Kissed by a Curse

The silence in the room was suffocating as Liora stared at Killian. The magic that had burst from her fingertips moments ago still lingered in the air, crackling with energy. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she tried to understand what had just happened. Killian's shirt was singed where the flames had brushed him, but he looked more intrigued than afraid.

"You—" Liora started, her voice shaking. "You said I had power... but I didn't know it was this."

Killian slowly stepped toward her, his eyes locked onto hers. "Your power has always been there, Liora. Dormant. Sleeping. Waiting for the right moment."

She shook her head, backing away until her spine hit the stone wall. "I could have hurt you. I don't understand what's happening to me."

"You didn't hurt me," he said softly. "And you won't. But there's something you need to know."

Liora looked up at him, her golden eyes wide with fear and something deeper—hope. "What is it?"

Killian hesitated before pulling a folded piece of parchment from his coat. It looked ancient, the edges crumbling slightly as he handed it to her. "This is the prophecy. The real one. Not the one your aunt told you. Not the one my father manipulated."

Liora took the parchment in trembling hands. The text was written in an ancient script, but somehow she could read it clearly. Her eyes scanned the words quickly, and her breath caught in her throat.

"'Born of moon and flame, the cursed one shall break the tether between fate and blood. Her heart shall awaken the slumbering throne, and her touch shall bend the line between life and death.'"

She looked up. "This... this is about me."

"Yes," Killian replied. "And the slumbering throne—it's not just symbolic. It's real. Beneath the ruined temple of Elira, there's a throne of power sealed by a blood curse. My father wants it. Your magic is the only key."

"But why me?" she whispered. "Why was I cursed? Why this prophecy?"

Killian stepped closer, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Because your bloodline is older than mine. Stronger. The first witches who roamed this land came from your family. Your mother wasn't just a healer, Liora. She was a guardian of the throne. And now, that duty falls to you."

Her heart pounded. Everything she thought she knew had been turned inside out. "So my aunt lied. About everything."

He nodded grimly. "She feared what would happen if you found out. Feared losing control over you. That's why she used a binding spell on your magic. But something in the temple broke it—maybe being near the throne again."

Liora's knees gave way, and she sank onto the edge of the bed. Her hands trembled in her lap. "This is too much. I don't know how to be a chosen one. I don't want to be."

Killian knelt before her. "You don't have to be anything you're not. But you do have a choice. The throne will awaken soon, and my father will come for you. I want to protect you, but I need your trust."

She studied his face, the storm in his eyes, the sincerity in his voice. "Why do you care so much?"

He hesitated, then reached into his shirt and pulled out a small pendant. A silver moonstone, glowing faintly. "Because our destinies are tied, Liora. When I was a child, a seer told my mother that the flame-born witch would be my mate. I didn't believe it until I met you."

Her breath hitched. "Mate?"

"Yes," he said, voice low. "Not in the way wolves speak of fated mates. This is older. Deeper. A magical bond formed not by nature but by fate—and love. I've tried to deny it, but I can't."

Liora's throat tightened. Her emotions swirled—fear, awe, confusion, and something dangerously close to longing. "I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything now." Killian stood and extended a hand. "But come with me to Elira. Let me show you the truth. Let me help you awaken the throne before it's too late."

She looked at his hand, her future hovering between her trembling fingers and the prophecy still clutched in her lap. She took a deep breath and placed her hand in his.

"Okay," she whispered. "Let's end this. Together."

As Killian helped her to her feet, the window behind them lit up with a strange glow. A symbol had appeared in the night sky—an ancient rune shining like a second moon.

The prophecy had begun.