Nightbound Secrets

The air in Aethermoor had changed.

A stillness had settled over the citadel, an unnatural calm that felt less like peace and more like the hush before a storm. The moon hung low and full in the sky, casting pale silver light that bathed the walls of the stone fortress. Shadows curled in the corners of the great halls, whispering secrets no one dared speak aloud.

Nova stood alone in her chamber, her hand pressed against the windowpane. The glass was cool, but not as cold as the uncertainty swirling in her chest. The mark on her wrist throbbed—softly, steadily—as though syncing with something unseen. It had been doing that more often lately, reacting to nothing and everything at once.

She couldn't shake the feeling that the mark wasn't just a symbol—it was a key. To what, she wasn't sure. But the answer was close. She could feel it in her bones.

There was a knock at the door. Not Kade's sharp, commanding rhythm. Not Eryn's impatient raps. This was softer. Hesitant.

"Aelric," she said, even before opening it.

The tall boy stepped inside, his cloak damp from the night air. His eyes, always watchful, flicked to her wrist before meeting her gaze.

"He's not going to tell you," he said without preamble.

"Tell me what?" Nova asked, closing the door behind him.

Aelric's expression darkened. "About what's really happening. About what your mark means. About you."

Her stomach tightened. "Then tell me."

He hesitated, then moved to the center of the room. "Do you know what it means to be Nightbound?"

"It's the name of the prophecy," she said slowly. "A chosen one. Bound to the Night Realm."

"That's the watered-down version they feed to the Council," Aelric said. "The truth is deeper, older. It's not just about prophecy. It's about bloodlines… and power."

Nova crossed her arms. "Get to the point."

"The Watcher," Aelric said, lowering his voice. "You've heard of it?"

"A myth," she replied. "A shadow creature said to feed on magic."

He shook his head. "Not a myth. The Watcher is real. And it's bound to the mark you carry."

Nova felt her heart stop for a beat. "You're saying I'm connected to it?"

"More than connected," Aelric said. "You're its vessel."

The room tilted for a moment. Nova gripped the windowsill to steady herself. "That's not possible."

"It is. And it's the reason the Council is afraid of you," he said. "They think they can control you. Train you just enough to use your power—but not enough to unleash what lies beneath."

She looked down at her wrist. The mark shimmered faintly, pulsing like a heartbeat.

"I don't want to be anyone's weapon," she whispered.

"You might not have a choice," Aelric said. "But you do have a right to the truth."

A silence stretched between them. Then Aelric stepped forward. "There's someone who can tell you more. An Elder. One of the old ones who left the Council."

"I thought speaking to the Elders was forbidden," she said.

"It is," he replied. "Unless you're Nightbound."

She swallowed hard. "Where is he?"

"In the Forgotten Woods. Beyond the southern border."

Nova nodded. "When do we leave?"

"Now," Aelric said. "Bring your courage."

They moved in silence, cloaked in shadows as they slipped past the guards and through the outer gates. The night air was sharp, tinged with frost. The trees loomed like giants in the darkness, their branches whispering above them.

Aelric led the way, his footsteps sure and silent. Nova followed, her senses alert, every crack of a twig or rustle of leaves setting her on edge. After nearly an hour, they reached a clearing.

In its center stood a stone altar, ancient and overgrown with ivy. Candles surrounded it, their flames untouched by the wind. And beside it, a figure waited.

He was tall and cloaked in gray, his face hidden beneath a hood. But the magic that clung to him was unmistakable—deep and vast and old.

"You've brought her," the man said, his voice low and echoing.

Aelric bowed slightly. "She's ready."

The man turned toward Nova, lowering his hood. His face was lined with age, but his eyes burned bright with power.

"You are Nova," he said. "Bearer of the Nightmark."

"Yes," she answered, her voice steady.

"Do you seek truth?"

"I do."

"Then listen well." He stepped forward, lifting his hand. A faint glow surrounded his palm. "The Watcher is not your enemy. It is a guardian. A keeper of balance between the realms."

Nova blinked. "But everyone says it's a monster—"

"Because it was corrupted," he interrupted. "Twisted by those who feared what it protected. They sought to seal it away, and when they failed, they buried the truth."

"What does it want with me?"

"You are the last of its line. The final thread in a bloodline that once held dominion over night and shadow. You are not its weapon. You are its voice."

Nova's head spun. "I don't understand. How do I—what am I supposed to do?"

"Unite the realms," the Elder said. "Heal what was broken. And when the time comes, choose—light or shadow, order or chaos."

Nova looked down at her hands. They were trembling.

"How will I know when it's time?"

"You'll feel it," the Elder said. "In your bones. In your blood. When the sky cracks and the veil thins, you will be the only one who can stand between the worlds."

A sudden rustle in the woods snapped their attention to the trees.

Figures emerged—guards in silver armor, Council soldiers. Kade led them, his expression thunderous.

"You disobeyed direct orders, Nova," he said, sword in hand. "Return now, or face the consequences."

Nova stepped in front of the Elder. "I'm not going back. Not until I know everything."

Kade's eyes darkened. "Then you leave me no choice."

The Elder raised his hand, and the ground trembled. A ring of light erupted around the altar, separating Nova and Aelric from the approaching guards.

"Go," he told her. "Run. Return to the citadel when you're ready. When you understand who you are."

Nova met Aelric's eyes, then turned and fled into the woods, her heart pounding.

Behind her, the sounds of battle echoed through the trees—but she didn't look back.

She was done running from her truth.

Now, she was running toward it.