Bound by Prince of Darkness

Birthday Celebration

The day passed in a blur for Maya. The usual school routine felt like it dragged on forever, but her mind was elsewhere. Thoughts of the mysterious man in her dreams kept her distracted, and by the time she finally returned home, she was exhausted but restless.

That night, as she lay in bed, Maya couldn’t shake the anxiety gnawing at her. What would tonight’s dream bring? The thought of facing that mysterious figure again filled her with both dread and curiosity. She tried to shake it off, taking a few long breaths in an attempt to calm herself down. Eventually, her eyes grew heavy, and she drifted off to sleep, slipping into the familiar landscape of her dreams.

Maya found herself once again standing on top of the mountain, the ominous black abyss stretching out before her. The air was thick with tension, and she could feel his eyes on her, watching her from somewhere in the darkness. But when she turned around, there was nothing, only an endless void.

Gathering her courage, she shouted into the emptiness, her voice echoing off the invisible walls around her. “Show yourself! I know you’re here!”

But her defiance was met with silence. Frustration bubbled up inside her as she stood there, waiting for something, anything, to happen. It felt like hours passed as she remained rooted to the spot, her heart pounding in her chest.

Then, just as she was about to give up, she heard it: his voice, smooth and deep, reverberating through the air.

“Soon, Maya. Soon.”

She whipped around, trying to pinpoint the source of the voice, but it seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere all at once. She wanted to shout back, to demand answers, but before she could speak, the dream began to fade, slipping away like sand through her fingers.

Maya jolted awake, her heart racing as she blinked against the morning light streaming into her room. Her mother, Elena, was standing by her bedside, looking down at her with concern.

“Wake up, Maya,” Elena said gently, brushing a strand of hair from her daughter’s forehead. “Or you’ll be late again.”

Maya groaned in frustration, the remnants of the dream still clinging to her like a shadow. But her mother’s warm kiss on her forehead pulled her back to reality.

“Happy birthday, my sweet girl,” Elena said with a soft smile. “Wake up quickly, your favorite nephew is already here.”

Maya’s eyes snapped open, the frustration momentarily forgotten. “Axel is here?” she asked, her voice full of excitement.

Elena nodded, amused by her daughter’s sudden burst of energy. “Yes, he’s waiting for you downstairs.”

Without another word, Maya leaped out of bed and rushed to the bathroom to get ready. She washed up and dressed in record time, her earlier stress now replaced with eagerness to see Axel.

She hurried down the stairs and into the dining hall, where her family was already gathered. The moment she spotted Axel, she couldn’t contain her excitement. “Axel!” she screamed with delight.

Axel, who had been in mid-conversation with Kaian, turned around just in time to see Maya rushing toward him. He laughed as he caught her in a tight hug, lifting her slightly off the ground. Despite being her nephew, Axel was her sister Kaia's son and only a few months younger than Maya. Along with Kaian, the three of them had been a constant source of mischief during their childhood.

“Hello, Auntie,” Axel teased her with a grin, his red eyes twinkling with amusement.

Maya laughed, ruffling his hair affectionately. “You’re too big to call me that anymore, you know.”

“Never,” Axel shot back, finally releasing her from the hug.

After greeting Axel, Maya turned to her sister Kaia and her brother-in-law, Maxime, pulling them both into warm embraces. “Happy birthday, little sister,” Kaia said, her voice full of love.

“Thanks, Kaia,” Maya replied, squeezing her sister tightly before pulling back to take her seat at the table.

As she settled into her usual spot, her eyes met Kaian’s across the table. He gave her a small smile, and she returned it with one of her own. “Happy birthday, brother,” she said softly.

“Happy birthday, sis,” Kaian replied, his tone warm.

The day passed in a blur for Maya, filled with preparations and well-wishes from friends and family. Before she knew it, the evening of her eighteenth birthday had arrived. The entire palace was abuzz with excitement, and Maya was in her room, standing in front of the mirror as she arranged her dress. Anya was with her, as always, helping with the final touches.

"You look stunning," Anya said in awe, her eyes wide as she took in Maya’s appearance.

Maya glanced at herself in the mirror, seeing what Anya saw. She was dressed in a long, pale pink gown that flowed gracefully from her slim waist, cascading down to the floor. The dress left her shoulders bare, accentuating her graceful neck and collarbones, while her long, golden hair flew in loose waves down her back.

