Chapter 3 Secrets in the Dark

The wind howled through the jagged ridge as Vaela pulled herself over the last sharp rock. Her hands ached, her muscles burned, but she didn't stop. Stopping meant dying. She could still feel the weight of the shadowbeasts' eyes on her back. Even though they had stopped at the edge of the ridge, their presence clung to the air-thick, heavy, wrong.

Kael followed closely behind, his breath ragged. His face was pale under the fading moonlight, but his movements were quick and sharp. Whatever pain he was in, he didn't let it slow him down.

At the top of the ridge, the land stretched into a narrow path lined with twisted, blackened trees. The mist clung low to the ground, but it was thinner here. The air felt... cleaner. Safer. But only just.

Vaela's heart still thundered in her chest as she looked back. The shadowbeasts remained at the bottom, pacing and snarling, but none of them dared cross the invisible line.

"Why won't they follow?" she asked, more to herself than Kael.

Kael leaned against a boulder, wiping his blade clean on his torn sleeve. "They're bound to something," he said, his voice rough. "A curse. A master. Something stronger than them is keeping them back."

Vaela narrowed her eyes at him. "And you know this because...?"

For a moment, he didn't answer. His face was unreadable, but there was something there-something he wasn't telling her.

"I know things," he said flatly.

"That's not an answer," she snapped.

He pushed off the rock, sliding his sword back into the sheath at his waist. "You want answers?" His emerald eyes met hers, cold and sharp. "So do I. But first, we survive."

Vaela wanted to press him. She wanted to demand the truth-what are you hiding?-but the weariness pulling at her limbs was stronger. She turned away, biting back her frustration.

"Let's keep moving," she said, her voice quieter now.

Kael didn't argue.

They walked in silence for a long time. The path twisted through the trees, winding higher into the mountains. With every step, the air grew colder. Sharp winds bit at her skin, cutting through her cloak.

Vaela glanced at Kael from the corner of her eye. He moved easily now, too easily for someone who had been on death's edge hours ago. His wounds should have slowed him down-but they hadn't.

"You're healing fast," she said, breaking the silence.

Kael's lips twitched into a half-smile. "I'm lucky like that."

"That's not normal," she pressed. "Not even for wolves."

He didn't respond right away. For a moment, she thought he would brush her off again. But then-

"I'm not just a wolf."

The words hung heavy between them.

Vaela slowed her steps, her pulse quickening. "What are you?"

He hesitated, as if weighing whether to trust her. "A curse," he said finally. "Or maybe a mistake."

It wasn't the answer she expected, but it sent a chill curling through her blood.

"Care to explain?" she asked.

"No."

Of course. She sighed, shaking her head. A man full of secrets. Perfect.

Still, there was something familiar in his voice. A weight. A pain she recognized all too well-the feeling of being other, of not belonging.

And even though she didn't trust him, she understood that feeling.

Kael's voice cut through her thoughts. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"You left your pack," he said, watching her closely. "No wolf does that without a reason."

The words stung more than they should have. Vaela's grip tightened on her dagger, but she forced her voice to stay even. "I didn't leave," she said quietly. "I was cast aside."

For a moment, Kael didn't speak. When he did, his voice was softer. "His loss."

The simple words caught her off guard, but she pushed the feeling down. She didn't need pity. Not from him. Not from anyone.

"I don't care anymore," she lied.

"Liar," Kael murmured, but there was no malice in his tone. Just understanding.

Vaela shook her head and quickened her pace. "Let's move. I don't want to be here when night falls."

I don't care. I don't care. I don't care. If she said it enough times, maybe she would start to believe it.

By midday, the path led them to a broken stone archway, half-hidden by thick vines. Faint carvings covered the surface-worn and ancient-but Vaela recognized the shape.

A symbol of protection. A ward against dark magic.

Kael paused beside her, his expression unreadable. "You know this place?"

"Stories," she said, stepping closer. "The elders say these ruins mark the border between our world and the old magic. A place where even the gods can't hear you."

Kael's lips curled into a faint smile. "Sounds cozy."

Vaela rolled her eyes. "If the shadowbeasts can't follow us, it's good enough for now."

She slipped through the archway first, her heart pounding. The air inside was colder-too cold-but the heavy, oppressive feeling that had followed them faded. Whatever magic still clung to these stones, it kept the darkness at bay.

They moved deeper into the ruins. Broken pillars stretched toward the sky, and jagged pieces of ancient stone scattered across the ground. In the center stood a crumbling altar, vines twisting around its base like skeletal fingers.

Vaela knelt by the altar, brushing away the dirt and leaves. Something gleamed beneath the surface.

A dagger.

Its hilt was carved with unfamiliar symbols, the silver blade blackened along the edges as if it had touched something unholy.

Kael crouched beside her, his eyes narrowing. "That's no ordinary weapon."

"No," Vaela murmured, wrapping her fingers around the hilt. A shiver ran through her, but she didn't let go. "And it's not here by accident."

Kael watched her carefully. "You're not afraid of it?"

"I've faced worse," she said, sliding the dagger into her belt.

And she meant it. Whatever lay ahead, she would not break again.

