Page 40 of Her Fated Alpha Prince
Her thoughts turned to Elder Varos. If he was watching her, then Seryna must be watching too. The noble woman’s shadow loomed larger in Ariana’s life with every passing day. There was no doubt she wanted to control whatever power Ariana held, but how close was she? How deep was the danger?
A sudden noise — a soft scrape near the door — pulled Ariana from her thoughts. She froze, every muscle tense. The room was still, silent except for the slow beat of her heart. No footsteps. No voices. Just the lingering unease that something was very much not right.
Ariana moved carefully across the room, eyes scanning every corner, every shadow. The small dagger Kael had left her before he went lay on the table, its cold blade gleaming in the sunlight. She picked it up, fingers curling around the hilt with a mix of comfort and fear. It was the only piece of certainty she had right now.
Her mind raced with questions and possibilities, but no answers came. She was changing — in ways she couldn’t control or explain. And somewhere deep inside, a voice whispered, urging her forward, daring her to face the unknown.
With a steadying breath, Ariana squared her shoulders and stepped toward the door. She would no longer hide from what she was becoming. The world outside was watching, but so was she.
And she was ready.
The hallway outside her room was quiet, but the silence was heavy—thick with unseen eyes and whispered threats. Ariana’s grip tightened on the dagger. She wasn’t sure if it was meant to protect her or remind her of how vulnerable she really was. Either way, it grounded her.
As she stepped out, the cool marble floor beneath her bare feet sent a shiver up her spine. The manor felt different in the daylight—less like a sanctuary and more like a trap. Shadows gathered in corners, and every portrait on the wall seemed to watch her with judgmental eyes.
She paused at the foot of the stairs, her breath catching when a faint sound echoed from below—a soft, deliberate tap. Not the same as last night, but close enough to set her nerves on edge. Ariana’s pulse quickened. Someone was here, someone waiting.
Her mind flashed to Kael, and a pang twisted her heart. She hadn’t heard from him since that night many moons ago. Did he know what was happening to her? Was he watching from the shadows, as silent and tense as she felt?
The thought brought no comfort. If anything, it made her feel more alone. Kael’s presence was like a ghost—both balm and torment—and she wasn’t sure which she craved more.
Ariana swallowed hard and moved toward the source of the noise. The library door stood slightly ajar, a thin sliver of darkness spilling into the bright hallway. She nudged it open, eyes adjusting to the dimness inside.
Rows of ancient books lined the shelves, their spines cracked and faded. Dust motes floated in the shafts of sunlight like tiny specters. But the room held more than just forgotten knowledge—it held secrets, waiting to be uncovered.
Her steps were cautious but purposeful as she crossed the room, scanning for signs of whoever—or whatever—had knocked. Then she saw it: a small scrap of parchment pinned beneath a heavy book on the desk.
She pulled it free, unfolding the delicate paper. The handwriting was unmistakable—sharp, deliberate.
“Do not trust the light that blinds you. Shadows hold more truth than you know.”
The message sent a chill down her spine. Who had left it? Was it a warning or a threat? And what light was blinding her?
Ariana’s thoughts spiraled, but she forced herself to focus. This place, this world, was a puzzle, and she held only a few pieces. Each clue brought her closer to the truth—and closer to danger.
She tucked the note into her shawl and moved toward the window. Outside, the garden pulsed faintly with life, the colors muted but alive, as if waiting for her command.
The weight of her secret settled heavier on her shoulders. She wasn’t just a noble’s daughter anymore. She was something else entirely—something old and powerful, and utterly unknown.
And the watchers were closing in.
Ariana turned back to the door, resolve hardening in her chest. She would face whatever came next—not as a frightened girl, but as someone ready to fight for the truth, for herself.
Because if she didn’t, no one else would.
She slipped the parchment safely into the folds of her shawl and stepped back from the window. The garden outside, once a simple patch of earth, now felt alive with quiet expectation, like it was waiting for her to make the next move. A flicker of uncertainty passed through her mind—what if she couldn’t live up to what was coming? But the tightening in her chest refused to let fear win.
Ariana’s fingers brushed over the dagger at her side, a cold reminder of the precarious line she was walking. It wasn’t just the garden or the dream or the warnings from V. It was everything—her identity, the shifting world around her, and the constant, haunting pull of Kael.
Her thoughts drifted to him, to the last time she’d seen that fierce intensity in his eyes, that complicated mixture of protectiveness and something deeper, more dangerous. She wanted to hate him for the way he unsettled her, for the way he made her feel exposed, vulnerable—but she couldn’t. Not completely.
The door creaked softly behind her, and Ariana spun, heart hammering. But it was only a servant, bowing quietly before retreating down the hall. The manor’s walls held a thousand secrets, but they also held echoes of ordinary life, reminders that somewhere beneath the magic and the menace, there was still a home she once knew.
She took a breath, steadying herself. The note’s warning replayed in her mind:“Do not trust the light that blinds you.”What light? Was it Kael? Or someone else?
Ariana pulled her shawl tighter and began walking toward the spiral staircase leading down to the manor’s lower levels. If she was going to understand what was happening, she needed answers—and the old library was only the beginning.
As she descended, shadows danced across the stone walls, and the air grew cooler, heavier. The scent of earth and old paper thickened, wrapping around her like a cloak. Down here, the world felt less certain, more dangerous.
