"Monsters and men, beasts and brides—we are all bound by the chains of the past."
The dining hall was dimly lit, the flickering candles casting long shadows across the grand table. Kael sat at one end, his golden eyes gleaming faintly in the low light. Evanna, seated at the other, poked at her plate, the silver fork clinking against the porcelain.
Glow, ever the opportunist, perched beside her chair, his glowing blue fur casting a faint hue on the polished floor.
Kael broke the silence first, his voice smooth and composed. "You've surprised me, Evanna."
She glanced up, wary. "Why? Because I didn't die in your arena?"
A small smirk tugged at Kael's lips. "No. Because you did something no one else ever has. You tamed it."
Evanna set her fork down. "I didn't tame it. I just… understood it. There's a difference."
"Semantics," Kael said with a shrug, lifting his glass. "Call it what you will, but it was impressive. Rare."
She narrowed her eyes. "I'm not here to impress you."
He chuckled, a low, rich sound that sent shivers down her spine. "Clearly. And yet, you do."
The meal passed in strained silence for a while, punctuated only by the occasional scrape of utensils. Evanna noticed Glow creeping closer to Kael's side of the table, his bright eyes curious.
"Your little companion seems to like me," Kael said, nodding toward the fox-beast as Glow hopped onto a chair and sniffed at the air near him.
Evanna frowned. "Glow, don't—"
But the creature was already wagging his tail, staring up at Kael as though he were the most fascinating being in the room.
Kael reached out, his hand steady, and let Glow sniff his fingers before giving the beast a gentle scratch behind the ears. Glow practically melted, letting out a soft, pleased chirp.
Evanna stared in disbelief. "Traitor," she muttered under her breath.
Kael's smirk deepened. "Animals have good instincts. He can tell I mean no harm."
She raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that? Because so far, everything you've done suggests otherwise."
Kael leaned back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest. "And yet, you're still alive. Still sitting here, sharing a meal with me."
"That's because you haven't given me much of a choice," she snapped.
He tilted his head, considering her. "No, I suppose I haven't. But tell me, Evanna, what would you do if you had one? A choice, I mean."
She hesitated, the question catching her off guard. "I'd go home. To my family."
"Family," Kael repeated, his tone softer now. "Tell me about them."
Evanna's shoulders stiffened. "Why? So you can use it against me later?"
"Curiosity," he said simply, sipping from his glass.
She studied him for a moment, then sighed. "I have a younger sister. Lyra. She's… stubborn, but sweet. Always getting into trouble but somehow managing to charm her way out of it." A faint smile touched her lips as she spoke. "My parents run a small farm. It's nothing grand, but it's home."
Kael nodded slowly, his gaze thoughtful. "And they let you come here willingly?"
Her smile vanished. "Of course not. But it wasn't their choice. The village decided, and… well, refusing wasn't an option."
His golden eyes darkened. "Sacrificing one to save many. It's an old, cruel tradition."
"And one you seem to benefit from," she shot back.
Kael didn't respond immediately. Instead, he set his glass down with a soft clink, his expression unreadable. "You think I enjoy this?"
"Don't you?" she challenged.
"No," he said, his voice low. "But some chains are harder to break than others."
For a moment, the room fell into an uneasy silence. Then Kael shifted, his gaze turning distant.
"My family was much like yours once," he said quietly.
Evanna blinked. "You had a family?"
"Of course," he said with a faint smile. "Even monsters come from somewhere."
She leaned forward slightly, intrigued despite herself. "What happened to them?"
Kael's expression tightened. "They're gone. Taken by the Wildlands."
The air seemed to grow heavier, the flickering candlelight casting deeper shadows on his face. Evanna opened her mouth to speak but stopped herself, unsure of what to say.
Kael's golden eyes met hers, sharp and unyielding. "That's why I protect this place. Why I endure the rituals, the sacrifices. Because if I don't, the Wildlands will consume everything. Including your village."
She frowned, her mind racing. "You're saying this… this whole bride thing is some kind of shield?"
"Exactly," he said. "The beasts demand it. And so, I give them what they want."
"But why me?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Kael's gaze softened, and for a moment, she thought he might actually give her a straight answer. But instead, he said, "That's a question only you can answer."
As the conversation lulled, Evanna couldn't help but notice how the tension in the room had shifted. Kael seemed less like the intimidating figure on the throne and more like… someone burdened by an impossible weight.
Glow had now claimed a spot at Kael's feet, curling up contentedly.
"I don't get it," Evanna said finally.
"Don't get what?"
"Why Glow likes you," she said, gesturing to the fox-beast. "He's usually not this friendly with anyone."
Kael smiled faintly. "Perhaps he sees something you don't."
She rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. Don't start with the cryptic riddles again."
"I wouldn't dream of it," he said, his tone light but his gaze lingering on her a moment too long.
Evanna shifted uncomfortably under his scrutiny. "So… what happens now?"
Kael stood, his movements graceful yet deliberate. "Now, you rest. Tomorrow, we'll see if your taming skills were a fluke or something more."
He crossed the room, his steps silent on the polished floor, and stopped beside her chair.
Evanna tensed, her pulse quickening as he leaned down, his face mere inches from hers.
"Whatever you think of me, Evanna," he said, his voice low and dangerous, "remember this: survival in this place depends on more than just strength. It depends on knowing who to trust."
She swallowed hard, her gaze locked on his. "And what if I can't trust anyone?"
Kael's lips curved into a faint smile. "Then you'll have to rely on yourself. But even the strongest need allies."