Shadowed Hearts and Secrets Buried

Lucian's POV:

I leaned back in my chair, feeling the familiar weight of royal expectations settle over me like a heavy cloak. My room, lavish yet isolating, smelled of old books and polished wood, the faint scent of leather binding mingling with the distant aroma of candle wax.

The air felt thick, heavy with unspoken words and buried secrets, as if the walls themselves were closing in on me.

The darkness outside loomed like a thick fog, swallowing the moonlight and casting long, eerie shadows across the Academy grounds. The silence was almost deafening, a stark contrast to the raucous laughter echoing from the common rooms.

It was as if the world outside was holding its breath, and within this oppressive solitude, I felt like a ghost haunting a place that no longer felt like home.

Ryker lounged on the arm of the couch, draped across it with his usual casualness, while Zane swirled a glass of amber liquid thoughtfully, perched on the edge of the couch. Their easy banter filled the room, a sound I longed for yet resented.

The three of us had gathered here—our usual spot to vent, strategize, and occasionally throw around uninvited wisdom about each other's lives.

The silence stretched until Ryker leaned forward, his tone unexpectedly serious. "Lucian, you know it's time to end things with Celeste."

I shot him a sideways glance, irritation flickering in my gaze. My fingers tightened around the arm of my chair, knuckles whitening. "Why do you care?"

Ryker shrugged, a firm yet understanding expression settling on his face. "Because it's obvious she's not your mate. You're just wasting time with her. You know better than anyone, don't you?"

Zane chimed in, leaning closer, his eyes intense. "Yeah, she's not the one for you, Lucian. She's convinced she's the only one worthy of being with the Prince of Kaeloria, but... come on. You don't even like her, man."

They weren't wrong. Celeste was ambitious, and in her mind, I was already hers. But she was more a placeholder than a partner—someone who fit the image the court and my father expected of me.

I let out a dry laugh, shrugging it off, the sound bitter on my tongue. "It's convenient. And besides, I'm not interested in fairy tales." My tone was clipped, dismissive, a boundary they knew better than to cross too far.

Ryker shook his head, a knowing smirk tugging at his lips. "You keep saying that, but one day, you're going to eat those words."

My lips curled in a slight smirk, masking the unease churning in my stomach. "Fairy tales aren't my style. Let's focus on something that matters."

But his words hung in the air, like a pebble dropped into a still pond. Something shifted in my mind, a crack in the wall I'd carefully built around that night.

They didn't know my past as well as they thought; the shadows I carried from that night when everything shattered loomed large. My sister's sacrifice haunted me—a wound that time refused to heal, a reminder of the brutal cost of vulnerability. Suddenly, I was there again.

Years Ago:

The memory crashed over me, vivid as if it were happening all over again. The night was chaos—shouts and the roar of fire surrounded us, shadows twisting menacingly in the flickering light.

The heat of the flames felt suffocating, and the acrid smell of smoke clawed at my throat. Celine's fierce, unyielding gaze pierced through the chaos as she turned to me, her voice steady despite the fear flickering in her eyes.

"Lucian, go! Now!"

"I'm not leaving you!" I shouted, rooted in place by the terror of watching my sister stand alone between me and the powerful dragon elementals that sought to drag me into darkness.

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But she didn't flinch; she didn't look back. With a determined glint, she glanced over her shoulder, her expression softening just for me. "I'm your sister. Protecting you is what I do. Just go!"

Before I could move, she launched herself into the fray, flames erupting around her like a fierce shield. The fiery tendrils danced in the air, illuminating her face in a fierce glow.

She was fearless, her fire weaving through the shadows, striking at the dragons that circled us. Every strike she made was for me—my sister, fighting against impossible odds to keep me safe.

"Celine!" I choked out, my voice swallowed by the roar of battle. Then she fell—her light extinguished in an instant, her voice silenced forever.

In the midst of the chaos, King Thalor Morrison of the Water Kingdom emerged, his powerful presence commanding the scene.

