedding.”The Emperor’s gaze snapped to him. “I will decide what is appropriate in

Blood on the Balcony

The laughter faded down the corridor, but Seraphina’s words lingered like smoke in the air.Darius stared at the spot where the note had burned, ashes scattered on the table. His jaw was set hard, the fresh bandage on his arm standing out against his black tunic.I sank onto the edge of the bed, the note’s message repeating in my head. Trust no one but the one who carries scars. That had to mean him. But how did Mother know? And what poison was closer than we thought?“We can’t stay here waiting for the next knife,” I said, my voice steadier than I felt. “The training yard this afternoon… it’s another trap, isn’t it?”Darius turned from the window, his dark eyes meeting mine. “Everything here is a trap. My father wants to see if I’ll bleed for you in public. If I hesitate, he’ll call me weak. If I protect you too obviously, he’ll say I’ve gone soft.”I stood and crossed to him, close enough to see the faint lines of exhaustion around his eyes. “Then what do we do? Let them watch us fi

Poisoned Secrets

The guard led me through twisting corridors I hadn’t seen before, deeper into the Emperor’s private wing. Torches burned low, casting flickering shadows that made every corner look like it hid a blade.My green gown whispered against the stone floor. I kept my hands clasped in front of me to hide how they trembled. Darius’s warning echoed in my head, say as little as possible. But the Emperor didn’t summon people alone unless he wanted blood or answers.We stopped at a heavy iron-bound door. The guard knocked once and pushed it open without waiting for a reply.“Enter, girl,” the Emperor’s voice called from inside.I stepped in. The room was smaller than the council chamber, lit by a single large hearth and candles on a carved desk. The Emperor sat behind it, a goblet of wine in his hand. No guards inside. Just him and the heavy smell of smoke and aged leather.He didn’t offer me a seat. “Closer.”I moved forward until I stood directly in front of the desk. My heart hammered so loud I

Escape into Darkness

The pounding on the door shook the chamber like thunder.“Open up now!”Mother’s hand tightened on mine, her fingers cold and desperate. “Elara, choose. Run with me. The passage is clear for now.”Darius stood between us and the door, dagger drawn, his body coiled tight. “Go,” he said, voice low and hard. “Take her and run. I’ll hold them off.”I looked between them, my mother, pale and trembling after everything she’d risked, and Darius, blood still drying on his shoulder from the sparring, ready to bleed more for us. My chest squeezed so hard it hurt.“I’m not leaving you,” I told him.The door rattled harder. Wood cracked.Mother pulled me toward the tapestry. “There’s no time for this. They’ll kill him if they find us all here together. Go!”Darius grabbed my other arm, eyes locking on mine. “Listen to her. Get your mother somewhere safe. I know these halls better than they do. I’ll find you.”Another bang. Voices shouted on the other side, guards, and Seraphina’s sharp laugh cutt

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