The night grew unnaturally silent.
Snow fell without sound, thick and heavy, cloaking the palace grounds in white. Serenya stood by the frost-laced window of her chambers, her breath fogging the glass as unease settled deep in her chest. Ever since the council gathering, the air inside the palace had changed. It felt… watchful. As if something unseen was breathing just beyond the walls.
The ice beneath her feet pulsed faintly.
She pressed her palm to the floor, eyes widening as a sharp chill surged through her veins. The Heart of Winter was reacting again—stronger than before.
Something was wrong.
Before she could speak, the doors to her chamber burst open, frost exploding outward as Vael strode in. His silver eyes burned brighter than usual, his presence carrying the weight of a coming storm.
"It has returned," he said sharply.
Serenya's heart dropped. "The shadow?"
"Yes. But this time…" His jaw tightened. "It is no longer testing us. It is hunting."
The palace trembled.
A deep, resonant vibration echoed through the walls, rattling the chandeliers and sending shards of ice raining from the ceiling. Serenya staggered, barely keeping her balance as the frost beneath her feet cracked like breaking glass.
Outside, a deafening roar split the night.
They rushed onto the balcony just as darkness surged across the courtyard. The shadow from before had grown—vast and towering, its form twisting and folding in on itself like living smoke. Crimson lines pulsed within it, glowing like veins filled with corrupted magic.
"It's feeding on the seal," Serenya whispered.
Vael's expression hardened. "And on fear. Someone within the palace has opened a path for it."
The shadow raised a massive, clawed limb and slammed it into the ice. The impact shattered ancient runes, sending a shockwave through the grounds. Guards were thrown aside like dolls, their cries swallowed by the storm.
Serenya's hands trembled—but she did not step back.
"I can stop it," she said.
Vael turned sharply. "No. Not alone."
She looked at him, eyes blazing with determination. "Then don't leave me alone."
For a brief moment, time seemed to pause. The wind howled around them, snow whipping violently, yet Vael did not move away. Instead, he stepped closer, placing his hand over hers.
The ice answered.
A surge of power exploded outward, wrapping around them in a spiral of frost and light. Serenya gasped as the palace's magic poured into her—not wild, not chaotic, but controlled. Focused. Guided.
By him.
"Listen to the ice," Vael said softly, his voice steady despite the chaos. "Do not fight it. Command it."
She closed her eyes.
The world shifted.
She could feel everything—the palace veins pulsing beneath the ground, the ancient runes crying out in pain, the seal straining against corruption. And within it all… her own heartbeat, steady and unyielding.
Serenya raised her hands.
The air froze instantly.
Massive spears of ice erupted from the ground, piercing the shadow's lower form. It shrieked, the sound sharp and distorted, shaking the heavens. Dark energy lashed out, striking the palace walls, but Vael moved swiftly, summoning towering barriers of ice to shield them.
Together, they advanced.
The shadow recoiled, its form destabilizing, yet its core burned brighter. A voice echoed from within it—low, ancient, and filled with malice.
"You cannot stop what was promised."
Serenya's blood ran cold. "What does it mean?"
Vael's eyes darkened. "It speaks of the pact. The one made long before you were born."
The shadow surged forward one final time, gathering all its power. Serenya felt the seal scream.
"No more," she whispered.
She slammed her hands together.
The Heart of Winter answered her call.
A blinding column of ice and light descended from the sky, engulfing the shadow completely. The ground cracked, the air screamed, and for a moment, everything vanished in white.
Then—silence.
When the light faded, the courtyard lay frozen solid. At its center, the shadow was gone—sealed beneath layers of ancient ice, unmoving.
Serenya collapsed.
Vael caught her instantly, pulling her into his arms. For the first time, his composure cracked. His grip tightened, as if afraid she might disappear.
"You pushed too far," he said quietly.
She looked up at him weakly. "But it worked."
"Yes," he admitted. "Because you are no longer just human."
Her breath hitched. "What… am I?"
Vael did not answer immediately. His gaze lingered on her crescent mark, now faintly glowing beneath her skin.
"You are bound to the seal," he said at last. "And to me."
The words settled heavily between them.
Far beneath the ice, something stirred.
And though the shadow had been sealed, its final whisper echoed through the palace—soft, promising, and terrifying.
This was not the end.
It was only the beginning.