One quiet morning, the Demon King, Azrath, entered the cell with his usual sharp gaze.
"Princess Seraphina," he began, his crimson eyes piercing, "how exactly did you end up here?"
I blinked, startled. "Wait… you didn't… kidnap me?" I asked nervously, my hands clutching the edge of the cold stone bed.
Azrath raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his dangerous expression. "No. I did not. So tell me the truth."
I took a deep breath. My head suddenly throbbed, memories rushing back. The pain made me wince, clutching my temples.
…The castle gates… the dark forest… the endless running…
I closed my eyes and whispered, "I was supposed to be married… to Prince Darius of Valeria. I've never even met him. I didn't want to marry someone I didn't love."
I swallowed hard, my voice trembling as I continued. "I ran… I couldn't stay. I ran until I couldn't… anymore."
The last thing I remembered was hunger gnawing at my stomach, exhaustion dragging my legs from beneath me. My vision blurred, and I collapsed… somewhere near this very castle.
Someone—though I hadn't seen him clearly—picked me up. The next thing I knew, I woke in a small, dimly lit cell.
Azrath's gaze softened slightly, though the usual sharpness remained. "So, you fainted… near my castle, and I brought you here for your safety," he said quietly.
I frowned, trying to understand the strange mixture of danger and care in his voice. "I… I see. I thought I would be… captured… or worse."
He leaned closer, his tone almost gentle. "You are not my prisoner, Princess. Not… yet, anyway."
My chest tightened. Yet? The word lingered like a warning.
Before I could ask anything else, the heavy wooden door of the cell creaked open. Light spilled into the room, and I froze.
A tall figure stepped in, dressed in the uniform of Valeria. My heart sank.
"Princess Seraphina," a familiar voice called, "I've come for you."
I turned slowly… and there he was. Prince Darius of Valeria, the very one I had fled from, standing at the doorway with a determined expression and a mixture of surprise and concern in his eyes.
Azrath's crimson eyes shifted sharply toward him, the air between the two men instantly charged with tension.
And at that moment, I realized… my story was far from over.