blood

The courtyard fell into a deathly silence as King Marcus gripped the hilt of his sword, his knuckles turning white. The air had changed. It was thick, heavy—charged with something unseen yet undeniably present. A chill ran down his spine.

"What was that?" he demanded, his voice steady, but the flicker of unease in his eyes betrayed him.

Before anyone could answer, Viktor, the court physician, stepped forward. His long robes brushed against the stone as he smiled, a knowing gleam in his aged eyes.

"Your Majesty," Viktor said, his voice eerily calm, "this is only the beginning."

A murmur swept through the guards. Even the wind seemed to hold its breath.

King Marcus's jaw clenched. He had ruled this kingdom with an iron grip, crushing rebellion, quelling threats before they could rise—but this? This was something different. Something unseen.

A bead of sweat rolled down his temple.

"Guards! Guards!" he roared, his voice shaking the stillness.

The soldiers sprang into motion, armor clanking as they drew their swords. Their eyes darted around, searching, but for what? There was nothing there.

Then—the wind came.

It wasn't a gentle breeze. It wasn't even a storm. It was a force.

A violent gust howled through the courtyard, tearing through banners, sending torches crashing to the ground. The great oak doors rattled against their hinges. Windows exploded inward. Shards of glass rained down like shimmering daggers, forcing soldiers and nobles alike to duck for cover.

Marcus stumbled back, his heart hammering. He had seen war. He had faced traitors, assassins, even sorcerers in his time. But never had he felt the kingdom itself tremble beneath his feet.

Inside the castle, Selene felt it.

The moment the wind howled through the corridors, rattling doors and overturning goblets, she knew—this was no ordinary storm.

She stood frozen in the grand hall, surrounded by panicked servants. A silver tray slipped from a maid's grasp, clattering onto the floor. Wine spilled in dark rivulets across the stone, pooling at Selene's feet.

Then she saw it.

Her reflection in the wine.

Her own face… but her eyes were glowing. Not brown. Not human.

They burned—like molten gold. Like fire.

Selene gasped, staggering backward, her hands trembling. She pressed her palm against her chest. Heat. It surged beneath her skin, rising from within her bones. It wasn't painful, but it was… wrong.

Then—the voice came.

"Selene… it is time."

She whirled around, her breath coming in sharp gasps. No one was speaking to her. The servants were too busy cowering, shielding themselves from the glass that had rained from the windows.

Yet the voice was inside her head.

Selene gripped the edge of a wooden table, her nails digging into the grain. She was hearing things. This had happened before—small whispers in the dark, moments where her skin felt too hot, where the world seemed to slow around her.

But never like this.

Another gust of wind slammed through the hall. The torches lining the walls flickered—then turned blue.

A deep, unnatural silence followed.

The servants who had been wailing suddenly stopped.

The sound had vanished.

The castle held its breath.

Selene's own heartbeat thundered in her ears as she stumbled back. The flickering warmth beneath her skin was growing stronger.

"Selene… come to me."

No.

She clenched her teeth. She didn't know who or what was speaking to her, but she wouldn't obey some unseen force.

Yet… her feet moved on their own.

One step. Then another.

King Marcus staggered toward the castle doors, shoving them open. He had ruled for decades, but never had he felt helpless before.

He turned to Viktor, his hands clenched into fists.

"Tell me what's happening!"

Viktor simply smiled, watching the sky. Dark clouds churned above the kingdom, swirling unnaturally.

"She is awakening."

Marcus's blood ran cold.

"Who?"

Viktor finally turned to face him.

"The girl you've been hunting, Your Grace." His voice was like a whisper of thunder before a storm. "Selene."

The king's stomach twisted.

He had known there was something strange about her. A beauty too unnatural. A presence too strong for a mere maid.

But now, he realized—she wasn't just a girl.

She was something else.

Something dangerous.

Marcus's breath came hard and fast.

Selene had to die.

Selene didn't know how long she had been walking.

Her body moved without her control, her feet gliding across the stone floor. She passed through the halls, past the shattered glass, past the frozen servants.

Toward something unseen.

Her breath hitched as her reflection flashed again in a nearby mirror.

This time, she wasn't alone.

A figure stood behind her. Cloaked in shadows, burning with fire.

Selene whirled around. No one was there.

Her pulse pounded. She had to leave. Now.

Then—she heard the footsteps.

Heavy boots. Marching. Coming for her.

The king.

He knew.

Panic surged through her veins, her instincts screaming run.

And then—the fire inside her flared to life.

Selene barely had time to react before her body responded on its own. Flames erupted from her fingertips. They coiled in the air, wild and untamed, licking at the walls.

She let out a choked gasp. She had never done this before.

Then—the doors burst open.

Soldiers flooded the hall, swords drawn.

Selene's heartbeat roared in her ears.

And as the first soldier lunged—

Her flames exploded.

The castle trembled.

A great pillar of fire erupted from the halls, rising into the night sky like a beacon.

King Marcus stumbled back, shielding his face from the heat. It couldn't be.

Viktor only smiled. "And so, the Fireborn rises."

Selene stood in the heart of the inferno. Eyes burning. Hands engulfed in flame.

And for the first time in her life—

She wasn't afraid.