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A familiar voice calls out from behind, “Elara!” I turn sharply and find Captain Bastian, my trusted ally, approaching me. His usually composed expression now shows concern.

“You shouldn’t have provoked them like that,” he says urgently. “You know how the High Chancellor responds when her authority is challenged.”

So much for the privacy of the courtroom. Was my voice that loud?

I glare at him. “Did you expect me to stand there and let them dictate the rest of my life? To bind me to someone I barely know without a fight?”

Bastian exhales and runs a hand through his dishevelled hair. “No. But if you’re going to play this game, be smarter. They’re

already on edge after whatever happened last night.”

I can’t help but smile slightly despite the tension. “Last night was the most alive I’ve felt in years, Bastian. For a few hours, I wasn’t just Elara the queen or Elara the Council’s pawn. I was

simply... me.”

His expression softens, but his tone remains serious. “ And

now you are marrying Lord Kaelen. Do you even know anything about him, aside from what the treaty requires?”

I hesitate. Lord Kaelen conjures an image of a tall, white haired man, charming, untouchable, and enigmatic. However, charm alone does not guarantee trust.

“Well, not really, we told each other tales of our past,” I admit softly. “But I doubt he has any choice in this, any more than I do.”

Bastian furrows his brows. “That doesn’t mean you should go into this blind. If the bond is as dangerous as they say, you need to be prepared, for him, for the magic, and for what they’re not telling you.”

I nod, anchoring myself with his words. “You’re right. Find out what you can about him, Bastian. I need to know who I’m up against, or who I’ll be bound to.”

Bastian places a firm hand on my shoulder. “You don’t have to face this alone, Elara.”

“I understand,” I respond gently. “But I’ll have to confront some parts of this myself.”

As he walks away to gather information, I prepare myself for what lies ahead. The grand hall stretches before me, its arches leading to my chambers where preparations for the union have already begun.

Later that evening, I sit by the fire in my private chambers, feeling the warmth contrasting sharply with the icy knot of unease in my stomach. Bastian returns, his expression unreadable as he places a leather-bound journal and a small parchment scroll on the table before me.

“This is everything I could gather,” he says, sitting in the chair across from me. “Lord Kaelen isn’t as straightforward as the Council would like you to believe.”

I raise an eyebrow as I pick up the journal. “Go on,” I say.

Bastian leans forward, whispering. “He’s the only powerful vampire at Castle Thornspire, Ebonshade Keep’s monumental fortress. Known for his tactical brilliance in border skirmishes, he is also a direct descendant of Lord Garth.”

My breath catches, and my eyes widen at the mention of Lord Garth.

His name stirs an ancient and terrifying memory.

Dragons have been extinct for centuries; the last one was slain in the last battle of the Great War.

The only immortal ruler to have ever tamed a dragon was King Belial, and fortunately, that dragon fought alongside the kingdoms of Ebonshade and Lunairis.

“Kaelen is a direct descendant... how?” I whisper, struggling to comprehend the weight of Bastian’s words.

My expression hardens as I grip the armrest of my chair, the news settling like a cold stone in my chest. My voice drops, measured but tinged with simmering frustration.

“The only powerful vampire at Castle Thornspire, and a descendant of Lord Garth. Of course, the Council would allow the treaty to bind me to such a creature. Why settle for simple politics when they can tie a ribbon around a powder keg?”

Bastian exhales slowly, as if he is preparing for the storm brewing in my voice.

“It’s not just his power, Elara. His lineage makes him dangerous.

Lord Garth wasn’t just any vampire, he nearly shattered entire kingdoms. His bloodline is steeped in ancient, volatile magic.

If Kaelen is anything like his ancestor, this bond might be as much a restraint for him as it is a burden for you. ”

I rise from my chair and pace the room with restless strides, my mind whirling.

“And they think I’m the one to keep him in check?

A queen who doesn’t even know if she’s full-blooded or half-breed, with just enough magic to light a fire and maybe wield a sword?

” I shake my head, frustration spilling over.

“No, this isn’t about peace. This is about control.

They want me to tether him, use me as their fail-safe. ”

Bastian maintains his steady gaze on me. “That’s not all,” he

says. I halt mid-stride and give him a sharp, demanding look. “What else? ”

“There are whispers,” he says, his voice barely above a whisper, “that Kaelen didn’t just inherit his ancestor’s power. He’s rumoured to carry the Blood-bond Curse. If the Council is correct, and this bond goes wrong, ” He hesitates, his gaze filled with concern.

I don’t flinch, but my fists tighten at my sides. “What happens, Bastian? Tell me.”

He leans forward, the firelight casting flickering shadows across his face. “If the curse takes hold, it won’t just consume him; it will consume you, your will, your soul, everything. You’ll be bound to him completely, in life and death.”

I stand frozen for a moment, the air thick with the weight of his words. Then I exhale sharply, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. “So that’s it, then. I’m to be his keeper, or his sacrifice.”

Bastian steps toward me. “Elara, we still have time. If you want me to stop this, ”

“No,” I say firmly, my voice cutting through the tension like a blade.

I turned to face him, my eyes blazing with determination.

“I won’t run. If the Council thinks they can use me, they’ll soon learn just how wrong they are.

And if Lord Kaelen is as dangerous as they claim.

..” I smirked, but there was no humour in it.

“Then it’s time I meet this infamous side of him.

Let’s see if he’s truly a monster or just another pawn. ”

Bastian shook his head, frustration creeping into his voice. “Please, Elara. You need to be careful. If this marriage is more than just politics, if it’s a way to harness his power, you have

the right to know.”

“Thank you, Bastian. I will tread carefully. Keep that journal hidden and do not let it fall into the wrong hands.”

I see him leave, a trusting look exchanged between us.

I know he’ll keep his word. After closing the door and locking it for the night, I feel the weight of the silence settle around me.

The bed calls to me, but I turn instead toward my vanity mirror.

The flickering firelight dances across the polished surface, casting shadows that twist and distort my reflection.

I lean forward, resting my hands on the edge of the vanity, gripping the wood as if to anchor myself in this storm of thoughts.

My eyes meet the woman staring back at me, a fierce, unyielding gaze that feels both familiar and foreign. There is weight in her expression, anger and resolve, but something deeper too: betrayal. Yet, she doesn’t let it show fully. Not yet.

The gown draped over the back of the chair catches my eye in the reflection.

Its intricate embroidery of gold and crimson resembles chains disguised as beauty.

I absently reach out, tracing my finger along the fabric, the remnants of last night, of the night spent with Kaelen, still clinging to it. I drop my hand, feeling disgusted.

“How did it come to this?” I whisper the question barely audible, as if I were asking the woman in the mirror and not myself.

I study her face, my face. The sharpness of my cheekbones, the tension in my jaw, the fire in my eyes. She looks like a warrior preparing for battle, yet there’s a coldness to her that feels almost alien.

“Do you even know who you are anymore?” I murmur, tilting my head slightly as though the reflection might respond. Of course, it doesn’t change. It’s always the same unyielding stare.

“I will survive this,” I say firmly, challenging my reflection to disagree. “I always do.” As I turn away from the mirror, the image of myself lingers; this version of me, forged by anger and necessity, feels both alien and achingly familiar. One thought occupies my mind now.