As the sun began to sink beyond the trees, the uneasy feeling returned. The air grew colder, the silence heavier.

Kael stopped suddenly, his body tensing. "We're not alone."

Vaela froze, her hand drifting to her dagger. "What is it?"

He didn't answer right away. Instead, his gaze flicked toward the far edge of the ruins, where the mist seemed to thicken unnaturally.

And then-

A figure emerged.

Tall and wrapped in a black cloak, its face hidden beneath a hood. But the power rolling off it was impossible to ignore-cold, ancient, and heavy with malice.

Kael shifted closer to Vaela, his voice low. "Whatever happens, stay behind me."

"I can handle myself," she shot back, drawing her dagger.

The figure moved closer, stopping just beyond the edge of the altar. When it spoke, its voice was smooth-but there was something wrong beneath the surface.

"You shouldn't be here," it said softly. "This place is not for the living."

Vaela tightened her grip on her blade. "Who are you?"

The figure tilted its head, as if considering the question. "A messenger," it said at last. "And I bring a warning-turn back while you still can."

Kael stepped forward, his sword gleaming in the fading light. "Or what?"

A slow, cold smile crept across the figure's lips. "Or the shadows will take you, too."

And with those words, the figure vanished-leaving only the echo of its warning hanging in the air.

Vaela's blood ran cold. Whatever was hunting them wasn't finished.

And this-this was just the beginning.

The air where the figure had stood remained heavy, thick with an unnatural chill. Vaela swallowed against the rising tension curling in her stomach. Whoever-or whatever-that messenger had been, its warning rang loud and clear.

Or the shadows will take you, too.

Kael's sword hung loosely at his side, but the muscles in his jaw tightened. His usual calm had cracked, just enough for her to notice. Whatever this was, he knew more than he was telling her.

Vaela turned her gaze back to the spot where the figure had vanished. The mist seemed thicker there, curling unnaturally over the broken stones. A deep, uneasy feeling tugged at the edges of her senses-like something unseen was watching.

"We need to move," Kael said, his voice low but edged with something sharp.

Vaela didn't argue. She slid the ancient dagger she'd found into the sheath at her thigh and stood, brushing dirt from her knees. "You've dealt with things like that before, haven't you?"

Kael hesitated, just for a second, but that was answer enough.

"I've seen worse," he admitted, scanning the ruins. "But that? That was no ordinary messenger. It wasn't human."

A cold shiver ran down her spine. "Then what was it?"

Kael shook his head. "I don't know. But whatever it serves-it's powerful. And it doesn't want us here."

Vaela exhaled, glancing once more toward the mist. "Good. I'm tired of things underestimating me."

A flicker of a smile crossed his lips-brief, but real. "You're not easily scared, are you?"

"Not anymore," she said quietly.

They left the altar behind, slipping deeper into the crumbling ruins. The air grew colder, the mist twisting through the stone pillars like restless fingers. Vaela stayed close to Kael-not because she trusted him, but because he knew things she didn't. And if they were being hunted, she wasn't about to die out of pride.

"Why were those shadowbeasts tracking you?" she asked after a while. The silence between them felt too heavy, too fragile.

Kael didn't answer immediately. His jaw tensed, and for a moment, she thought he would ignore the question. Then-

"They weren't just tracking me," he said. "They were drawn to me."

Vaela frowned. "Why?"

He let out a slow breath. "Because of what I am."

Her heart pounded louder in her chest. "Which is...?"

Kael glanced sideways at her, his emerald eyes darker in the fading light. "A mistake," he said again. But this time, there was something raw underneath-something broken.

Vaela wanted to press him, to demand the truth-but before she could speak, a sound echoed through the ruins. Faint at first, then clearer-a distant whisper curling through the air.

She froze. It wasn't the wind.

The voice was too clear, too sharp. And worse-it was calling her name.

"Vaela..."

Her blood turned cold. She spun toward the sound, but the mist swirled, revealing nothing.

"You heard that?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Kael nodded, his hand already on his sword. "We're not alone."

The voice came again, softer but more insistent. Closer.

"Vaela... come back..."

Her heart twisted painfully in her chest. She knew that voice-too well.

It was Draven's.

"No," she breathed, her pulse thundering in her ears. "That's not possible."

Kael moved closer, his presence steady and grounding. "It's not real," he said firmly. "Whatever it is-it's a trick."

But it felt real. Too real.

For a terrifying second, part of her wanted to follow it-to chase that familiar voice back to the life she had lost. But she wasn't that girl anymore.

"Why is it using his voice?" she asked, her throat tight.

Kael's expression darkened. "Because it knows your weakness."

The truth of his words cut deep-but he wasn't wrong. Draven was her weakness. The wound still raw, the pain too fresh. And something wanted to use it against her.

She forced herself to take a breath. "We keep moving," she said, lifting her chin. "I'm not falling for a ghost."

Kael studied her for a moment before nodding. "Good. Because if you listen to that voice long enough-" He broke off, his mouth a hard line.

"It'll drive me mad," Vaela finished.

"Or worse," Kael murmured.

