Three days later, a messenger arrived with news that would change everything. Prince Aldric of the neighboring kingdom of Valdris had not taken Seraphina's rejection well. He had allied himself with the Shadow Court—dark sorcerers who had been banished from Aethermoor generations ago.
"They're amassing an army at our eastern border," the spy reported, his face pale with exhaustion. "Prince Aldric claims he's coming to 'liberate' Aethermoor from its 'unnatural Queen.'"
Seraphina felt her three Guardians tense around her. The soul bonds that connected them hummed with shared determination and protectiveness.
"How long do we have?" she asked.
"A week, perhaps less."
After the messenger was dismissed, Seraphina turned to her Guardians. "I won't let him use me as an excuse to destroy our people."
"He won't get close enough to try," Kael said darkly.
"This isn't just about politics anymore," Thorne growled, flames dancing around his clenched fists. "He's made it personal."
Lyrian studied the map spread across the table. "The Shadow Court's magic is powerful, but it's corrupt. It feeds on fear and hatred. Our combined magic could counter it, but…"
"But?" Seraphina prompted.
"Soul bonds can be weaponized," he said quietly. "If we're willing to risk everything, we can create a magical barrier that no dark sorcerer could penetrate. But it would require complete trust, complete surrender to the bond."
Seraphina understood immediately. It would mean acknowledging publicly what they all felt privately—that they were bound not just by duty, but by love.
"The council would never accept it," she murmured.
"The council will be dead if Aldric succeeds," Kael pointed out bluntly. "Sometimes, Sera, you have to stop worrying about what others think and start acting on what you know is right."
That evening, as they prepared for battle, Seraphina made her decision.