BloodBound Choice

The vampire lord's words lingered in the air like a poison, sinking into Elizabeth's thoughts, twisting everything she thought she knew.

"You are meant to break it."

The final fragment of the Veil pulsed faintly from its pedestal, as if waiting—for her decision, for her will.

Elias tightened his grip on her wrist. "Elizabeth, don't listen to him. He's manipulating you."

The Lord of the Crimson Court chuckled, his silver eyes gleaming with amusement. "Oh, Elias. Ever the faithful little soldier. But tell me, have you ever asked yourself why the Veil is failing now, after centuries of stability?"

Elias didn't respond, his jaw clenched.

The vampire turned back to Elizabeth. "The Veil was never eternal. It was bound by blood magic, and blood magic always demands a price. Your father knew that. He knew that when the time came, a choice would have to be made."

Elizabeth's pulse hammered in her ears.

Was that why her father had never told her the truth? Had he known all along that she would be the one to decide?

She looked at The Bloodbound Veil in her hands. The book had guided her, given her power, but had it ever truly told her to restore the Veil? Or had she simply assumed that was her duty?

"What happens if I break it?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Elias inhaled sharply. "Elizabeth—"

The vampire lord smiled. "Then the shackles that have bound our world will be undone. Magic will flow freely again. Creatures who have been forced into hiding—werewolves, witches, even my kind—will no longer be at the mercy of humanity's fragile little empire." He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "You feel it, don't you? The power inside you. The fragments do not resist you. They recognize you. Because you are not meant to bind them."

Elizabeth's hands trembled.

The power inside her did feel natural, like something awakening, something ancient and strong. But what if she was walking into a trap? What if breaking the Veil didn't free the world, but destroyed it?

Elias stepped in front of her, eyes blazing with urgency. "Elizabeth, I know this is overwhelming, but you have to listen to me. The Veil was created to keep balance. If you destroy it, you're not just freeing magic—you're unleashing chaos. The creatures who have been held back won't just live freely. They will rule. The vampires will hunt unchecked. The werewolves will spread their curse. And humanity?" His voice dropped. "We will be prey."

The Lord of the Crimson Court smirked. "And what has humanity done with their dominion? Burned witches at the stake. Hunted werewolves for sport. Driven vampires to the shadows." He turned back to Elizabeth. "You know what it is to suffer under their rule. They call you a peasant, treat you as nothing more than a girl with no future. But here, now, you hold the power of the world in your hands." His voice softened, seductive and sharp as a blade. "Do you truly wish to preserve the chains your ancestors forged? Or do you wish to break them and become something greater?"

Elizabeth's breath came fast. The world seemed to spin around her.

She had spent her life being powerless. Watching her mother struggle. Fighting to keep her siblings safe. She had never belonged anywhere, never mattered beyond survival. But here—here was a chance to change everything.

Her fingers curled around the final fragment.

Elias reached for her hand, his expression desperate. "Elizabeth, please. You are the last guardian. Don't let him twist you into something else."

The Lord of the Crimson Court held out his hand. "Or step into the truth of what you are meant to be."

The choice burned inside her, splitting her heart in two.

Restore the Veil. Preserve the balance. Keep the world as it is. Keep the darkness at bay.

Or break it. Unleash the truth. Let magic return in full force. Tear down the chains her ancestors had forged.

Elizabeth Ravenscroft stood on the precipice of fate.

And she had to choose.