"Thanks, Anya," Maya replied, a small smile tugging at her lips, though there was a nervous flutter in her stomach.

Before the girls could continue their conversation, there was a knock on the door. It opened to reveal her mother, Queen Elena, who stepped into the room with a soft, loving smile.

"Maya, sweetie, you are gorgeous," Elena said, her voice filled with pride. For a moment, tears glistened in her eyes.

"Come on, Mom, don’t cry," Maya said gently, though her own eyes were starting to sting.

Elena laughed softly, blinking away the tears. "You grew up so fast. Are you ready?"

Maya took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes, I think so."

With that, they made their way out of the room and toward the grand staircase. As they reached the top, Maya spotted her brother, Kaian, waiting for her. He was dressed in his formal military attire, looking every bit the dashing future king. When he saw her, his eyes softened, and he gave her a reassuring smile.

"You look beautiful, Maya," Kaian said, offering his arm to her.

"Thanks, Kaian. You’re not so bad yourself," she teased, though her voice wavered slightly with nerves.

Together, they descended the staircase and entered the ballroom. The room was filled with a sea of people, all turning to congratulate the royal twins as they made their entrance. The atmosphere was lively, with music playing and laughter filling the air. For Maya, everything passed in a blur — handshakes, compliments, and the constant buzz of conversation. She smiled and thanked everyone, but her mind was elsewhere, distracted by the weight of the evening.

The hours flew by, and before she knew it, it was almost midnight. The anticipation in the room grew as the clock approached the hour. Maya could feel the tension in the air, the unspoken expectation that something significant would happen.

As the clock struck midnight, all eyes turned to Kaian. His usually calm blue eyes suddenly glowed with an intense light, and a powerful wave of energy radiated from him, a clear sign of his strength as a dragon. The crowd murmured in awe, and Maya couldn’t help but feel a pang of pride for her brother.

But then, everyone turned their expectant gazes toward her.

Maya waited, holding her breath, her heart pounding in her chest. But nothing happened. She felt no surge of power, no change within her. The room seemed to hold its breath along with her, but as the seconds ticked by, the realization dawned on her that nothing was going to happen.

She could barely hide her disappointment, the sting of it sharp and bitter. Her mother, sensing her distress, placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"This doesn’t mean anything, Maya," Queen Elena said softly, her voice full of reassurance. "Everyone’s powers manifest differently, at different times. There’s no need to worry."

Suddenly, Kaian's eyes began to glow again, brighter and more intensely than before. A deep, primal roar erupted from his chest, echoing through the ballroom like thunder. The single word that followed sent a shock wave through the crowd: "Mate!"

The declaration sent ripples through the room, and every head turned to follow Kaian’s gaze as he strode forward with purpose. The target of his attention was a tall brunet girl standing in the crowd, her eyes wide with surprise and awe. It was Rebecca, one of the young noble women who had always been part of their social circle. As Kaian approached her, a slow, radiant smile spread across her face. Without hesitation, she threw herself into his arms, her expression one of pure joy and relief.

She could see Kaian holding Rebecca tightly, his expression filled with something Maya had never seen before in her brother, a deep, fierce protectiveness.

But then she heard a soft, broken gasp. Maya turned her head, seeking out the source of that heart-wrenching sound, and saw her best friend Anya standing frozen, her face pale, and her eyes brimming with tears. Anya had always carried her love for Kaian, a love that she had kept hidden from everyone, except Maya. But now, watching the man she loved claim someone else as his mate right in front of her, the pain was too much to bear.

Maya’s heart broke for her friend. She tried to reach out, to say something, anything, that could comfort her, but before she could, Anya turned on her heel and ran from the room, tears streaming down her face.

Just as she turned her attention to her brother, a sudden, searing pain shot through Maya’s back. She let out a sharp scream, her hands flying to the source of the pain as if trying to claw it away.

"Maya!" her father, King Kai, was at her side in an instant, his face etched with concern. "What happened?"

"My back," Maya gasped, her voice strained with agony. "It’s burning —"

Before she could say anything more, the world went dark, and she lost consciousness, the last thing she heard being the panicked voices of her family calling out her name.