Seraphina's POV
I throw light at the shadows.
They scatter like smoke, retreating to the corners. But I can still feel them watching. Waiting.
"Who are you?" My voice shakes but I keep my hands glowing. "Show yourself!"
Laughter echoes through the room. Cold. Mocking. "Such fire for someone who died screaming just days ago."
A figure materializes from the darkness—a woman with pale skin and eyes like black holes. She's beautiful and terrifying at once.
"I am Morgana," she says. "Prince Damien's... advisor. And you, little Lightbearer, are in my domain now."
"Damien locked me in here with you?" Anger flares hot in my chest. "Is this some kind of test?"
"Everything here is a test." Morgana circles me slowly. "The question is—will you pass or break?"
She lunges.
I barely throw up a shield in time. Her dark magic crashes against my light. The impact drives me to my knees.
"Weak," she hisses. "Sloppy. Emotional. No wonder the Voidborn King wants you. You're more liability than weapon."
She attacks again. And again. Each strike harder than the last. My shield cracks. Shatters.
I hit the floor hard. Blood drips from my nose.
"Please," I gasp. "Stop."
"The enemy won't stop." Morgana stands over me, darkness swirling around her hands. "They'll push until you break or rise. So which is it, girl? Break or rise?"
Rage burns through my fear. I'm tired of being weak. Tired of needing to be saved.
I grab her ankle and pour light directly into her.
Morgana screams, stumbling back. Smoke rises from where I touched her.
"Better," she says, actually smiling now. "Much better. You have claws after all."
She snaps her fingers. The shadows vanish. The room floods with normal lamplight.
"Welcome to Shadowpeak Academy," Morgana says, her voice now pleasant. "Where we don't coddle students. We forge them. Congratulations on surviving your entrance exam."
I stare at her, chest heaving. "That was a test?"
"The first of many." She offers her hand. "Can you stand?"
I take it, letting her pull me up. My legs shake. "Does Damien know you attacked me?"
"It was his idea." Morgana's smile turns knowing. "He needs to see what you're made of. Whether you'll crumble under pressure or fight back. You fought. That's promising."
She walks to the door, unlocking it from inside. "Rest tonight. Tomorrow, real training begins. And trust me—tonight was the easy part."
She leaves. The door clicks shut behind her.
I collapse onto the bed, every muscle screaming. Through the bond, I reach for Kael desperately.
Are you okay? His concern floods through immediately. I felt your pain. Your fear.
I'm fine. It was just a test. I try to sound braver than I feel. How are you?
Heading to Thornhaven. There's reports of sick children. Dark rift opening. His emotions shift—determination mixed with worry. I wish you were here. We work better together.
My chest tightens. Two weeks. I'll be back in two weeks.
Be careful. That castle is more dangerous than Damien admits.
I will. You too.
The bond pulses warm between us. Then slowly fades as he focuses on his mission.
I'm alone again. But not as afraid as before.
I survived Morgana's test. Maybe I can survive this training after all.
One week later
"Again!" Morgana barks.
I throw another bolt of light at the moving target. Miss by inches.
"Faster! The enemy won't stand still!"
I've been training non-stop for seven days. Every morning before dawn. Every night after dark. Combat. Magic control. Mental shields. Physical conditioning.
My body is covered in bruises. My hands shake from exhaustion. But I'm getting stronger. Faster. Better.
"Good," Morgana says when I finally hit three targets in a row. "You're learning. Not fast enough, but learning."
"When do I see Damien?" I ask. "He hasn't shown up once."
"The prince is busy with kingdom matters." Morgana's expression reveals nothing. "He'll see you when you're ready."
"I am ready."
"You're not." She summons a blade of pure shadow and throws it at my head.
I deflect it with a light shield without thinking. The blade dissolves on contact.
Morgana smiles. "Now you're getting somewhere. Dismissed. Go eat something. You look half-dead."
I stumble to the dining hall. Other students train in the courtyard—mostly young warriors learning combat. They stare at me with curiosity and fear.
The Lightbearer. The girl with the glowing hands.
I grab food and find an empty corner. Through the bond, I feel Kael's exhaustion matching mine. He's been fighting too. More than he's telling me.
How's Thornhaven? I ask.
His response comes slowly. Bad. The rift is bigger than expected. Children are dying faster than I can evacuate them.
Can you close it?
Not alone. I need you. Frustration bleeds through. But you're not here.
Guilt twists in my stomach. One more week. Then I'm coming back. We'll fix this together.
One more week might be too late.
Before I can respond, an alarm screams through the castle. Guards rush past, shouting.
Helena runs into the dining hall. "Everyone to defensive positions! The castle is under attack!"
My heart stops. "What kind of attack?"
"Voidborn forces. Hundreds of them." Her face is pale. "They're coming for the Lightbearer."
They're coming for me.
I run to the courtyard. The sky is dark with corrupted creatures—shadow wolves, twisted birds, things that have no names. They swarm the castle walls.
And leading them—standing at the front of the army—is a figure in black armor. Power radiates from him like heat from a furnace.
One of the Voidborn King's generals. Maybe the same one from the river.
His voice booms across the battlefield. "Give us the Lightbearer and we'll spare the castle. Refuse, and everyone dies."
Damien finally appears, in his dragon form, landing beside me. Don't even think about surrendering, his voice says in my mind.
They're here because of me. All these people—
Will fight because that's what warriors do. He shifts to human form. "Besides, you're not the only prize here. They want this castle. They want me. You're just the excuse they needed to attack."
The general raises his hand. "You have one minute to decide!"
"We don't need a minute," Damien shouts back. "The answer is no."
The general smiles. "Then everyone dies."
He drops his hand.
The army charges.
Hundreds of corrupted creatures slam into the castle defenses. The battle explodes into chaos—screaming, fighting, dying.
"Stay close to me!" Damien yells, shifting back to dragon form.
But a massive shadow wyrm breaks through the walls. It heads straight for me, jaws wide.
I throw up a shield. It holds. Barely.
Then something worse happens.
Through the bond, I feel Kael's pain spike so high it drives me to my knees. He's hurt. Badly hurt.
Kael! I scream through our connection. What's happening?
His response is weak. Fading. Ambush. They knew I was alone. Knew you weren't here to help. I'm sorry, Seraphina. I don't think I'm going to—
The bond goes silent.
Completely silent.
For the first time since we were bound, I can't feel Kael at all.
Either he's unconscious...
Or he's dead.