My heart sinks like a heavy stone down into the pit of my stomach, making it twist and churn with guilt. The realization hits me like a punch to the gut—I don’t want to endanger anyone else. I’ve been selfish, thinking only of my own fear and desperation. So many people have already died, their lives snuffed out like candles in a storm, all because of the cursed blood that runs through my veins. My blood, the key to setting the Shadoweaver free from his ancient prison.
The thought makes my chest tighten, a cold sweat breaking out on my skin. I can’t shake the images of those who have fallen. Their faces flash through my mind, one after another. Each loss is a fresh wound, a new scar on my soul. And yet, here I am; still alive, still breathing, still a threat to everyone around me.
With a deep, shaky breath, I settle back into my chair, my movements slow and deliberate as I try to steady myself. I brush my long blonde hair away from my face, the strands falling back stubbornly, as if they, too, were burdened by the weight of my guilt.
“Alivar?” I say softly, my voice trembling despite my efforts to keep it steady.
“Yeah?” he grunts as he heads toward the kitchen and casually tosses the lifeless rabbit onto the counter. The sound is enough to make me cringe, and my stomach churns with nausea.
“What do you know about the Shadoweaver?”
Alivar turns and leans back on the counter. He folds his arms over his chest and stares at me. Silence stretches on, and I shift uncomfortably. The force of his piercing gaze intensifies, making me want to take the words back. Just as frustration builds up, he finally speaks.
“If he gets his hands on you, I know he will leave nothing but destruction in his wake.”
His words stir something fierce within me. A sharp mix of dread and determination.
“How do we stop him?” I ask, my emotions rising, tightening my throat, making the words emerge strained and barely audible.
Fear, anger, desperation. But the one taking up the most space? Guilt.
With a heavy sigh, Alivar moves that piercing gaze to stare out the window. “The Shadoweaver has been imprisoned for centuries, deep in the mountains of the Deadlands.”
“Why not just kill him?”
“He can’t be killed. Our ancestors did what they could in trapping him. No one knows where exactly. He commands the dark, the shadows, and those who dwell in it.”
The image of countless deadlings swarming the city flashes vividly in my mind.
“Why does he need me?” I whisper, my fingernails digging into my legs as I scrunch up the fabric of my dress. “I mean, I get it’s my blood that unlocks the prison he is in, but why? Why me?”
“You are the strongest of your kind. It was the druids along with the Guardians, who imprisoned him in his cavern deep in the mountains. So, it is your blood that will unlock the spell, only your blood holds the magic required to do so. The fact that you were able to open the gate from the human world to here and without even realizing it, is just a testament to that power.”
My mind goes blank and my lips part on an exhale.
“Once you master your abilities, you will wield more magic than those who came before you. The blood that flows in your veins holds the power to command armies, a legacy of ancient strength. Why do you think my mother was so pissed when your parents denied us a marriage treaty? Why she is so pissed that I didn’t find you first?”
“I don’t feel as powerful as you say,” I mutter, looking out the window at the snowy landscape.
Despite being an all-powerful druid, I couldn’t save Maxon, Rayna, Lavina, or protect the city. I sure don’t feel like I’m someone great.
“From the moment you were born, it was clear you were destined for greatness. It was whispered on the wind.”
“The prophecy?”
Alivar nods, and the words run through my mind.
It was from the whispers of ancient trees and the murmurs of the sacred groves.
A druid princess, born under a crescent moon’s gentle glow, shall wield power unmeasured in realms both high and low.
With magic deep within, she’ll rise, her destiny unknown,
To shake the faerie realm, where mystic secrets are sown.
Her heart a beacon of the woods, her spirit strong and free,
She’ll dance with stars and call the winds.
