Bound by Fate

Chapter 3: Echoes of the Past

The world outside the bookstore blurred into an endless stretch of asphalt and fading twilight. Lily sat in the back of the black SUV, her heart pounding with the weight of everything that had happened. Draven was in the driver’s seat, Kael beside him, both of them exuding the calm confidence of warriors used to battle. But inside her, the storm of uncertainty was only growing stronger.

They hadn’t spoken much since leaving the bookstore, except for brief instructions to follow them. Lily hadn’t protested, knowing they were her only link to the desperately needed answers.

The road wound through darkened streets, the city growing quieter as they left behind the familiar chaos of the urban world. Trees loomed large outside the window, and soon, the stars were the only lights breaking the darkness.

“Where are we going?” she finally asked, breaking the silence.

“To a safe place,” Draven replied without turning his head, his voice low. “The Shadowborn won’t follow us there.”

The Shadowborn. Those dark creatures had clawed their way into her life, forcing her to unleash a power she didn’t understand. Her fingers tingled at the memory of the magic coursing through her, powerful and terrifying.

But the questions swirling in her mind were too loud to ignore. “You need to tell me what’s happening,” she said, her voice firmer this time. “No more cryptic answers. I want to know everything.”

Draven’s eyes met hers briefly in the rearview mirror, and for a moment, his expression softened. “You deserve the truth. We’ll explain everything once we’re safe.”

Lily clenched her jaw, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. But she held back, knowing that, for now, she had no choice but to trust them.

Finally, after an eternity, they pulled off the main road onto a narrow, tree-lined path. The SUV rolled to a stop before a large, secluded house. It was an old mansion, its stone walls and towering arches bathed in the soft glow of the moonlight. It looked ancient, as though it had stood there for centuries, untouched by time.

Draven and Kael got out of the car first, scanning the area with the keen eyes of seasoned warriors. Once they were satisfied, they motioned for Lily to follow.

Inside, the mansion was even more imposing. Dark wood panels lined the walls, and the air smelled faintly of old books and something ancient. A grand staircase wound up to the second floor, and flickering candles lit the hallway with a soft, golden glow. It felt like stepping into another time, another world.

“Ancient wards protect this place,” Kael said, breaking the silence. “The Shadowborn can’t enter.”

Lily nodded, though her mind was still racing. Wards? Shadowborn? It all sounded like something out of a fantasy novel. Yet, here she was, living it.

They led her into a spacious room with high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. In the center of the room stood a large wooden table cluttered with old maps, scrolls, and books. The air was heavy with the weight of history.

“Sit,” Draven said, gesturing to one of the chairs at the table. His tone was commanding but not unkind.

Lily sat down, her hands resting on the polished wood. She could feel the tension in the air, the weight of something monumental about to be revealed.

Draven and Kael stood across from her, their expressions solemn. For a moment, no one spoke, the silence thick with unspoken truths. Finally, Draven sighed and leaned forward, placing his hands on the table.

“You are Elara,” he began, his voice low but steady. “In your past life, you were one of the most powerful sorceresses the world has ever known. Your magic was ancient, primal, bound to the very elements of the earth.”

Lily swallowed hard, her mouth dry. It was one thing to hear them call her Elara before, but now, with the weight of history pressing down on her, the reality of it was sinking in.

“In that life, you were not alone,” Kael continued. His voice was softer than Draven’s, but it carried an undercurrent of emotion, making Lily’s heart skip a beat. “We were with you, bound to you by fate. The three of us… we fought side by side, protecting the world from forces that sought to destroy it.”

Lily’s mind raced as she tried to process what they were saying. “I don’t understand,” she whispered. “If I was so powerful… how did I die?”Draven and Kael exchanged a look of shared memories and unspoken pain. Draven was the one to answer, his voice tinged with regret. “You were betrayed.”

The word hung in the air like a blade, sharp and dangerous.

Lily’s stomach twisted. “Betrayed? By who?”

Again, silence. But this time, there was something darker beneath it.

“One of us,” Kael said quietly, his gaze fixed on the floor.

The room seemed to grow colder, the air heavy with the weight of the revelation. Lily stared at them, disbelief and anger warring within her.

“You’re telling me one of you betrayed me?” Her voice was barely above a whisper, but it trembled with the intensity of her emotions.

Draven’s jaw clenched, his eyes hard. “We were tricked. Deceived. There were dark forces at play, manipulating us, twisting our minds. It was too late when we realized what had happened.”

Lily stood up from the chair, her legs unsteady but fueled by anger. “Too late? You’re saying that one of you—one of you killed me?”

Her heart pounded in her chest as she looked between them. For the first time since this nightmare began, she felt something close to rage. They had waited centuries for her return, but why? Because of guilt? Because they wanted to atone for what they had done?

Kael stepped forward, his eyes pleading. “Lily, please. It wasn’t like that. We were all victims of the same evil. None of us wanted you to die.”

Draven stayed silent, his eyes downcast. He looked as if he were carrying the world's weight.

“Then who was it?” Lily demanded. “Which one of you betrayed me?”

Neither of them answered.

The silence stretched on, thick with tension. Lily’s heart sank, realizing the truth was far more complicated than she could have imagined. But even in her confusion and anger, she could feel a pull toward them both—a connection that went beyond the present, beyond logic. It was as if her soul remembered them, even if her mind couldn’t fully understand.

Finally, Draven broke the silence. “We don’t have time for this right now. The Shadowborn know you’re back, and they’ll stop at nothing to take you.”

Lily swallowed, her throat dry. “Why? Why are they after me?”

“Because your power is the key to either saving this world or destroying it,” Kael said, his voice filled with urgency. “In your hands, that power can protect the balance of magic. But in the hands of the Shadowborn… it would bring about the end of everything.”

Lily’s mind reeled. She had never asked for any of this. She had been an ordinary woman, living an ordinary life, and now she was being told that the world's fate rested on her shoulders.

Draven stepped closer, his eyes filled with something she couldn’t quite place—guilt, maybe, or determination. “We need to train you. To help you regain control of your powers before it’s too late.”

Lily stepped back, the enormity of it all threatening to overwhelm her. “And what happens if I refuse? What if I don’t want to be part of this?”

“You don’t have a choice,” Kael said, his voice softer now. “This is your fate. It always has been.”

Lily looked between the two men, her mind spinning with a thousand thoughts. Fate. The word felt heavy, like chains binding her to a destiny she hadn’t chosen. But deep down, in the very core of her being, she knew they were right. She couldn’t run from this.

And maybe, just maybe, a part of her didn’t want to.

Taking a deep breath, she met their eyes. “Fine. Teach me. But I want the truth. All of it.”

Draven nodded, his expression grim but resolute. “You’ll have it.”

Kael gave her a small, reassuring smile. “We won’t let anything happen to you. Not again.”

Lily’s heart clenched at his words. She wanted to believe them, to trust them. But a part of her still wondered… which one of them had betrayed her.

And could she ever forgive them when she found out the truth?