Taishabrice

Kael Veyne was never meant to be a survivor.

She was born into a noble house of warriors, raised among the powerful, destined for a future she never had the chance to claim. When her family was massacred, she was left for dead—a nameless ghost in a world that erased her.

But Kael survived.

Buried in the underground city of Ravaryn, she became a fighter, a hunter, a blade in the dark. She wanted nothing more than to forget the past—until a cocky, insufferable outsider shattered her world.

Riven Dain is hiding something. Beneath his charm and arrogance lies a man with too many secrets, a man with ties to the same noble house that destroyed Kael’s life. He claims to be nothing more than a traveler, but when warlords start hunting him, Kael knows better.

Now, unwillingly bound together by fate and betrayal, Kael and Riven must leave the shadows behind.

The world above is waiting.
The past refuses to stay buried.
And Kael Veyne is done being forgotten.

Because the blood in her veins was never meant to be wasted in exile.

It was meant to rule.

Crowned in Shadows.

She had spent years hunting the past, chasing whispers, forcing herself to believe that if she could just find the truth, everything would finally make sense.

But as she stood before the ancient vault, the cold metal key in her hand, something inside her hesitated.

Riven was beside her, silent for once. His usual arrogance was gone, replaced with something heavier.

Jorrik stood behind them, swords drawn, scanning the ruins. "Let's open it before I start aging prematurely."

A low, shuddering sound echoed through the ruins as the metal door shifted, dust spilling from its edges. The lock turned, ancient gears grinding, and then—

The air was cold. Too cold. The chamber beyond was lined with stone shelves, old scrolls, and faded banners bearing a crest Kael didn't recognize.

She approached slowly, her boots soft against the ancient floor. Riven followed, his breath too steady, too forced.

Kael reached out, flipping open the first page.

She scanned the page, her heart slamming against her ribs.

Her father's name. Her mother's name. The family she had lost.

Jorrik frowned, stepping closer. "What is it?"

Kael's voice was barely a whisper. "My family… wasn't just noble."

And there, beneath the royal crest, was the truth.

Kael's hands shook. "This is wrong."

Why her family had been hunted. Why they had been killed.

Her father had been the rightful heir.

But someone—somewhere along the line—had erased that truth.

And the Dain family had taken the throne instead.

Kael turned, her dagger already drawn.

Riven's blue eyes were careful, guarded. "I suspected."

Kael's pulse pounded. "And you didn't think to tell me?"

Riven exhaled. "Would you have listened?"

Jorrik cursed under his breath. "Well. This complicates things."

Everything she had thought she knew—**everything—**was a lie.

She had spent her life hating nobles.

And now she learned she was meant to be one of them.

"You're the last of your bloodline," Riven said quietly. "Which means…"

Kael's voice was cold. "Which means the throne should have been mine."

Riven met her gaze. "What are you going to do about it?"

Chapter 17: The Truth Unveiled