Chapter 6: The Demon's Vow
Amelia sat alone in the dimly lit room, the flickering fire casting long shadows that danced across the cold stone walls. Days had turned into weeks since Valerius had taken her from the life she had known, leaving behind only devastation and memories she wished she could forget. The bruises on her body had faded, but the scars in her heart remained, each one a painful reminder of everything she had lost.
Kaelen's face haunted her every waking moment. She saw him in the firelight, felt his touch in the chill of the night, and heard his final words echo in the silence.
"Protect yourself. Survive."
Survival. That was all Kaelen had asked of her, but survival wasn't enough. She didn't want to merely exist. She wanted to destroy.
Amelia's hands clenched into fists, her nails digging into her palms until they left red crescents in her skin. The rage that had simmered beneath the surface for weeks now boiled over, consuming her completely. She no longer cared about fear, pain, or the consequences of her actions. All she wanted was vengeance.
"Valerius," she whispered, her voice steady despite the fire of hatred that burned within her. "I will destroy you. Your household, your court, your empire—I'll burn it all to the ground."
Her words hung in the air, a vow spoken not to anyone else but to herself. For the first time since Kaelen's death, Amelia felt a glimmer of purpose.
But how?
Valerius was powerful, surrounded by loyal soldiers and courtiers who would die for him. She was a prisoner in his household, a lone woman with no allies and no weapons. Taking him down would require more than courage. It would require strength—strength far beyond what she possessed.
Amelia's thoughts turned to the stories her mother used to tell her as a child, tales of magic and forbidden power whispered late at night by the hearth. Among them was the legend of the Spider Weed, a rare and cursed plant said to grant unimaginable power to those brave enough to claim it.
The Spider Weed's magic was rumored to turn its user into a demon, granting immortality, the ability to shift between human and demon forms, and other supernatural gifts. But it came at a cost: the loss of one's humanity.
Amelia's lips curled into a bitter smile. Humanity had done nothing for her. It had left her vulnerable, powerless, and alone. If becoming a demon was the price for vengeance, it was one she was willing to pay.
Her resolve hardened. She would find the Spider Weed, consume its power, and become the weapon she needed to destroy Valerius and everything he held dear.
---
That night, Amelia slipped out of her room. The house was quiet, the halls dark and empty. She moved silently, her bare feet gliding across the cold stone floors. Her destination was the library, a vast room she had glimpsed during her captivity. If the stories of the Spider Weed held any truth, there would be something written about it there.
The library was even grander than she had imagined, with towering shelves filled with ancient tomes and scrolls. Amelia lit a single candle, its flickering light barely illuminating the room, and began her search.
Hours passed as she combed through the books, her fingers trailing over faded pages and crumbling parchment. Most of the texts were useless—histories of the kingdom, treatises on politics, and genealogies of noble families. But then, hidden among the dusty volumes, she found what she was looking for.
The scroll was fragile, its edges yellowed and brittle. Written in faded ink was a passage about forbidden plants and their magical properties. Her heart raced as her eyes landed on the name she had been searching for.
"Spider Weed," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
The scroll described the plant as a relic of an ancient era, growing only in the Forest of Shadows, a cursed land on the edge of the kingdom. The forest was said to be alive, its trees twisting and moving to trap intruders, its shadows filled with creatures that defied imagination.
The text also detailed the ritual required to consume the plant's power. The user had to prepare a potion with the plant's essence and consume it under the light of the blood moon, a rare celestial event that would amplify the plant's magic.
Amelia's fingers tightened around the scroll. The blood moon was still weeks away, but the journey to the Forest of Shadows would take time. She had to leave soon if she wanted to reach the forest in time.
Carefully, she rolled the scroll and tucked it into her waistband.
---
The next morning, Elira found Amelia sitting by the window, staring out at the rising sun.
"You're awake early," Elira said, tilting her head curiously.
Amelia turned to the girl, her expression calm but unreadable. "Elira, have you heard of the Forest of Shadows?"
The question made the girl freeze, her eyes widening in alarm. "Why would you ask about that place? It's forbidden. No one who goes there ever comes back."
Amelia offered a faint smile. "Maybe they weren't strong enough."
Elira frowned, clutching her doll tightly. "You're not thinking of going there, are you?"
"I don't have a choice," Amelia replied, her tone firm. "There's something I need to find there."
Elira opened her mouth to protest but stopped when she saw the determination in Amelia's eyes. There was no fear there, only a quiet resolve that made the young girl shiver.
"Be careful," Elira whispered, her voice barely audible.
Amelia nodded. "I will."
---
Over the next few days, Amelia prepared in secret. She stole food and water from the kitchen, hid a small dagger beneath her dress, and studied the scroll until she had memorized every word.
Her hatred for Valerius burned brighter with each passing day, fueling her resolve. She replayed Kaelen's death in her mind, not as a source of grief but as a reminder of why she couldn't falter.
On the night she planned to leave, she stood by the window, staring out at the darkened horizon. The scroll was tucked into her pocket, a silent promise to herself.
"I'll do whatever it takes," she whispered. "Kaelen, I swear to you—I'll make them pay."
With that, she slipped out of the room and into the night, her steps silent but purposeful.
---
The journey to the Forest of Shadows would be long and perilous. Amelia knew the stories—tales of travelers who had entered the forest, only to be consumed by its darkness. But she was not afraid.
As she walked beneath the starless sky, her mind was filled with visions of what lay ahead. She imagined the Spider Weed, its leaves glistening with dew, its power waiting to be claimed. She imagined the blood moon, its crimson light bathing her as she drank the potion and transformed.
Most of all, she imagined Valerius, his empire crumbling, his name forgotten.
Amelia's lips curled into a grim smile. She was no longer the frightened woman who had been dragged from her husband's side. She was a woman driven by vengeance, a woman willing to embrace the darkness to destroy those who had wronged her.
And when she found the Spider Weed, when she claimed its power, there would be no stopping her.