They followed the path beyond the ruins, moving swiftly beneath the shadowed canopy of trees. The whispers faded, but the weight of unseen eyes never left them.

Hours later, just as the sun dipped below the horizon, they reached a narrow valley, half-hidden by a curtain of tangled vines. Beneath the vines, Vaela spotted the entrance-an ancient stone door, cracked and weathered by time. Symbols, much like the ones on the dagger, had been etched deep into the stone.

Kael brushed his fingers across the markings, his brow furrowing. "This place is older than I thought."

"What is it?" Vaela asked.

"A tomb," he said quietly. "But not just any tomb." His eyes met hers, and the flicker of worry she saw there sent chills down her spine. "This is a prison."

Vaela's pulse quickened. "A prison for what?"

He hesitated. "For things that should never be set free."

A heavy silence fell between them. The air itself seemed to grow colder, pressing against her skin.

"And you think we're safer inside?" Vaela asked, arching an eyebrow.

Kael's smile was grim. "Safer than staying out here and waiting for whatever's been following us."

She hated that he had a point. With a soft sigh, Vaela reached for the edge of the stone door. It groaned in protest, but it shifted under their combined strength. Cool air rushed out, thick with dust and the faint scent of magic long-forgotten.

Without another word, they stepped inside.

The tomb was cold and dark, the air thick and heavy. Their footsteps echoed softly as they moved through the stone corridor. Strange markings lined the walls-symbols Vaela couldn't read, but they thrummed with power.

"This magic," she said quietly, running her fingers over one of the carvings, "it doesn't feel... normal."

Kael stopped ahead, his body tense. "It's not," he agreed. "It's older. And worse-it's broken."

Vaela's stomach twisted. "What happens when magic like this breaks?"

Kael's voice was quiet. "Things crawl through the cracks."

A shiver swept over her skin, but she didn't let herself dwell on the fear twisting in her gut. She wouldn't break-not again.

They pressed deeper into the tomb until they reached a circular chamber. In the center stood a stone pedestal, and on it rested a small, blackened box.

Vaela's instincts screamed at her to leave it alone. But something about the box-the power curling from it-called to her.

"What is it?" she asked, her voice softer now.

Kael's face was pale, his expression unreadable. "A lock," he said. "Or maybe... a key."

Vaela swallowed hard. Whatever secrets lay buried here, they weren't meant to be disturbed.

But something had already begun to stir.

And it wasn't going back to sleep.

Vaela stepped closer to the blackened box, her heartbeat thudding softly in her ears. The air around it felt heavier, almost like the magic woven into the stone was pushing back-warning her not to touch it.

"I don't like this," she murmured, her fingers twitching at her side.

Kael stood rigid beside her, his expression cold and unreadable. "You shouldn't," he said quietly. "Things locked away like this... they're never meant to be found."

His words should have been enough to make her stop. But they weren't.

Vaela stretched her hand toward the box, her pulse quickening. A strange warmth curled beneath her skin-a pull deep in her chest, as if something inside her recognized the magic.

"Careful," Kael warned. His voice was sharper now. "Magic like this doesn't give without taking something in return."

She hesitated, but the pull only grew stronger. "What if this is why we were led here?" she asked. "What if the answers we need are inside?"

Kael didn't move, but the tension rolling off him was impossible to miss. "And what if it's not?" His voice dropped lower. "You don't know what you're inviting in, Vaela."

His use of her name-soft, serious-sent a strange flutter through her stomach. But she pushed it aside.

"I'm not afraid of the dark," she said, more to herself than to him.

And before Kael could stop her, she laid her hand on the box.

The moment her fingers touched the cold, black surface, the air around them shifted. A pulse of energy surged through the chamber-dark and electric-racing up her arm and into her chest.

Vaela gasped, her knees buckling beneath the weight of the magic. Images flashed behind her closed eyes-blinding and chaotic.

A broken throne.

A man with silver eyes, his face twisted in rage.

A hand reaching through shadows-calling to her.

"Vaela!" Kael's voice cut through the vision, distant and sharp.

Her eyes snapped open as a wave of dizziness swept over her. She swayed on her feet, but Kael's hands were already on her arms, steadying her.

"What did you see?" he demanded, his voice tight.

She swallowed hard, the visions still burning behind her eyes. "Something... old. Something angry." She forced herself to breathe. "And it's not finished."

Kael cursed under his breath. "We need to leave. Now."

But Vaela's hand wouldn't let go of the box. Even as fear tightened her throat, the magic wouldn't release her.

"It's... calling to me," she whispered, more confused than afraid.

the

Kael's grip on her arms tightened. "Then stop listening," he growled. "Or it will tear you apart."

With a sharp breath, Vaela forced her hand back. The moment she broke contact, the pressure vanished. But the mark it left on her-whatever had awakened inside-was still there, humming beneath her skin.

Kael was already moving, pulling her back toward the entrance. "Whatever you touched," he said, his voice cold, "you just woke it up."

Vaela cast one last glance at the box, unease twisting through her stomach.

What have I done?

As the stone door groaned shut behind them, the shadows stirred-and far beneath the earth, something else began to wake.