"Stand back from the prince!" he bellowed, pushing through the throng to reach me, his fierce eyes glancing briefly at Celine's fallen figure, sorrow tightening his expression.

With a wave of his hand, he unleashed a torrent of water that pushed back the attacking dragon elementals, scattering them like leaves in a storm.

"You must be quiet about this, Lucian," Thalor urged, urgency lacing his tone as he knelt beside me. "If the truth of this attack gets out, it will tarnish the Fire Kingdom's reputation as the ruler of all realms. We must protect your family at all costs."

Thalor, a good friend of my father's, had fought valiantly to secure my safety and maintain my family's image. The royal family of Kaeloria couldn't afford a scandal that would suggest the king's son was so easily taken.

After that night, my father's eyes grew colder, his grip on my shoulder more demanding. "No son of mine will be vulnerable again," he'd said, his voice like steel. "You must become something more—stronger than anything that could tear us down. Vulnerability almost destroyed our family once. It will not happen again."

And so I trained, pushing every limit, every ounce of myself. There was no room for weakness, no space for error.

Back in the Present:

I blinked, forcing myself back into the present, my fingers still clenched tightly on the arm of my chair, knuckles white. I could feel my friends' eyes on me, concern clear in their expressions.

Ryker's voice broke the silence, quiet and cautious. "Lucian... you alright?"

I forced a smirk, brushing off the memory. "Fairy tales aren't my style. Let's focus on something that matters."

Ryker leaned back against the desk, a playful grin lighting up his face. "Anyway, I'm looking forward to finding my mate one day. They say it's like having a part of your soul outside of yourself."

Zane raised an eyebrow, laughter dancing in his eyes. "Honestly, I'm just excited to meet someone who can handle my fire. Imagine if she's a fire elemental like me—a literal fiery relationship," he joked, laughing at his own pun.

I shook my head, trying to tune them out, but Zane had a knack for digging into topics that made me uncomfortable. "Lucian, don't you ever wonder if you're missing out? You might meet someone who actually understands you, someone who makes you feel alive."

My fingers tightened on the arm of my chair, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "It's not like that for me, alright? You two may dream of your soulmates, but that's a luxury I can't afford. It's easy for you to talk about these things. You weren't there."

I remembered Celine's words about my mate, words she had often repeated with unwavering hope: "One day, you will meet your mate, Lucian. She will bring light into your life, making it feel whole again. Promise me you will cherish her, guard her with every breath you take." Those words had once held a promise of warmth and joy, filling my heart with anticipation.

But after her death, I buried them deep within me, choosing instead to harden my heart against the possibility of love and vulnerability.

Ryker and Zane exchanged a glance, their expressions softening with understanding. They didn't push, but I could feel their concern radiating through the room.

"Lucian," Ryker said quietly, "we just don't want you shutting yourself off. You might be surprised if you let yourself be open to someone. There's someone out there who could handle everything you've been through."

Their well-meaning optimism grated on me. I rose from my seat, pacing to the window and casting one last look over the moonlit grounds.

Shadows fell across the landscape, mirroring the familiar weight that had been my constant companion since that terrible night.

Turning back to them, I forced a smirk. "Enough mate talk. We've got more important things to focus on. We have an Academy to rule."

Zane grinned, feigning a bow. "Right you are, Prince Lucian. But don't think you're getting away from us that easily."

They knew better than to press further, but I could feel their lingering concern. Their loyalty was unwavering, a rare treasure in a world where power and politics often overshadowed love and friendship.

As Zane and Ryker laughed over a particularly heated sparring match from last week, I felt a fleeting sense of normalcy, of belonging. But deep down, I knew this was temporary. A storm was brewing—one that would test everything I'd built, everything I thought I knew.

For now, I'd keep those I cared about safe by keeping them at arm's length. Yet, as Ryker and Zane's laughter echoed in the room, a nagging feeling lingered.

The storm was coming—one that might shatter everything I'd built to keep them, and myself, safe. As I looked out over the moonlit grounds, I couldn't help but wonder if I was truly prepared for what lay ahead.