Whispers in the Dark

Chapter 17 – Whispers in the Dark**

The night was unsettlingly quiet—too quiet. I woke up with a heaviness in my chest and an itch in my thoughts that refused to go away. Something wasn't right. The creature I saw last night haunted my mind like a nightmare on loop. If I was ever going to escape this place, I had to understand the truth behind these people… and find their weakness.

I reached for something easy to wear, tying my hair in a messy knot and wrapping a scarf over the lower half of my face. It wasn't the best disguise, but it gave me a sliver of courage. The palace was always menacing in daylight—but at night, it felt alive.

I opened my door slowly, the hinges creaking despite my caution. Every step I took down the hallway felt heavier, the silence pressing against me like a wall. The torches flickered in strange patterns, casting shadows that danced along the black marble floors. The corridor led me to an unfamiliar chamber. The door was cracked open just enough to tempt curiosity.

I slipped inside.

The air was thick with something unnatural. Black walls shimmered with gold veins, crawling like roots beneath eerie paintings of figures with hollow eyes and twisted smiles. Statues of beings—not quite human—stood in every corner, their blank stares drilling into me. I swallowed hard. Was this a working chamber or… a ritual room?

There were no guards, no servants—just silence.

The large door at the end of the chamber gleamed, adorned in thick, burnished gold. I reached toward the handle.

Suddenly—boom—the door creaked and opened on its own.

Panic surged through me. I dove into the nearest shadowed corner and held my breath. Footsteps echoed—a single figure emerged from the room.

Prince Damiar.

Of all people.

He moved like he belonged in the darkness, his cloak trailing silently behind him. His pale skin shimmered faintly, and his eyes… they glowed with an eerie light, as though fire lived within them. I couldn't tear my gaze away.

"What was he doing in there?" I whispered, heart pounding. "Is that his chamber? Or something worse?"

"Ravena," I muttered, "you've just walked straight into trouble."

He passed me without sensing my presence, and I was almost free—until I heard a voice behind me.

**"Hello, princess. Enjoying your night?"**

I froze.

The voice was velvet and venom. I turned, and there he was—closer than I thought possible.

Prince Damiar's smile curled with amusement. "You truly are full of surprises," he murmured. "Barely survived yesterday, and now you're prowling around my palace like a curious kitten."

His eyes flicked to my scarf, then my hands.

"I must say," he added, "your disguise needs work. I can see that pretty face of yours. Might as well have sent me an invitation."

I clutched the knife tighter in my hand, though I knew it wouldn't protect me.

"I… I wasn't doing anything," I stammered.

"Oh, you were just *looking around,* were you?" he echoed, his tone mocking. "In a forbidden chamber. At night. Carrying a weapon. Very innocent of you, princess."

He stepped closer. I backed away.

"What are you up to, Ravena?" he asked with disturbing calm.

"I could ask *you* the same thing," I snapped, though my voice cracked slightly.

Damiar tilted his head like a predator amused by its prey. His stare lingered too long—like he was sizing me up for something more than punishment.

Then, someone else entered the room. A cloaked man bowed low.

"It's ready, my lord."

"Good," Damiar replied, but didn't move right away. Instead, he turned back to me one last time.

"You're lucky I like you," he said softly. "But if you keep testing me, even I won't be able to save you."

He brushed past me with unsettling grace.

"Oh," he added with a sly smile, "next time, wear something darker. You shine too much in moonlight."

I didn't breathe until the chamber door slammed shut behind him.

Heart thundering, I rushed back to my room and locked myself in. I leaned against the door, trying to steady my breath, then stumbled into the bathroom. The cold water did little to soothe the tremble in my hands.

Back in bed, staring at the ceiling, one truth kept circling in my mind.

**This place… this palace… was a trap built on mystery and blood. And Prince Damiar? He was no ordinary man.**

He was something else entirely.