CHAPTER 8 THE TEST

"Dear Readers,

This chapter contains graphic depictions of violence, including physical torment and betrayal. If you are sensitive to such content, please proceed with caution. Reader discretion is advised.

Thank you for your support, and I appreciate you being part of this journey."

The day everyone anticipated had finally arrived. My birthday banquet ended without any problems, and the palace was filled with laughter and music. But that night, as I lay in bed, uneasiness settled deep in my chest. My instincts screamed again. Something was coming. Something I didn't understand. Then, a sharp pain shot through my chest. I gasped for air—Suddenly, everything went dark.

"Why again... I hate this stupid thing," I muttered in frustration, even though I was surrounded by nothing but darkness.

A voice emerged from the shadows, making me jump. "I'm sorry, my child. I know it's painful, but it's the only way. I have been waiting for this moment."

"God's sake!" I cursed, without fully knowing what it meant. It was something I picked up from the palace maids. Anna had warned me not to say bad words, but right now, I didn't care.

The shadow chuckled. "Are you really cursing at this situation?" It paused before speaking again. "Let me ask you something and answer me carefully. Do you think your family will protect you no matter what happens?"

"Of course! Everyone loves Ellie," I replied instantly, without hesitation.

The shadow hummed in amusement. "I'm going to take you somewhere. After that, I'll ask you again. But be careful with your answer."

I hesitated. "Okay…"

And in the blink of an eye, I was somewhere else. A dark room. I saw myself—an older version of me. My family was there too. But something was wrong. I stepped closer. Why… Why was I crying? My hands were tied. My body was covered in blood. I turned to my family, desperate for warmth, for comfort. But they were cold. No. This wasn't real. It couldn't be.

Then my father spoke.

"Elysia, even if you beg, I will not let you live. This is the only way to protect the empire. You must die."

I froze. My heart pounded against my ribs.

"Dad, please! What did I do? Why are you like this?" My voice broke. "Liam… Noyal… why?"

I turned to my mother, my last hope. "Mom, please! Tell Dad to let me go!"

"Don't call me Mom," she spat in disgust. "I want to die for giving birth to this curse. I should have died before you were born."

I shook my head. No. No, this wasn't real! "The love we shared… was it all a lie?" I sobbed. "Are you telling me you never saw me as family?"

"It was an act," Liam said coldly.

"We weren't supposed to kill you before you turned ten," Noyal added as if discussing a simple matter. "Now it's the right time."

My body trembled. "Then… please, just kill me. I don't want to live anymore. If everything was fake… at least give me a quick death."

"No." My father's voice was firm. "We have to do it as per the ritual."

Ellie's body trembled as she lay restrained on the cold stone altar, her wrists and ankles bound tightly with iron chains. The men in white robes surrounded her, their faces hidden behind ceremonial masks, their hands steady as they prepared their blades. Her father stood at the front, his grip firm on a dagger carved with ancient symbols.

A priest stepped forward and placed a firm hand on her forehead, muttering in a language she didn't understand. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest, the weight of betrayal suffocating her more than the pain.

Then it began.

A blade sliced through her tongue first—sharp, precise, cruel. Blood pooled in her mouth, choking her, drowning her screams before they could escape. Her vision blurred, hot tears spilling down her cheeks as agony consumed her. They moved to her hands next. Long needles, cold and unforgiving, were driven through her palms, pinning them to the altar. The pain was unbearable, a fiery torment that spread through her veins. Then her legs—pierced in the same cruel fashion. Her cries turned into broken whimpers.

She could hear the murmurs of the ritual, the low hum of voices chanting her death sentence. The warmth of her blood spread beneath her, staining the altar a deep crimson.

And still, they were not done. Her father stepped closer; his eyes void of emotion. He raised the dagger high above his head, its tip aimed directly at her heart. Ellie's blurred gaze met his. "Please…" she wanted to beg, but all that came out was a gurgle of blood.

A sharp, searing pain erupted in her chest. Her body jerked violently as the blade buried itself into her heart, tearing through flesh, through bone. Her world turned into nothing but blinding agony.

The last thing she saw before darkness swallowed her whole—Was her father's cold stare. Tears spilled from my eyes. Then—everything vanished. I gasped, jolting back to reality. The shadow's voice echoed in my mind.

"Now, Ellie… do you still believe your family loves you? Or was it all an illusion?"

My heart ached from the vision i had just witnessed. The cold eyes of my father, the cruel words of my mother, the betrayal of my brothers—everything felt so real. The pain, the fear, the loneliness.

But…Wasn't my father the one who always stayed me when I had nightmares? Wasn't my mother the one who stroked my hair and hummed lullabies when I was sick? Liam and Noyal—weren't they the ones who always held my hand and promised to protect me?

But no. No matter how much my heart ached, I knew what I had.

I clenched my fists. My voice shook, but I forced myself to speak.

"I don't know what I saw." My throat burned, but I swallowed the fear and kept going. "I don't know if that was the future or an illusion you created to break me."

The shadow chuckled, amused. "And yet, you felt the pain, did you not? You died by their hands, Elysia. Does that not make you question their love?"

My chest ached. Of course, it did.

But…

"Even if that's true… even if one day they betray me… I won't let this vision decide my future."

The darkness around me stilled. The air felt thick, pressing against my skin like a heavy weight.Then, after what felt like forever, the shadow let out a low, rumbling laugh.

"Interesting."