Her hands shook as she clutched the book to her chest, and without another thought, she ran to Niklaus. Her feet moved on instinct, her mind barely able to process the shock of what she had just uncovered.
"I found it!" she shouted, her voice breaking the stillness of the library.
Niklaus's head shot up, his eyes wide with alarm as he saw her running toward him, her face pale but filled with determination.
"What is it?" he asked, standing as she reached him, thrusting the book into his hands.
Emily could barely catch her breath, her hands trembling as she pointed to the passage. "Read this. Please, read it."
Together, they scanned the ancient words, the gravity of the prophecy sinking in with each line.
"The King of All Realms, or the ruler of the cosmos, must bond with a woman of the Crescent bloodline. This union will break the curse placed upon the Crescent family. The ruler shall gain powers beyond measure, and the woman will be bound to him for eternity. This must occur before the child of the Crescent bloodline reaches the age of 24."
Emily's throat tightened, her chest heaving as she processed the enormity of what they had just discovered.
"There's no way I'm doing this," she said, her voice quivering as she backed away slightly. "I can't bond with a man who isn't my husband. And where are we supposed to find this ruler of the cosmos in less than 25 days?"
She laughed bitterly, trying to make sense of the impossible situation, but Niklaus remained silent, his gaze dark and unwavering. Slowly, he placed the book down and took a step toward her, his eyes locking with hers.
Emily frowned, unsure of why he was looking at her with such intensity. "Niklaus… what is it?"
He closed the distance between them, his hands finding her waist, his touch firm yet gentle. In one swift motion, he lifted her and set her on the table, standing between her legs, his face mere inches from hers.
The silence stretched between them, thick with tension and unspoken truths.
The moment Emily turned to face Niklaus, the air around her thickened with power, every element in the room bending to his will. The once flickering candlelight twisted and contorted into tiny flames, swirling like embers in the darkened library. The fiery glow bathed his face, casting shadows that danced across his sharp features, making him look more like a god than a king.
Emily stood frozen, her heart racing, as the embers floated between them. She could feel the weight of his energy pulsating through the room, pressing against her chest. It wasn't just heat—it was raw, elemental power. The kind that could shape worlds.
Niklaus's eyes gleamed with an unnatural intensity. He didn't answer her right away. Instead, he lifted his hand, and with the barest flick of his fingers, the embers scattered, morphing into delicate tendrils of flame that wove through the air like serpents. They obeyed him, each ember flowing around Emily, encasing her in a circle of fire without ever burning her skin.
She gasped, her breath catching as the heat enveloped her, a delicate warmth that felt both protective and overwhelming.
"What are you doing?" she whispered, her voice trembling, unable to tear her gaze away from him.
Niklaus's lips curved into a knowing smirk, but there was something darker in his expression now, something primal and dangerous. "Showing you who I am," he said, his voice low, vibrating with authority. "Who I've always been."
As the words left his mouth, one of his glowing red eyes began to shift. The brilliant crimson faded into a deep, sapphire blue, so vivid it looked as though the ocean itself had filled his gaze. The embers around them flickered, and suddenly, water began to materialize in the air, droplets forming out of nothingness, floating weightlessly before cascading down upon them.
Emily gasped as the cool droplets kissed her skin, her mind spinning. Her hand reached out instinctively, catching the water in her palm, feeling its coolness as it slid through her fingers. But it wasn't just any water—it moved with purpose, as if Niklaus willed it to respond to her touch.
Before she could ask how, his other eye shifted, turning from blue to a cold, stormy gray. The room darkened, and a gust of wind roared through the library, sweeping through the shelves, rattling the books, and stirring her hair into a wild halo around her face. Emily wrapped her arms around herself as the wind buffeted her, its icy fingers sending shivers down her spine.
"You…" Her voice was barely audible as the truth slammed into her with the force of a tidal wave. Her lips trembled. "You're the King of all Realms?"
Niklaus's smirk deepened, the storm in his eyes intensifying as the elements continued to dance around them, bending to his every command. He stepped closer, his hand brushing her cheek, the roughness of his touch grounding her in the chaotic whirlwind of energy that surrounded them.
"You know, princess," he began, his voice a rich, dark timbre that sent chills through her. "When I first laid eyes on you, I knew you were mine. But I also knew it wouldn't be easy. You would never fall for me easily—no, you're far too strong for that." His fingers trailed down to her waist, pulling her closer to him, his gaze locking onto hers with a dangerous intensity. "But I never imagined it would be like this."
Emily's breath caught in her throat, her pulse racing as she stared into his eyes. The world seemed to shrink until there was nothing but the two of them. She could feel the power rolling off him in waves, each element under his control, obeying him with reverence. The embers, the water, the wind—they all moved to his command.
"From the moment you were born, you were mine," Niklaus whispered, his lips brushing the shell of her ear, sending shivers down her spine. "We are bound by more than love, more than obsession. We are tied by fate itself."
His words were a dark promise, one she could feel in her bones. Emily trembled, her heart pounding against her ribcage, torn between fear and a fierce, undeniable longing. She knew Niklaus wasn't just a man—he was something far more. Something unstoppable. Something destined to claim her.
"You—" she began, her voice trembling. "You control all of this?"
Niklaus chuckled softly, the sound deep and dangerous. "I control everything, Emily," he said, his eyes gleaming with a power that both thrilled and terrified her. He raised his hand again, and with a single, fluid motion, the embers flared brighter, swirling around them with renewed intensity. "Fire. Water. Wind. Earth. They are mine to command."
With a snap of his fingers, the water droplets hanging in the air crystallized into ice, shimmering in the faint candlelight. The wind howled, swirling the ice shards around them in a cyclone, yet never once cutting her skin. It was a show of mastery, a display of dominance that left no question as to who Niklaus really was.
Emily's heart pounded as she stared at him, her breath coming in short gasps. She could feel the pull between them—something far greater than just love. It was an ancient, primal connection, one that bound them together in ways she was only beginning to understand.
"I loved you before I even knew what love was," Niklaus whispered, his voice low and rough with emotion. "I've loved you across lifetimes, across realms. And I will love you for eternity. You, Emily, are mine. Body, heart, and soul. And nothing in this world or the next will take you from me."
His words sent a shiver down her spine, the sheer force of his conviction leaving her breathless. She had always known Niklaus was powerful, but this—this was something else entirely. He wasn't just a king. He was the ruler of realms, a force of nature itself. And he had chosen her.
Emily swallowed hard, her body trembling as the magnitude of their bond settled over her. She had fought it, tried to deny it, but there was no running from this. From him.
She was his.
"We're not just lovers, Emily," Niklaus murmured, his lips brushing hers, sending a spark of electricity through her. "We are fated. Destined. Soulmates in the truest sense of the word. You were made for me, and I for you."
Emily's heart swelled, her breath catching as she looked into his eyes, the fire, water, and wind swirling around them like a storm of passion and power. She knew at that moment that there was no escaping Niklaus—not now, not ever. And deep down, she realized she didn't want to.
Because despite the fear, despite the overwhelming power he held, she loved him. And that love was as eternal as the elements he commanded.
"I... I had no idea," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Niklaus smirked, his hands tightening around her waist as he pulled her closer, his lips brushing her ear once more. "You do now," he whispered darkly, "and you're mine, Emily. Always."
Before she could utter another word, Niklaus pulled her closer, his breath hot against her skin. "I love you, princess," he declared, his voice a deep growl that reverberated through her. "More than anything in this world. You were mine, you are mine, and you will always be mine—forever and ever."