The great hall of the Rael family estate burned with torchlight, every shadow stretching long across the marble floors. The room was silent, but the silence was not peace—it was heavy, waiting, coiled like a predator.
Selena stood at the center, her chin lifted though her trembling hands betrayed her. Adrian remained a step behind her, close enough to act, far enough to respect the battle she was fighting.
On the high seat sat Lord Darius Rael—her uncle. His eyes, cold as steel, glimmered beneath the weight of his years and power. He had built the Rael family's reputation through cunning, strength, and blood. Tonight, all that fury was aimed at Selena.
"You dare bring shame to my name," he said at last, his voice sharp enough to slice through stone. "Disobey my word, meddle in affairs beyond your grasp—and consort with a boy who carries a cursed relic."
Selena swallowed hard, but her voice did not falter. "Uncle… I did not betray the Rael name. I only sought truth. The scroll is not a curse—it is hope. Adrian is not my enemy."
"Hope?" Darius spat the word like poison. "That scroll destroyed generations. It cost us brothers, sisters, clansmen. It should never have been unearthed." His eyes shifted, narrowing on Adrian. "And you… outsider… you brought it here."
Adrian's hand brushed the hilt of his blade, but he held his ground. "I never asked for this power. But I will not run from it. If the Rael family believes their wrath can silence truth, then come—I will stand."
Gasps echoed from the gathered Rael retainers. No one had spoken to Lord Darius so boldly in years.
The old man rose slowly from his seat. His aura spread like fire across the hall, pressing against every breath. The air thickened, the torches flickered, the marble itself seemed to groan under the weight of his fury.
Selena's knees wavered, but she stepped forward, shielding Adrian with her own body. "If you want him, you will have to strike me down first."
Darius paused. His gaze softened—for just a breath. Then his wrath returned, fiercer than before. "So be it. If blood is the price for your defiance, then the hall of Rael shall drink deep tonight."
He raised his hand. The force of his power rushed outward like a storm about to break.
And in that instant, the scroll at Adrian's side trembled—its seal glowing faintly, as if answering the call of war.