CHAPTER 17: THE SHADOW OF BETRAYAL

Evelynn's hands trembled as she clutched the heavy, leather-bound book she had stolen from the Dragon Lord's library. The candlelight flickered wildly, casting eerie shadows along the cold stone walls of her chamber. Every breath she took felt heavier, burdened by the knowledge she had just uncovered.

The book told of a prophecy—one that spoke of a woman bound by fate to either save the Dragon Lord or end his reign. She traced her fingers over the ancient text, the ink faded with age but the meaning was clear as day.

The one who shares the cursed bond shall hold the power of destruction and salvation alike.

Evelynn felt her heart hammer against her chest. She had suspected something all along, but now the truth lay before her. Her very presence in Darius's life was a double-edged sword. If she failed to control the bond, she could be the one to bring about his downfall.

A sharp knock at the door startled her.

"Who is it?" she called, hastily pushing the book under her bed.

The door creaked open, and Mara stepped inside, her eyes darting around the room before settling on Evelynn. The castle maid had been loyal to her since her arrival, often sneaking information and supplies to her.

"My lady, you must come quickly," Mara whispered. "Something is happening in the Great Hall."

Evelynn's stomach churned. She had not seen Darius since their heated argument the night before. He had been colder than usual, distant, his gaze unreadable. Now, dread clawed at her as she followed Mara through the dimly lit corridors.

When they reached the Great Hall, the sight before her made her blood run cold.

Darius stood at the center, his towering frame rigid with tension. His golden eyes burned with fury as his warriors surrounded a hooded figure, swords drawn and ready to strike. Evelynn's breath hitched when the figure's hood was yanked back, revealing a familiar face.

"Lucian," she gasped.

Lucian, the man she had once trusted more than anyone, the very one who had sworn to help her escape, now knelt before the Dragon Lord. His face was bruised, his hands bound in iron shackles.

Darius's voice was like a growl of thunder. "You dare betray me?"

Lucian lifted his head, his gray eyes locking onto Evelynn's. There was sorrow there, but also something else—a silent plea.

"I did what I had to," Lucian said, his voice steady. "You do not deserve her."

Darius's jaw clenched, and the room grew unbearably tense. Evelynn knew Lucian had been reckless, but she also knew that his heart had always been in the right place. He had tried to help her escape the castle once, believing she was being held against her will.

"Speak carefully," Darius warned, stepping closer. "Or your next words will be your last."

Lucian did not cower. "She is not yours to keep, Dragon Lord. The bond between you is a curse, not a blessing."

Murmurs spread through the hall, the warriors exchanging uncertain glances. Evelynn's mind raced. If Darius saw Lucian as a threat, there would be no saving him. She had to act.

She stepped forward, pushing past the warriors until she stood between Lucian and Darius. "Wait!" she pleaded. "He meant no harm."

Darius's golden eyes flickered at her, dark with emotion. "You defend him?"

Evelynn swallowed hard. "He is my friend. He only did what he thought was right."

Darius's expression was unreadable, but his silence was deafening. The tension in the air was suffocating, pressing down on her as she stood between two men who had shaped her fate in different ways.

"Tell me, Evelynn," Darius said, his voice dangerously low. "If I let him live, what will stop him from trying to take you from me again?"

She hesitated. There was no easy answer. No matter what she said, someone would get hurt. The weight of her choices pressed down on her like a mountain.

Lucian spoke before she could. "Because she doesn't belong to you, Darius."

A growl rumbled from deep within the Dragon Lord's chest, and the torches in the hall flickered wildly. The raw power radiating from him sent a shiver down Evelynn's spine.

"Enough," Darius said finally. "Take him to the dungeons."

Evelynn's heart dropped. "No! Please, don't."

Darius turned away, his expression unreadable as his guards dragged Lucian out of the hall. Evelynn wanted to follow, to fight for him, but Darius's voice stopped her.

"We will talk. Now."

He led her out of the hall, his grip firm but not painful. They walked in silence until they reached the private chambers, where he finally turned to face her. The firelight cast sharp shadows across his face, making his golden eyes glow with unreadable emotion.

"Tell me the truth," he said. "Did you plan to leave with him?"

Evelynn's breath caught in her throat. She had considered it once. Lucian had offered her a way out, and she had been desperate for freedom. But that was before—before she had begun to understand Darius before she had realized that there was more to him than the ruthless ruler everyone feared.

"I don't know," she admitted softly. "I wanted to escape, but things are different now."

Darius studied her intently. "Different how?"

She hesitated, searching for the right words. "Because I see you now, Darius. I see beyond the Dragon Lord. And I don't know what to do with that."

His gaze darkened. "Then let me make it clear," he said, stepping closer, his voice barely above a whisper. "You are mine, Evelynn. This bond between us is not just fate—it is survival. If you betray me..." He paused, his fingers grazing her cheek. "I don't know if I will have the strength to let you go."

Evelynn's heart pounded. There was a threat in his words, but also something deeper, something raw and vulnerable. And that terrified her more than anything.

She had always seen Darius as the captor, the cursed ruler she was forced to marry. But now, standing so close, she saw something else.

A man fighting against his own demons.

A man bound just as tightly by fate as she was.

And the most terrifying part? She was beginning to care.

Outside, in the cold night air, Lucian sat in the darkness of the dungeon, his mind racing. He had failed, but it wasn't over.

Not yet.

Because he knew something Evelynn did not.

The curse was far more dangerous than she realized.

And if she did not break it soon…

The Dragon Lord would not be the only one to pay the price.