In the shadow of the crown

Chapter 6: The Dark Depths

Standing there, the echoes of Kaelen's words lingered in her mind, a ghost in the dim hallway. He had warned her off. He had commanded her to stay away. And she couldn't fathom why he would say such things, why he continued to push her out of his life as if she meant no more to him than some passing fancy.

The shadows of the castle seemed darker tonight, heavier with the weight of secrets she wasn't sure she wanted to uncover. It was almost as if the walls themselves knew what she had just stepped into-something far more dangerous than she could have imagined. She had come here seeking help, to protect her kingdom from the forces that threatened to destroy it. But now, it would appear that her heart was entangled in something far more treacherous than politics or war.

And Kaelen… he was the key to it all.

She should have been afraid. After all, he was a demon, an ancient, strong creature of the dark. The crimson glow in his eyes was as if reaching through her soul, and it was a storm warning, promising violence to come. And though that first reaction ought to be fear, it wasn't. It was longing-a need to understand him, to see behind the mask of the monster.

She shook her head to clear the thoughts that muddled her mind. She had to keep clearheaded; she couldn't afford to get distracted. Her kingdom, her family, her betrothal-they all counted on her ability to make a reasonable choice. She was not to fall into this perilous, ruling passion.

But the pull of Kaelen's presence was irresistible, and harder she struggled in denial, her heartbeat seemed to pound harder in his wake.

"Foolish girl," she told herself as her heel turned then strode efficiently down the length of the hallway, trying to shake off the searing images in her brain, which refused to be erased from her mind.

Yet, wherever she goes, she cannot get rid of the feeling of his absence, of the silence right after he has passed. Some kind of force makes her feet walk to the courtyard, to the place where he had been standing just a few moments ago.

She stood amidst an empty, open space flooded with moonlight when she got there. Silent were the marble fountains with their waters like in held breaths. A thick scent of night-blooming flowers filled her nostrils, yet even this sweet fragrance failed to ease the tautness in her chest.

The courtyard felt cold—unnaturally cold—as if the world itself were holding its breath. She stepped forward, her shoes making no sound on the stone floor. The stillness was broken only by the soft rustle of her skirts as she moved, and the distant sounds of battle that still echoed through the castle.

She was about to turn and leave when a low, dangerous voice interrupted the silence.

"You're still here."

Evelina's breath caught as she froze on the spot, her heart thumping against her chest. She didn't have to turn to know who was standing behind her. That voice-a dark spell-familiar yet foreign, full of power and warning.

Kaelen.

She spun to face him, her breath catching in her throat as she finally took in the sight of him. His silhouette was framed by the shadows, his tall, imposing figure almost blurring into the darkness. But his eyes—those glowing red eyes—shone with an intensity that could have burned the very world around them.

"What is it that you want from me, Evelina?" His voice was cutting, colder than an instant before. "Why are you still here?"

She wanted to fight with him, to demand answers, but found her eyes stuck to him, transfixed by his existence. His aura overwhelmed; it was smothering in its intensity. She couldn't look away. He had that dangerous, savage beauty in him-a beauty untamed, calling out something buried deep within her.

"I…." Evelina tried, her voice failing. She did not know what to say. A princess she was, and the future queen-yet she had felt so minute just in his presence.

Kaelen took another step closer, his eyes narrowing on her. She felt the burning in his gaze, in the hardness of his features seeming to sharpen beneath the moonlight. He was dangerous. Not just because of his powers that made him so treacherous, but his emotions too, all shut behind closed doors, not willing for her to see.

I told you to stay away," he growled, the temperature in his voice colder, a note of anger lacing his words. "Why can't you just listen for once?"

Evelina didn't take a step back. She planted herself, even though his intimidating stance swallowed her whole. "I don't want to stay away," she returned, firm with a strength that wasn't precisely in her voice. "I want to understand you, Kaelen.

In a flash, something danced in his eyes-something unreadable, yet fleeting that hitched her heartbeat all the more. He was silent for a moment, considering, as if weighing with himself what to do with the words that came from her.

Then, in a fraction of a second, he was close-inches from her face-so she could feel his warmth, his heat, the palpable tension between them. He overwhelmed her as her pulse quickened, the air catching in her throat.

You don't understand," Kaelen said in a hushed tone, as though he regretted it. "You are only a human, Evelina. You don't belong in my world. I am not a tame animal. Neither am I the one you can change.".

His words cut into Evelina's heart painfully, but she refused to break. She had heard those kinds of words before-from her family, from the men who sought to control her. But none had ever spoken to her like Kaelen did; none had made her feel the way he did.

"I don't want to change you," she whispered, stepping forward. "I just want to understand. You don't have to be alone in this."

Kaelen had stiffened at her words, his eyes darkening as though the storm that was brewing beneath the surface had been stirred. His jaw clenched, and for a moment, Evelina felt that he might turn away once more. Instead, his hand came out, his fingers brushing along the side of her face, light enough to have been a dream.

"You're foolish," he growled low, his tone thick with an emotion she couldn't place. "I told you to stay away and yet you keep returning. Can't you see how dangerous that is?

Not a word was said by Evelina. She looked into him, and her heart was caught in the storm that raged in his soul. And for the first time, she saw it-what struggled in his eyes, what tormented him. He wasn't the cold, unfeeling demon she had really thought him to be. There was more to him, so much more.

And in that moment, Evelina knew one thing for certain: she couldn't walk away from him. Not now. Not when she had just begun to uncover the man beneath the monster.

---

Kaelen's warning echoed in her ears, but Evelina stood firm, her heart racing with the certainty that this was only the beginning.