The cloudy afternoon sky hung low over a lonely villa on the outskirts of Aethelgard.
Nestled deep within a forest of black pines, the vast estate looked more like a prison than a retreat—its high stone walls and iron gates built like a stronghold.
Inside, the air was stifling. In the grand sitting room, a lone figure stood before a crackling fireplace. Flames danced at his fingertips, flickering with each restless breath. The scorched marble floor beneath his boots bore silent witness to past outbursts.
A heavy knock broke the silence. A steward stepped in, pale and anxious, bowing low.
"Your Highness… forgive the intrusion. A royal decree has arrived." He held out a scroll, the wax seal of the imperial crest glinting in the firelight.
Kael Solandor snatched the scroll from the man's hands, heat rippling from his skin as the seal sizzled beneath his touch. Breaking it open the seal, his eyes quickly scanned the elegant script.
[ Attend the Rune Ceremony at the Imperial Palace.Your presence is required. The Empire demands your cooperation.]
Kael's amber eyes darkened, crimson glinting like fire beneath the surface. He exhaled, long and slow, the flames curling up his sleeves before he forced them to vanish.
"So… he finally decided to drag me out of exile," he muttered.
His voice was rough with disdain, echoing off the cold stone walls.
He didn't glance at the steward again. "Call Davis - and prepare tea."
The man bowed and fled without a word. A few minutes later, the steward returned with a tray and set it on the table and rushed out. Steam rose gently from the teapot.
Kael stood by the window, his arms folded, watching a carriage pull up the winding path through the forest. It looked like a herald of inevitability, slow and sure.
The door creaked open behind him. Davis Greywood entered—his loyal assistant, dressed in dark gray.
"My lord," Davis greeted, pausing at a respectful distance. His sharp eyes flicked to the discarded scroll.
Kael's voice was sharp. "Why now?"
He turned, flames flickering once more around his fingers as he picked up the decree and tossed it onto the table.
"They've kept me hidden for years—like some inconvenient secret. And now, they want me front and center at the empire's most public ceremony?"
Davis hesitated, looking at the scroll. "The decree was personally issued by His Majesty. There's... pressure. Some nobles are questioning your legitimacy."
Kael scoffed, his lips curling in disdain.
"Of course they are. I'm the cursed one. The mistake they kept hidden behind thick walls and denials."
Davis lowered his voice. "Do you think it has anything to do with… the way you look?"
Kael fell silent.The fire crackled loudly, filling the pause with its own unease. His gaze turned distant.
He remembered that night—the night the truth first began to unravel. The Empress's quiet voice. The Emperor's grim promise. The words he was never meant to hear. We will keep him safe.
Years ago, his pendant had broken during a violent flare of his curse. That was the first time his eyes glowed amber flashing with red—and the first time he truly realized how different he was. No one in the imperial bloodline had eyes like his—they all bore black or brown.
Kael's jaw clenched.
"He kept me safe by locking me away," he said bitterly. "And now, when it suits him, he wants to parade me around like the forgotten prince returned from exile."
He turned back toward the window, his voice cold. "Tell the men to prepare. If the emperor wants me back in Aethelgard… I'll give him exactly what he's asked for."
Davis bowed. "As you command, Your Highness."
Kael reached for his cloak—black velvet with silver embroidery. As he fastened it around his shoulders, his hand brushed the locket at his neck. A simple pendant, silver and scorched from years of use. It was the only thing he had left from before—before the curse, before the villa, before the lies.
As thunder rumbled across the distant hills, Kael Solandor stepped out into the courtyard, boots crunching against the cold stone.
....
A Few Weeks Ago — Imperial Council Hall
Lightning flashed outside the imperial council hall, casting shadows along the pillars. Emperor Eldric Solandor sat at the head of a long black oak table, his crown glinting dimly under the stormlight. Before him stood his three sons—Leonhart, Morgan, and Kael—each silent under the weight of unspoken history.
Kael remained near the shadows at the far end of the hall, leaning casually against a column. His amber eyes, tinged with a faint crimson glow, flickered as they caught the firelight from the brazier.
The emperor's voice cut through the silence. "The Vellore family has fulfilled every oath to this empire since its founding. Though a mishap has robbed them of their leaders, the bloodline remains strong. It is time we uphold the pact made with them."
Crown Prince Leonhart exhaled sharply, barely concealing his disdain. "You mean her—the Ice Witch of Ashrose. The court already fears her, Father. Must the empire do the same?"
Second Prince Morgan crossed his arms. "Leonhart's right. She's known as the villainess for a reason. Besides, I have my interests elsewhere."
The emperor ignored their protests. "You are Solandors. You do not act from fear or selfish desire. Aveline Vellore may have a reputation, but she has also kept order, built influence, and held her domain without falling into chaos."
Kael said nothing, his gaze fixed on the flames. His silence wasn't defiance—it was disinterest.
The emperor reached into the drawer and withdrew a scroll sealed with blue wax. "She has chosen to participate in the ceremony using the fate rune, not the crystal sphere. She will stand alone and let fate decide her match—if any."
Leonhart scoffed. "So she wants to test the fate instead of choosing someone herself. How fitting."
Morgan arched a brow. "If she has no soulmate or fated one, the rune will not react. That would be rather embarrassing for her."
"She knows what she's doing," the emperor replied evenly. "And she never acts without reason. She sent this letter herself." He tapped the scroll. "She has made her decision."
Kael shifted slightly, his cloak rustling as he crossed one ankle over the other. Red flickered at the edge of his eyes, but he remained quiet.
Morgan said lightly, "Wasn't her brother, Alaric, the one who studied at UMA with the twin princesses? Maybe one of them would've made a better match."
"Regardless," the emperor said coldly, "the ceremony will proceed, and the empire will watch. All of you will attend."
The storm outside intensified, rattling the glass, echoing the tension in the chamber.
Kael remained silent, gaze steady on the fire.
Let the rune decide, he thought. If it chooses me… then so be it. If not, I remain forgotten. Either way, I lose nothing.
....