Chapter 2: The Blood That Binds
Liora couldn't sleep. The weight of the manuscript pressed against her chest like a secret she was too afraid to share. The moonlight streaming through the window cast a soft glow over her room, but it did little to ease the storm brewing inside her.
She had waited for hours, but sleep refused to come. The forbidden text felt alive in her hands, the weight of its ancient words pulling her closer to the unknown. Every time she closed her eyes, visions of the Grove danced in her mind—its towering trees, its endless shadows, and the haunting whispers of power that beckoned her.
The Grove was calling her.
With a sigh, Liora stood and crossed the room to the small wooden desk by the window. The manuscript lay there, its cracked leather cover taunting her, daring her to open it again. Her fingers itched with the need to understand what was hidden within its pages. She had always known there was something more to the world than the quiet life she had led in Serathil. The Grove, and its forbidden magic, was the key to something far greater than herself.
Her heart raced as she flipped the manuscript open, the archaic script appearing even more enigmatic in the dim light. The words seemed to shift before her eyes, as though they were alive, reacting to her gaze. They beckoned, they whispered, pulling her deeper into their secrets.
Her breath caught when she reached a particular passage—one that made her stomach churn.
The Grove's power is not given freely. It is bound by blood, a binding that ties the one who enters to the very heart of the forest. Only those of the royal bloodline may awaken the Grove's true magic. Those who are not of the blood will be consumed by it.
Liora's eyes widened. Royal bloodline? She had heard rumors, of course, but this—this was confirmation. The Grove wasn't just a place of magic—it was linked to the monarchy itself. She had always felt like an outsider in the royal capital, never truly belonging despite her education and her noble lineage. But she had never suspected that her own blood could be the key to unlocking something as dangerous as the Grove.
Her hands trembled as she continued to read.
The price of awakening the Grove is high. The blood of the first king must be spilled, for the power of the Grove is bound to his line. And yet, only those of royal descent can control it. The others will be lost to its hunger.
The words haunted her. Her heart thudded painfully in her chest. She knew what she had to do, even if she didn't fully understand it. But could she? Could she risk everything—her family, her life—for the knowledge that lay beyond the Grove's threshold?
Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. Liora's heart leapt into her throat as she quickly closed the manuscript and shoved it beneath her bed. She knew who it was—her older brother, Renan. The crown prince.
He entered without waiting for an invitation, his tall figure filling the doorway. Renan's expression was serious, but there was an underlying concern in his eyes that Liora recognized all too well.
"Liora," he began, his voice low, "I know something is troubling you. You've been distant lately—distracted."
Liora felt a pang of guilt. Renan had always been there for her, a protective older brother. But she couldn't share this with him—not yet. If she did, she feared he would try to stop her. She couldn't let him stand in her way.
"I'm fine, Renan," she replied quickly, brushing past him to the window. "Just… tired."
Renan narrowed his eyes, unconvinced. "Is this about the Grove?"
Her breath caught, and she turned slowly to face him. "What do you mean?"
He crossed the room, his footsteps heavy. "I've heard the rumors, Liora. You've been asking about the Grove, and there are whispers in the court. People are afraid."
Liora swallowed hard. "I'm not afraid of rumors."
Renan hesitated, then placed a hand on her shoulder, his voice softening. "I'm not afraid for you, Liora. I'm afraid of what you might find. The Grove… it's dangerous. You don't understand what you're dealing with."
Liora pulled away from his touch, her gaze hardening. "You don't understand either. I have to know what it is, Renan. I have to understand why it's been hidden away all this time. The kingdom has secrets—secrets that can change everything."
"Secrets?" Renan echoed, confusion and concern mingling in his eyes. "What secrets? Liora, I'm your brother. You don't have to face this alone. Whatever it is, we'll face it together."
She looked at him, her heart torn. Renan's loyalty was unwavering, but he didn't understand. He couldn't. This was something she had to do on her own.
"I have to go," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Renan's eyes widened. "What do you mean, 'go'? Where are you going?"
"I need to find the Grove," Liora said firmly. "I need to see it for myself. Only then will I know the truth."
Renan's face paled. "You can't be serious. The Grove has been sealed for a reason. No one—no one—has ever returned from it."
Liora met his gaze. "Then it's time someone did."
Before he could protest further, she turned and left the room, her footsteps echoing in the silence of the palace halls. Her mind was set. The Grove was waiting for her. And no matter the cost, she would uncover its secrets.
But as she made her way toward the palace's secret exit, a single thought gnawed at her—what if the bloodline that bound the Grove to the royal family was more than just a legend? What if it was her blood, her destiny to awaken the power of the Grove?
The weight of the decision pressed down on her, but there was no turning back now.
The Grove was calling.
To be continued…