Chapter Three – The Castle of Whispers
Aria didn't sleep that night.
The bed was soft, the silks warmer than anything she'd felt, but her mind wouldn't stop spinning. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the man—Kael. His glowing eyes, the sharp lines of his face, the way his voice seemed to curl around her name like it belonged to him.
The Cursed King.
She hugged her knees to her chest.
"Why me?" she whispered to the empty room.
When dawn came—if it could even be called dawn here—she slipped out of bed. Pale light filtered through the tall windows, but it wasn't sunlight. The twin moons still hung in the sky, and the air outside looked thick with mist.
Her curiosity gnawed at her. She needed answers.
---
The castle hallways were massive and eerily silent. Her bare feet made soft taps against the cold stone floors as she moved through corridors lined with paintings—portraits of kings and queens with eyes that seemed to follow her.
There were no servants bustling about. No laughter. It felt… abandoned.
She turned a corner and froze.
At the end of the hallway stood Kael, his back to her. He was leaning over a table covered in ancient scrolls, his silver hair falling into his face. Even from this distance, he looked tense, his shoulders rigid.
Aria should have turned around. She should have gone back to her room.
But something in her wouldn't let her.
She crept closer, quiet as possible, her heart pounding with every step.
"…the blood moon," Kael was saying, his voice low and harsh. "It's begun again. The curse tightens each time. I have… ninety days."
Aria's breath caught. Ninety days?
Another voice replied—a man's voice, deep and rumbling. "Then you must do what you swore you'd never do, my king. The bond must be made. Without an heir, the curse will take your life."
Her chest tightened. An heir?
Kael slammed his fist onto the table, making the scrolls jump. "Don't speak of heirs," he snapped. "I will not drag an innocent into this."
"But she's here, isn't she?" the other voice said calmly. "The blood moon called her to you for a reason. Perhaps this time, fate has given you a chance."
There was silence. Then Kael's voice, softer but edged with something dangerous:
"Fate is cruel. I won't let her die because of me."
Aria stumbled back, her heart hammering. She didn't know what any of it meant, but one thing was clear—she was tangled in something far bigger than she understood.
---
She turned to leave, but her foot hit a loose stone. It scraped loudly.
Kael's head whipped around.
"Aria."
Her stomach dropped. His voice wasn't loud, but the way he said her name made every nerve in her body tighten.
"I—um—I was just—"
"Come here," he ordered, his tone dark and commanding.
Aria's breath caught. She should run. She should not walk toward the dangerous man with the sword of black fire.
But her feet betrayed her, carrying her forward until she stood just a few steps away.
He looked down at her, his glowing eyes narrowing. "Were you listening?"
"I…" She swallowed hard. "I just woke up, and I wanted to… to look around."
His gaze dropped, lingering on her bare feet and the way she clutched the edge of her thin robe like a shield. Something unreadable flickered in his eyes—anger? Concern? Desire?
Kael sighed, stepping closer. He was too close now. She could feel the heat radiating off him. His presence was overwhelming.
"You shouldn't wander here," he said, his voice softer but no less dangerous. "This castle isn't safe."
Aria lifted her chin, forcing herself to meet his gaze. "Then maybe tell me what's going on instead of leaving me in the dark."
A faint smirk curved his lips. "You have spirit."
"I have questions," she shot back.
His smirk faded, and for a moment, silence stretched between them. Then Kael turned away, walking toward one of the tall windows. His hand rested against the glass as he spoke.
"This realm… it wasn't always like this. There was a time when the moons were white, when the forests bloomed and the rivers ran clear. But I… failed."
Aria frowned. "Failed?"
"I was cursed," he said simply. "By someone I once trusted. The curse rots this land, turns it to shadow. And now it rots me."
Her chest tightened. The way he said it—like he'd long accepted his own death—made something ache inside her.
"What happens when the curse… finishes?" she asked carefully.
Kael's gaze met hers, sharp and unflinching. "Then I will vanish. And Tharos will fall with me."
---
Before she could speak, the door creaked open.
The dark-haired woman from last night stepped in, her armor clinking softly. She shot Aria a suspicious look before bowing slightly to Kael.
"My king," she said, "the Nightborn are gathering at the forest's edge. They'll attack by nightfall."
Kael's expression darkened. "Double the guards on the gates. I'll deal with them myself if I must."
The woman nodded, her gaze still lingering on Aria as if to say, Why is she still here?
When the door shut again, Aria exhaled, realizing she'd been holding her breath.
"You're a king," she said slowly, as if trying to piece it together. "But this place… it doesn't feel like a kingdom."
Kael's lips twitched. "Not anymore." He turned to her, stepping closer once again. His voice lowered, almost a whisper. "And you, Aria… you don't belong here. But you're here for a reason. Whether you realize it or not."
Her heart skipped.
"What reason?" she asked, barely able to get the words out.
Kael's gaze locked on hers, and for a heartbeat, the world seemed to still. The air between them was charged, heavy with something unspoken.
"I don't know yet," he admitted. "But I intend to find out."
---
That night, Aria stood by the window of her room, staring at the strange twin moons. She could still feel Kael's gaze on her, the way his voice had softened when he'd said her name.
Somewhere deep inside, a whisper stirred—a strange warmth, as if part of her recognized him.
She shook her head. No. I don't know him. I can't.
And yet, she couldn't stop thinking about him.