The ground continued to tremble as the shadowy figure approached. Ava clutched Kael's arm, her heart pounding in her chest.
"Prince Kael," the figure hissed again, stepping into the light. It was a tall man, dressed in dark robes, with sharp features and glowing, golden eyes. His presence exuded ancient power, and his tone carried an unsettling familiarity.
"Gerrand," Kael muttered, his jaw tightening. "What are you doing here?"
"Doing what I must," the man replied coolly. "You've broken the rules again, Your Highness. The king and queen will not be pleased."
"It wasn't my fault!" Kael snapped, gesturing toward Ava. "She summoned me. Blame her."
Gerrand's glowing eyes shifted to Ava, scrutinizing her. She felt a shiver run down her spine under his intense gaze. "Is this true?"
"I didn't mean to!" Ava protested. "It was an accident. I didn't know it would actually work."
The butler sighed, shaking his head. "Regardless of intention, a summoning like this has consequences. For Prince Kael to return, the bond must be severed. The easiest way…" He paused, his eyes narrowing. "…is for you to sacrifice yourself."
"What?" Ava's voice broke, rising several octaves. "Sacrifice myself? Are you insane? I'm only twenty! I haven't even lived yet!" She flung her arms dramatically, pacing the room like a caged animal. "I haven't gone on adventures or sailed the seas! I haven't climbed mountains or fallen in love! I haven't even had a proper heartbreak or written a novel or—or—" She gasped, clutching her chest. "I haven't eaten lobster!"
Kael leaned against the wall, a smirk creeping across his face. "Oh no. Not the lobster."
"Don't mock me!" Ava snapped, spinning on her heel to glare at him. "You think this is funny? My entire life is flashing before my eyes, and it's pitifully short and uninspired!" She flopped onto the nearest chair, burying her face in her hands. "I can't die now. It would be tragic. And boring."
Kael raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. "I think I see the tragedy, but not quite where you're aiming." He made a show of inspecting his nails. "Let me guess. You're the star of this little melodrama, and I'm the inconvenient antagonist ruining your epic tale?"
Ava shot to her feet, her face flushed. "You're exactly the problem! You waltzed in here, uninvited, turning my life upside down, and now you want me to just die for you? Are you serious?"
Kael snorted. "Oh, excuse me. I didn't realize I had such a grand entrance. Should I apologize for existing, or would that interrupt your Oscar-worthy performance?"
"That's it!" Ava snapped, stepping toward him. "You're the worst prince I've ever met!"
"I'm the only prince you've ever met," Kael shot back, his tone dripping with mockery. "And you summoned me, remember? This disaster is entirely your fault."
Ava's mouth fell open. "My fault?!"
The room practically buzzed with the escalating tension, their voices rising until Gerrand finally stepped forward, clapping his hands sharply.
"Enough," he said firmly. "I'll grant you ninety days to find another way to break the bond. If you fail…" He turned to Ava, his glowing eyes narrowing. "…you must accept the consequences."
Kael stepped forward, his tone softening. "Please, Gerrand. Don't let my father or my brother know about this. I'll handle it."
The butler raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Very well. But tread carefully, Your Highness. They're already looking for you." With that, Gerrand disappeared into the shadows, leaving Ava and Kael alone.
The ground stopped shaking, and silence fell over the room. Ava exhaled shakily, the weight of what had just happened sinking in. "What now?" she asked.
Kael didn't answer immediately. Instead, he scanned the room, his sharp eyes calculating. "I need something," he said finally.
"Something? Like what?" Ava asked, confused.
"Something I can shift into," Kael replied. "I'm a shapeshifter. If I'm going to stay here and avoid detection, I need to blend in. Show me anything—a stuffed animal, a bird, whatever you've got."
Ava frowned, rifling through her bag before pulling out a small, wobbly teddy bear pen topper.
Kael stared at it for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then he said flatly, "You can't be serious."
"I'm trying!" Ava shot back. "What do you expect me to do?"
Kael groaned, running a hand through his dark hair. "Never mind. This will do for now."
Before Ava could argue, Kael's body shimmered with an eerie, red light. He shrank and morphed into the form of a sleek, black bird. His wings flapped experimentally, and his eyes—still glowing faintly red—turned to her.
"Better," he muttered. "Now take me home."
"Home?" Ava asked.
"Yes, home. Unless you want your parents to find out about this. I need somewhere safe to hide."
---
By the time Ava returned to her house, her parents were already waiting for her.
"Ava! Where have you been?" her mother asked.
"And what is that?" her father added, pointing to the bird perched on her shoulder.
"It's, um…" Ava's mind raced as she glanced at Kael. She feigned an exaggerated, dramatic sigh. "A poor, injured bird I found on the ground. It looked so homeless, like it had been through so much. Just look at it!" She gestured at Kael with mock pity. "The broken wing, the scruffy feathers—it's a tragedy in bird form. Honestly, it's the saddest little thing I've ever seen. I mean, just look at its face. It practically screams 'helpless victim.'"
Kael narrowed his glowing red eyes at her.
Her mother frowned. "Ava…"
"I couldn't leave it!" Ava continued dramatically. "What kind of monster would I be if I walked away from such a pitiful, pathetic creature?"
Kael, perched on her shoulder, let out a sharp caw and dug his claws into her skin.
"OW!" Ava yelped, flinching. "Did you just—"
Her parents gave her a curious look.
"I-It's fine!" Ava stammered, forcing a smile. "It's just, um, a little nervous. Poor thing's been through a lot."
Kael ruffled his feathers, clearly pleased with himself.
Her father sighed. "Fine. But only for a few days. And you'd better clean up after it."
Relieved, Ava nodded and hurried upstairs. Once they were alone in her room, she rounded on Kael.
"Did you have to claw me?" she hissed.
Kael hopped onto her desk, his feathers puffed up. "Did you have to call me pitiful?"
Ava glared at him, rubbing her shoulder. "Maybe if you weren't so irritating, I wouldn't have to."
Kael let out a low, mocking caw. "You're welcome for saving your hide. Again."
Ava threw up her hands. "Unbelievable!"
Kael settled on her desk, his glowing eyes watching her. "Get some rest, little human. Tomorrow, we start figuring out how to fix this mess you've made."
Ava flopped onto her bed, muttering under her breath. "Stupid bird prince. Ninety days with you? Kill me now."
Kael smirked. "Careful what you wish for