Chapter 3: The Awakening Power

The moment Seraphina's fingers brushed against the Shadow King's palm, a jolt of energy surged through her veins. It wasn't just warmth—it was raw, untamed power, pulsing beneath her skin like a dormant force finally rousing from its slumber. She gasped, staggering backward as the sensation coiled through her body, burning yet cold, unfamiliar yet… natural.

"What… what is this?" she whispered, her voice unsteady.

The Shadow King's golden eyes watched her intently. "Your birthright."

Seraphina's chest rose and fell in quick, shallow breaths. "I don't understand."

"You will," he said, his voice calm yet resolute. "But first, you must learn to control it."

The flickering torches in the grand chamber dimmed as if responding to her energy. The shadows on the walls stretched unnaturally, writhing like living things. Seraphina clenched her fists, trying to will the sensation away, but the more she resisted, the stronger it became.

The council members who had remained silent until now exchanged wary glances. One of them, a tall woman with silver-streaked hair, stepped forward. "She's awakening too fast," she murmured, her gaze flickering to the Shadow King. "This is dangerous."

"She was meant for this," the Shadow King countered, his voice edged with certainty. "She only needs guidance."

Seraphina clenched her jaw. "I don't need guidance—I need answers."

The Shadow King tilted his head. "Then tell me, Seraphina, what do you remember of your mother?"

The question struck her like a blade. She had so few memories of her—just fleeting glimpses of warm hands brushing through her hair, a soft lullaby in the dark. And then, nothing. Her mother had died when she was young, or so she had been told. But now… now doubt gnawed at the edges of that truth.

Seraphina's voice wavered. "She died when I was a child."

"Did she?"

His words sent a chill through her.

A deep hum reverberated through the room as the Shadow King raised his hand. The torches flickered out completely, plunging them into darkness. And then—

A vision.

Seraphina wasn't in the chamber anymore. She stood in a vast field beneath a sky fractured between light and shadow. A woman stood at the center, cloaked in midnight-blue robes embroidered with golden constellations. Her long, dark hair flowed like liquid ink, and when she turned, Seraphina's breath caught in her throat.

"Mother," she whispered.

The woman's violet eyes—eyes identical to Seraphina's—locked onto hers, filled with sorrow and urgency. "Seraphina," she called, her voice like an echo from another time. "Find the truth. Before it's too late."

A sudden force yanked Seraphina backward, and she was thrust back into the chamber, gasping for breath. The torches reignited, casting flickering light over the concerned faces of the council. The Shadow King stood motionless, his expression unreadable.

Seraphina clutched her racing heart. "That was… real."

"Yes," the Shadow King confirmed. "Your mother left behind more than memories, Seraphina. She left behind a legacy. And a warning."

Seraphina's hands trembled. The visions, the power, the revelation that her mother's fate was not what she had been told—it was too much. But deep inside, something within her stirred with fierce determination. She had spent her entire life being told she was a curse, an outcast. Now, for the first time, she had a chance to uncover the truth.

She turned to the Shadow King, her violet eyes blazing with newfound resolve. "Then teach me."

A slow, knowing smile curved his lips. "Good."

Before she could ask what came next, a deafening boom echoed through the castle, shaking the very foundations of the chamber. The council members stiffened, and the Shadow King's expression darkened.

Seraphina's heart leapt into her throat. "What was that?"

The castle trembled again, and a sinister voice drifted through the air, thick with malice and power.

"She is awake," it hissed. "And we are coming for her."

The torches flickered wildly. A shadow, darker than night itself, slithered through the cracks in the walls, curling into an ominous form just beyond the chamber doors.

The Shadow King's gaze sharpened, his hand closing into a fist. "It seems our enemies have heard the call."

Seraphina swallowed hard. This was only the beginning.

To be continued...