The Bond Beyond Magic

The golden city lay quieter in the aftermath of the shadow beast attack. Repairs began overnight, but rumors had already begun to spread like wildfire through the markets and noble halls: a shadow beast attacked the palace… and someone other than the Royal Guard saved them.

Aeris stood alone in the crystal garden at dawn. A place of serenity where glowing flowers bloomed with magic and moonlight still lingered in the petals. Her gown fluttered lightly in the morning breeze, and though the garden was beautiful, her heart was unsettled.

Kaelen… who are you really?

Why does your magic feel like both salvation and destruction?

She remembered the crackle of his black lightning, the pain in his golden eyes when he shielded her, and the strange bond they shared—something deeper than attraction. It was as if their souls recognized each other from another life.

Kaelen's Truth

Elsewhere, Kaelen stood atop the high cliffs overlooking the city. His wound, though healed, still burned. Not from the beast—but from the magic Aeris used. Light magic, pure and ancient. The very opposite of his kind.

He closed his eyes and whispered to himself, “She must never know… who I truly am.”

Because Kaelen wasn’t just a prince.

He was the last heir of the Shadowborne, a dynasty exiled centuries ago—blamed for nearly destroying the realm in the War of Flames.

His return to the Kingdom of Light had a single purpose: to find the Heart Relic, a divine crystal said to contain the power to restore or obliterate kingdoms. But now, with Aeris involved… everything was changing.

He could no longer choose between duty and desire.

Lyra’s Spy

Within the city, Lyra had disguised herself as a noblewoman. Her eyes had changed from dark to emerald, and her presence was masked by magic. She roamed the markets during the day and the palace outskirts by night—watching, learning.

She had seen the way Kaelen and Aeris looked at each other. It infuriated her.

“She was never meant for you,” she muttered in her chamber, where she practiced blood incantations by candlelight.

Lyra's beast was almost complete now, feeding off her heartbreak and envy. With each ritual, it grew stronger. She whispered to it as one would a lover, “Not yet… but soon, you’ll taste her blood.”

Fateful Confessions

That evening, Kaelen met Aeris again—this time on the rooftop of the Moonspire, where nobles rarely ventured. The city below looked peaceful, lit with thousands of tiny flames and enchanted lamps.

Aeris was waiting for him, leaning against a crystal railing.

“I thought you wouldn’t come,” she said, not turning.

“I didn’t think I should,” he replied.

Silence.

Then she looked at him. “You’re running from something. I see it in your eyes.”

Kaelen hesitated, then nodded. “And you’re hiding something too.”

Aeris stepped forward. “My kingdom doesn’t know who I really am. I was born with magic that scared the council. But my mother… she protected me. Told me that one day I’d meet someone who shared my fire.”

She reached up and touched the locket at her neck. It shimmered softly.

Kaelen’s eyes darkened. “That locket…”

“What about it?”

“I’ve seen it before. In a prophecy.”

Aeris stared at him. “What prophecy?”

Kaelen stepped back. “I shouldn’t have said anything.”

But before she could question further, a sharp cry pierced the night. Flaming arrows shot through the sky. One struck the roof just meters from where they stood.

An ambush.

Shadow-marked assassins, cloaked in void-black cloth, began climbing the tower walls.

Kaelen pulled Aeris behind him. “Stay close.”

But Aeris summoned her staff from thin air, blue fire encircling her hands. “I can fight.”

They moved together, blasting the attackers from opposite sides. Fire met shadow, lightning clashed with blades. Though outnumbered, their synergy was unmatched. Kaelen’s lightning surged through the floor, stunning enemies, while Aeris struck with fierce precision and radiant power.

After what seemed like hours, silence fell. Only ashes and broken weapons remained.

They stood together, breathing hard. Bruised but alive.

And in that moment, surrounded by destruction and moonlight, Kaelen kissed her.

It wasn’t rushed or desperate. It was full of longing, pain, fear—and something neither of them had known for years:

Hope.

**Far Away: A Heart Begins to Break**

In her chamber lit with blue fire, Lyra clutched her chest. She had enchanted herself to feel Kaelen’s emotions.

And now… she felt his kiss.

His joy.

Her scream shattered every mirror in the room.

“You chose her?” she hissed. “Then let her die.”

She placed her hand over the beast’s cage. The runes cracked.

“Tomorrow night,” she whispered, her voice venomous, “she meets her end.”

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