The city had never felt so alive—and so dangerous—at the same time. The moon hung low and silver over the rooftops, illuminating streets that twisted like veins through the heart of the cursed city. I could feel every pulse, every breath, every shadow around me. My mark throbbed faintly, warning me, whispering its ancient secrets.
Kael walked beside me, silent and lethal, yet somehow… reassuring. I kept my distance, though the pull between us was almost magnetic. Each step he took left trails of warmth, and my shadow couldn't help but flicker toward him. It was dangerous. Forbidden. But I didn't want to stop it.
"You're taking me somewhere," I said softly, almost afraid to speak too loudly.
He glanced at me, eyes narrowed, amber flames flickering in the corners. "Somewhere safe. For now."
I wanted to argue. Safe was a lie. Nothing about him, nothing about me, nothing about this night was safe. Yet I followed, because… I couldn't not.
The alley twisted, and then we were at the edge of an abandoned building. Its windows were broken, walls scarred with old claw marks and scorch marks—the silent battlefield of countless fights between supernatural clans. Kael pushed the door open without a sound. The inside was dark, dusty, but it radiated… protection.
He turned to me, his face unreadable. "I need to know… how much control do you have over your shadow?"
I hesitated. "Enough to defend myself… sometimes. But I've never tried it against a real threat like those werewolves tonight."
He studied me for a long moment. "Good. Because if your power reacts the way I think it does, it could be… unstable. Deadly."
I swallowed hard, feeling the weight of his words. Unstable. Deadly. Words that could describe me perfectly. I hated that he was right. I had always feared my curse, but now… seeing him stand beside me, seeing my shadow coil protectively around him, I realized that my curse could be my only advantage—and my only connection to him.
A noise upstairs made me jump—a soft creak of wood, deliberate, careful. Kael's head snapped toward the sound. His fire flared around his fists like liquid sunlight, warning me to stay back.
"Stay here," he ordered, moving up the stairs silently. I wanted to follow, wanted to prove I could fight beside him—but I stayed. My shadow curled protectively around the doorway, a black snake ready to strike anyone who dared enter.
Moments passed. Then footsteps came down, slow, cautious… deliberate. Kael appeared, holding a small, folded piece of paper in his hand. His amber eyes softened just slightly when they met mine.
"What is it?" I asked, curious, heart hammering.
He hesitated. "A warning. Someone knows about you. Someone knows about us."
My stomach dropped. "Us?"
His gaze held mine, serious, almost tender. "Don't pretend this is just a training exercise, Ariya. What happened tonight… the way our powers reacted… it wasn't normal. It was… a bond. And bonds like that—they're noticed."
I felt a jolt of panic. "Noticed by who?"
He shook his head. "Doesn't matter yet. Just… be careful. And stay close to me."
I wanted to laugh, to deny it, to run. But instead, I simply nodded. My shadow flared again involuntarily, almost like it understood, almost like it agreed.
Then I noticed something else—Kael was watching me differently. Not like a protector this time, not like a distant enforcer. But like someone who was curious… captivated… afraid to let go.
My heart thudded painfully. Desire, fear, and something dangerously close to hope twisted in my chest. I hated that I wanted him like this. Hated that every instinct screamed danger, and yet my body betrayed me.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked, trying to sound casual, though my voice shook slightly.
He didn't answer immediately. His eyes softened just a fraction. "Because you're… remarkable. Dangerous, yes. But remarkable."
Remarkable. The word hit me like fire against my shadow. Dangerous, yes—but remarkable. No one had ever said that to me. No one had ever seen me like that. Not even close.
The paper in his hand caught my eye again. I leaned closer, curiosity stronger than fear. The writing was messy, almost rushed:
"She is cursed. The fire-bound knows. Protect her… or risk everything."
Kael folded it carefully. "This was left for me. I don't know who sent it, but it confirms what I feared. Someone is watching you—and waiting."
I felt a shiver run through me. My shadow twitched, restless. Danger had a scent, and I could feel it closing in.
"Why me?" I whispered. "Why do they care?"
He studied me, amber flames dancing across his hands. "Because your power is rare. Forbidden. Dangerous. And some people… they want to control it."
I realized then that I was more than a cursed girl with a mark. I was a target. A weapon. And maybe… the only one who could survive this night… was the boy whose fire refused to burn me.
My shadow stirred again, this time almost playfully, as if it sensed what I hadn't yet allowed myself to feel. The bond… it was dangerous. Forbidden. And undeniably real.
I stepped closer to him, almost instinctively. The air between us was electric. My shadow curled around my arm, reaching just slightly toward him, and he didn't move away. Not one step.
"You're reckless," he murmured again, echoing his words from before, but there was something new in his voice now—something warmer.
"I know," I said softly, "but maybe some things are worth the risk."
His eyes locked on mine. Fire met shadow in a way that made my pulse race. The room seemed smaller suddenly, the air hotter, the danger closer. Forbidden, yes—but also intoxicating.
A howl echoed through the night outside. We both tensed. Whoever—or whatever—was out there, it wasn't done with me. And whatever this bond between us was… it wasn't safe. Not by any stretch.
But I didn't want to step back. I wanted to step closer.
And in that moment, I knew the night was only beginning.