Chapter 3;The stranger with the silver eyes

Darkness.

A strange warmth surrounded me—not heat, but something else. Like being wrapped in light, soft and gentle. I felt weightless, drifting between sleep and something deeper. Then, a voice. Smooth. Calm. Confident.

“You’re awake.”

My eyes fluttered open, stinging at first from the sudden light. Above me, a canopy of leaves danced gently in the breeze, sunlight filtering through in shimmering patterns. I blinked rapidly, trying to focus.

I wasn't dead. Not yet.

I sat up quickly, heart thudding in my chest, only to realize… I was no longer in the forest floor where I collapsed. I was lying on a bed of moss in what looked like a small cave, hidden beneath the roots of a massive tree. The walls were glowing faintly with bioluminescent vines, casting a calming blue hue across the space.

And then I saw him.

He leaned casually against the wall across from me, one leg bent, arms crossed. His hair was snow-white, falling just past his shoulders, and his eyes—silver. They almost glowed in the dim light. He was dressed in dark forest leathers, a hood pushed back off his head. He didn’t look much older than me, but something about him felt… ancient.

“What… happened?” I asked, voice hoarse.

He raised an eyebrow. “You passed out. The beast nearly got you, but I intervened just in time. You’re lucky I was nearby.”

I stared at him, trying to piece together his words. “The… beast. That wolf—thing. What was that?”

He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he knelt down and handed me a small wooden cup filled with warm liquid.

“Drink. It’ll help.”

I hesitated. Mercy’s voice echoed in my mind: Don’t wander into the forest. It’s dangerous.

Too late for that.

Still, something in the boy’s eyes—silver and unreadable—made me believe he wasn’t here to harm me. I took a sip. The taste was unfamiliar, earthy with a hint of sweetness, but it soothed the burning in my throat and calmed my nerves.

“What is that thing?” I repeated, more firmly now.

He looked at me for a long moment, then finally replied.

“That wasn’t a normal wolf. It’s called a Nightfang—a creature born from the cursed magic deep within this forest. They shouldn’t roam this close to the borders… unless something is disturbing the balance.”

“Disturbing the balance?” I echoed, confused.

He nodded, now standing and moving toward the entrance of the cave. “You shouldn’t be here. This forest isn’t like the stories told in your kingdom. It’s ancient… alive. It watches. It remembers. And it doesn’t forget trespassers easily.”

His words chilled me.

“Why did you save me then?” I asked. “You could’ve let the Nightfang take me.”

He looked back over his shoulder, his silver eyes sharp.

“Because you're not just any trespasser. You're the princess, aren’t you?”

My stomach dropped.

“H-how did you—?”

He stepped closer, voice dropping to a whisper. “Your disguise is clever. But the forest doesn’t care about dyed hair and contact lenses. It senses bloodlines, magic, power. And you… are glowing with it.”

Magic? What was he talking about?

I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could, the ground beneath us trembled slightly. The boy’s expression turned serious in an instant.

“We don’t have time. They’ve found us.”

“Who?” I asked, heart racing again.

“Hunters. And they’re not after the Nightfang.”

The vines in the cave dimmed, and he reached out to grab my hand.

“If you want to live, follow me.”

And for the second time that day, I ran

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