The Forgotten Pact
Kaelen pulls me into the firelit chamber. My chest still burns from the seal's pulse, my hand glowing faintly. The manor feels alive around us—shadows twisting along walls, whispering something I can't hear.
He lets go of my wrist but doesn't move away. His silver eyes hold mine, sharp and unyielding. "Sit," he says, gesturing toward the chair by the hearth.
I hesitate, but the warmth from the fire draws me closer. "You need to explain," I say, voice trembling. "What's happening to me?"
Kaelen exhales. His shoulders tense as if carrying a weight I can't see. "The seal you touched wasn't just a lock," he begins, voice low. "It was a tether. It bound your life to mine."
I stare at him, heart hammering. "My life… to yours? What do you mean?"
He crouches slightly, silver eyes level with mine. "You are my Life Anchor."
The words strike like a blade. My stomach twists. "Life Anchor…?"
He nods. "The Forgotten Pact is older than any living memory. It was made long ago to protect the heir of House Veylor. You… you were chosen without knowing it."
My head spins. "Chosen? I didn't choose anything! I—"
"The seal picked you," Kaelen interrupts gently. "It recognized your bloodline, your heart. You are the only one who can keep me alive beyond my twenty-fifth year."
The weight of it presses down on me. My chest burns from the seal, but now it feels heavier—like carrying someone else's life inside me. "You mean… if I die… you die?"
Kaelen's gaze is steady, cold yet unreadable. "And if I die… so do you."
I press my hands to my chest. The warmth from the seal spreads again, sharp, almost unbearable. "This… this is insane," I whisper. "I don't even know you. How am I supposed to… to—"
"To live knowing your life is tied to mine?" Kaelen finishes for me, voice almost a growl. "Exactly. And that's why they want you dead."
I stare at him, mind racing. "They…? Who?"
"The ones who want the pact broken the old way," he says, rising. He moves toward the window, where moonlight spills across the floor. "They kill the anchor. That's the only way to remove the bond."
My chest twists again. I feel the pulse of the seal flare in my hand, sharp and urgent. Every heartbeat screams danger. "But… why me? Why now?"
Kaelen's gaze flickers toward the fire, then back to me. "Because you were always meant to be here. Your ancestors were part of this, even if you didn't know it. The blood carries memory, even if the mind does not."
I shake my head, trying to process. "So… my life is literally tied to yours. And now I'm… responsible for keeping you alive?"
"Yes," he says simply. His eyes soften just a fraction, but only for a moment. "And that makes you more dangerous than anyone in this manor. The bond will grow, whether you want it to or not. Every heartbeat, every step, every thought… it will pull us closer."
The warmth from the seal spreads through my arm, chest, even into my legs. I can feel it vibrating, alive. Scared, trembling, I glance at him. "And if I can't do it? If I fail?"
Kaelen kneels closer, silver eyes cold yet protective. "You won't fail. Not while I breathe."
The shadows in the room stir, whispering faintly. The manor groans. Somewhere, a wind rattles the windows. Danger feels closer, but the bond hums through me—strong, steady, alive.
I swallow hard. The weight presses down, but something else sparks. Responsibility. Power. Fear, yes, but also purpose. My hand pulses with crimson light. My chest burns, but now it feels like fire I can use, fire I can control.
Kaelen rises, walking to the far side of the room. He turns, eyes glinting silver. "You are my Life Anchor. Without you, I cannot survive. And without me, neither can you. That is the Forgotten Pact. That is the truth of your blood."
I nod slowly, mind spinning, chest still burning from the seal. Fear twists with determination. I am his anchor. And now… I know what that means.
Outside, the wind howls through the spires. The shadows twist and stir. Somewhere, hunters move in silence.
The bond hums between us. Alive. Dangerous. And it will not let me go.