The corridors of the palace blurred as Anya walked, her mother's words replaying in her mind like an unrelenting drumbeat. "A life willingly given." Her sister Celia—poised, confident, perfect Celia—marked by an ancient force, destined for a fate none of them could accept.
Anya's heart felt heavy with the weight of it all. She couldn't imagine the kingdom without Celia. Couldn't picture the family dinners without her sharp wit and sly smiles. But the alternative was no less horrifying.
Her thoughts spiraled as she entered the sanctuary of her chambers. Slamming the door shut, she leaned against it, her breathing ragged. She felt trapped, a pawn in a cruel game that had begun centuries before her birth.
She paced the room, her hands clenched into fists. A thousand questions swirled in her mind. Was there truly no other way? Could her mother be wrong? And if not, could she—Anya, the fourth in line to the throne, the rebellious one, the spare—step into the darkness to save her sister?
Her eyes landed on the cryptic letter still sitting on her desk. "The shadow grows restless. You know the price."
The shadow was watching them. Waiting.
She shivered, clutching her arms as if to ward off the chill that seeped into her bones. Her gaze shifted to the window, where the moonlight spilled into the garden. Somewhere out there was her cousin, Leila—someone who always had answers when no one else did.
Without a second thought, Anya grabbed her cloak and the letter, her resolve hardening. If she was going to make sense of this nightmare, she needed someone who wasn't shackled by the weight of the crown's traditions.
---
Anya slipped into the garden, the chill of the night air doing little to cool the fire in her veins. The world around her was silent save for the rustling leaves and the faint sound of her own hurried footsteps. She knew exactly where Leila would be—her cousin's favorite hiding spot near the old stone bench by the lily pond.
Sure enough, Leila was there, seated on the bench with her hood drawn up. She looked up as Anya approached, her sharp features illuminated by the faint glow of the moon.
"You're back," Leila said, a hint of surprise in her voice. "Didn't I tell you to be careful?"
"I don't have time to be careful," Anya snapped, pulling the letter from her pocket and thrusting it toward Leila. "Do you know what this is?"
Leila's expression darkened as she took the letter and scanned its contents. "Where did you get this?"
"In my father's room" Anya admitted. "Leila, I need answers. No more half-truths, no more warnings. What do you know about this shadow? About the pact?"
Leila hesitated, her fingers tightening around the letter. "So your mother finally told you."
Anya's stomach dropped. "You knew?"
"I've known for a while," Leila confessed, lowering her hood. "I've been trying to piece things together, but the palace guards secrets well, even from me. The shadow is real, Anya. And so is the pact."
"Then why hasn't anyone tried to stop it?" Anya demanded.
"They have," Leila said bitterly. "Every monarch since Queen Liora has tried to find a way to break the pact. Some thought they could bargain with the shadow. Others thought they could outwit it. All of them failed."
Anya's hands balled into fists. "Then what are we supposed to do? Just let it take Celia?"
Leila stood, her expression hardening. "There might be another way."
"What do you mean?"
"I've been digging into the palace archives," Leila said, her voice lowering as she glanced around. "There's an ancient text—older than the pact itself—that speaks of a way to banish the shadow forever. But it's dangerous."
Anya stepped closer, her heart pounding. "How dangerous?"
"Dangerous enough that no one has dared try it," Leila said. "It involves summoning the shadow in its true form and confronting it directly. To banish it, someone must offer not just their life, but their soul. A sacrifice of unimaginable strength."
Anya's blood ran cold. "Their soul? You mean... gone forever?"
Leila nodded. "If the ritual is performed correctly, the shadow will be banished to the void, never to return. But if it fails..." She didn't finish the sentence, her silence heavy with implications.
Anya swallowed hard, the weight of the choice pressing down on her. "Where is this ritual?"
"I haven't found the exact location," Leila admitted. "But the text hinted that it's hidden in the Valley of Shadows, far beyond the kingdom's borders."
"The Valley of Shadows," Anya murmured, the name alone sending a chill down her spine.
Leila stepped closer, placing a hand on Anya's arm. "If you're serious about this, you'll need more than just courage. You'll need allies. And you'll need to be prepared for whatever the shadow throws at you."
Anya met her cousin's gaze, determination burning in her eyes. "I don't care what it takes. I'm not letting it take Celia."
Leila nodded, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips. "Then let's find the ritual. Together."
Anya exhaled, the faintest glimmer of hope lighting her heart. The path ahead was dark and treacherous, but for the first time that night, she felt like she wasn't walking it alone.
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