The Shattered Edge

Anne walked through the forest with a steady, deliberate pace. The moonlight filtered through the canopy above, casting fractured beams across the forest floor. The cool night air tugged at her skin, carrying with it whispers of something ancient—something heavy. Something she couldn't escape anymore.

Her hands were clenched at her sides, fists tight with the flames that smoldered just beneath the surface. It was as if the power in her blood had a life of its own, breathing and pulsing, urging her to embrace it, to let it consume her.

But even as the heat within her swirled, gnawed at her like an insistent beast, she couldn't help but wonder: What was she becoming?

She had made her choice. She had stepped onto the path of power, of fire, of darkness. And now, as the shadows seemed to close in around her, there was a strange, gnawing emptiness that lingered in the pit of her stomach. Was this really the future she had envisioned for herself?

"Anne."

The familiar voice broke through her spiraling thoughts. Her heart skipped. She knew that voice.

It was Lucian.

She turned to face him, her eyes narrowing as he stepped from the shadows. His expression was a mixture of concern and quiet determination. He was still here, still by her side, even after everything. Even after her mother's warnings, even after all the truths she had uncovered about herself. He hadn't left.

He should have left.

"You've been avoiding me," Lucian said softly, his eyes locking onto hers. There was a quiet sadness in his gaze. "Why?"

Anne didn't answer immediately. Her heart was at war with itself, torn between the longing for Lucian's warmth and the temptation of the fire inside her. She could feel his presence grounding her, but there was a part of her that wanted to run—run further away from him, from everything she knew, and sink into the dark power that whispered to her.

"I'm... not the same person I was," Anne said, her voice distant. "I can't be. Not after what I've learned. What I am."

Lucian took a step forward, his brow furrowing. "You're still you. The Anne I know. The one who was curious, brave, and kind." His voice softened, a quiet plea behind the words. "Please, Anne, don't shut me out. Don't push me away."

Her chest tightened as his words sank deep into her. The warmth in his voice reached her, a stark contrast to the cold fire inside her that wanted to burn it all away. She wanted to believe him, but her mind was clouded with the weight of everything she had learned—about herself, her bloodline, and Valtheris's manipulations.

Anne's gaze faltered, her breath shaky as she fought the urge to give in. "I don't know if I can stop what's coming," she whispered. "The darkness is inside me, Lucian. It's... it's me now."

Lucian reached for her hand, but she pulled it away, her fingers trembling. She couldn't touch him. Not when the fire threatened to burn everything around her.

"You don't have to do this alone," Lucian insisted. "Let me help you. Please, Anne. I know you feel the power inside you, but you don't have to let it control you. We can fight this. Together."

A cruel laugh bubbled in Anne's throat, one that she couldn't stifle. "Fight it? How? You don't understand. You can't possibly understand what it's like to feel it, Lucian. To feel the fire clawing at your insides, pushing you toward something you don't even want." Her eyes were wild now, her breath shallow as she fought to keep the flames from taking over completely.

Lucian stepped closer, his voice quiet but resolute. "Maybe I don't understand what it's like to carry that burden. But I know you, Anne. I know the person you are beneath all this." He reached out, touching her shoulder with a tentative hand. "And I believe in you. More than you know."

Anne closed her eyes, fighting the tremors that ran through her. The fire inside her burned hotter now, making her skin sear with the intensity of it. It was too much. Too overwhelming. She had made the decision to embrace the darkness, but part of her... part of her still clung to the light.

But that light was slipping away.

And then she felt it.

The cold presence that had been lurking at the edges of her consciousness, waiting. Valtheris.

His voice echoed through her mind, deep and laced with venom. "You've made the right choice, Anne. You will be mine. Together, we will burn everything to the ground."

Anne gasped, her body shaking as his words sank in. She could feel his power pulling at her, urging her to give in, to follow his lead.

Lucian's eyes widened in concern. "Anne?" he whispered. "What's happening? What's wrong?"

But Anne could no longer answer. The darkness was closing in, its grip tightening around her chest. She felt it as clearly as she felt her heartbeat—Valtheris's power, his presence, like an invisible hand pulling her closer to him.

She took a step back from Lucian, her body stiff with the overwhelming force that Valtheris was unleashing. "I'm... sorry," she whispered, her voice choked. "I don't know how to fight this anymore."

And in that moment, as her vision blurred with the fire and shadows that swirled around her, she knew the truth:

Valtheris thought he had power over her. He thought she was weak, that she could be bent to his will, but he didn't understand. He didn't know what she was capable of.

For a moment, Anne let the darkness consume her. But only for a moment.

With a deep breath, she forced the fire to surge to the surface, her eyes glowing with the intensity of the dragon's fury. "You don't control me," she said, her voice a low growl. "I will never be yours."

Anne's power erupted, a wave of heat that exploded from her, scorching the air around her. She felt the flames of her dragon blood lash out in an uncontrollable blaze. But Lucian—Lucian was still there.

He rushed toward her, eyes wide with fear and determination. "Anne!" he shouted, reaching for her again. "Please, don't—"

But she couldn't stop it. The fire burned through her veins, and her vision turned red with rage, fury, and the certainty of the truth she had just unlocked:

She was not a pawn. She was a queen.