The world beneath the palace

Chapter 12: The World Beneath the Palace

The hammering in Evelina's chest was that of her heart as she stepped over the threshold into the room Kaelen had led her to. The instant her foot touched the cold stone floor, she felt an almost tangible shift in the atmosphere, as though the air itself held secrets—secrets that only Kaelen was privy to. The darkness swallowed her whole, yet her eyes adjusted rather quickly, and she saw the dim, almost otherworldly shine of light coming from detailed, ancient symbols carved into the walls. It was as if the room was a world, hidden beneath the palace, never touched by the passing of time.

Kaelen stood by the door, his presence commanding in the space, like a shadow wrapped in flame. His crimson eyes glimmered in the poor light, and as he turned to face her, the air seemed to vibrate with an intensity that would swallow her whole. He was so close that Evelina could feel the heat from his body, though it wasn't warmth-it was something far more perilous, something that sent a ripple of excitement down her spine.

Welcome to my world, Princess," Kaelen said in a low, measured tone, his voice laced with something she couldn't quite place. It wasn't mockery, but neither was it warmth. It was something far darker-something that thrilled her and terrified her in equal measure.

She swallowed, fighting the flutter of nerves in her stomach. "Why have you brought me here?

Kaelen's eyes narrowed and he took a slow step closer, the echo of his boots off the stone floor. "You wanted to understand. You wanted to see the truth, the world that I belong to. So now you will."

She could feel his eyes on her as he moved circles around her. As if weighing her determination against something so much larger than either of them. The presence of him was overwhelming, yet she found herself not budging, not backward, nor a semblance of fear showing. She had made her choice, and now there was no turning back.

As Kaelen moved, his eyes caught hers for a moment, something there-something she couldn't name. His lips curled into a knowing smirk. "What you will see here will make you question all you ever knew."

She frowned, curiosity now well piqued. "What do you mean?

He did not answer immediately but walked toward the far side of the room, to a huge, ornate chest that was kept there. He knelt in front of it, his movements so careful, so calculated, as if he were about to show her something both holy and hazardous. Evelina's gaze followed him, her heart racing. She was caught between fear and fascination, unsure of what he would show her.

With a slow, almost studied movement, Kaelen raised the lid of the chest, and out spilled a number of weird relics-ancient weapons, tattered scrolls, and-what sent Evelina's heart into another leap-a row of glass vials filled with some dark liquid churning within. Something whirred around them.

These are the remnants of my world," Kaelen said, his voice low, grave. "The demons I lead are not the stories your kind tells. They are not just beasts, not just monsters. They are rulers, warriors, survivors. Yet, they have a price upon them. As do I."

Evelina moved closer, her gaze drawn to the vials. "What is it? What do you mean?

Kaelen stood and turned to her, his eyes darkening. "This," he said, motioning to the vials, "is the essence of our power. It is the blood of our kind, the very thing that fuels us, that makes us what we are." He stepped closer to her, his crimson eyes locking onto hers. "It is the reason I am what I am.

Evelina swallowed as her throat dried. Stories of demons, of their power and cruelty, had always crossed her path, but nothing had prepared her for the weight of the truth standing before her. Kaelen wasn't a demon; he was something far more terrifying, far stronger than anything she could have imagined.

But into his eyes, she looked and saw a flicker-something more buried deeper than the visible hardened exterior. And as it was deep inside, stirring, she was moved by something; maybe pity or curiosity, and she wanted to understand him. Suddenly, she confronted this terrifying and intriguing fact.

"You…" Evelina's voice shook slightly. "You don't have to do this. You don't have to be like this. There has to be more to you than power and blood."

Kaelen's face shifted; his eyes gleamed with something unreadable. He stepped back, and the suppleness went out of him, his posture stiffening. "You don't understand, Princess," he said. "You can't. You think I want your pity? You think you're offering me kindness?" His voice was softer now, cold. "This is what I am. This is what I've been made. There's room for nothing else.

Evelina did, taking a step forward, though the fear and the warning signs screamed at her to stay put. "But I see something in you, Kaelen. I see a part of you that wants something more, something other. You can't hide from it forever."

Kaelen's eyes flashed dark, his jaw clenching. "You don't know what you're talking about." His voice dropped to a whisper, laced with venom. "You have no idea what it's like to live with the weight of what I am. I am not like you. I am not human.

"I know you're not human," Evelina calmly said, without removing her steady gaze from before. "But that's not to say you're beyond salvation. That doesn't mean anything can't be changed."

There was a stretch of silence as the tension hovered in the air, thick and palpable. Something in Kaelen's expression softened, though for only the briefest instant. The walls that surrounded him still stood tall and proud, walls he was not ready to tear down yet.

You think you can save me?" he asked, his voice almost a growl. "You think you can break through what's been built over centuries?"

"I'm not trying to save you," Evelina said, her voice steady and clear. "I'm trying to understand you. And maybe-just maybe-you're not as invincible as you think.

For a moment, Kaelen said nothing, his eyes burning into hers. Then, with a final flick of his wrist, he turned away, his cloak billowing behind him.

"Get out of my sight, Princess," he said coldly. "You have no idea what you're playing with."

Evelina's heart raced, but she stood her ground. She wasn't afraid. She wouldn't be. She had come this far, and she wouldn't turn back now.

"I'm not leaving," she said, her voice

resolute. "Not until you show me who you really are."