The Stolen Heir’s Bond

The glow of the archway had completely faded, leaving only the soft shimmer of the cavern's crystals to light the space. Kael stood staring at where his father had been, his breath slow but uneven.

He had spent his entire life believing his father was a traitor. Dead. A ghost of the past that he had never truly known.

But now… he was out there. Somewhere.

Elaria shifted beside him, still gripping his sleeve as if afraid he might charge through the archway after the vision. "Kael," she said carefully, "are you sure about this? We don't even know where to start."

Kael exhaled sharply and turned to her. "He said he's closer than we think." His mind raced, piecing things together. "If he was erased from history, that means someone—the king—wanted him gone for a reason. And if he's still alive, that means he's in hiding. Or worse—trapped."

Elaria frowned. "That's a lot of guesses."

Kael met her gaze. "Do you have a better plan?"

She hesitated but didn't argue. Instead, she sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Fine. But let's think this through. If your father really is alive, then the people who erased him might already know we've seen this vision."

Kael tensed. He hadn't thought about that.

Elaria continued, her voice low. "We need to be careful. If the king's men find out we're looking for him—"

"They'll try to stop us," Kael finished grimly.

A sudden noise echoed through the cavern. Footsteps.

Both of them went rigid.

Elaria was the first to react. She grabbed Kael's wrist and yanked him behind a jagged rock formation just as the shadows at the tunnel entrance stirred.

Kael pressed his back against the cold stone, his heart hammering. He heard voices. Low. Sharp.

"…I swear, I saw something," one of them muttered.

Another scoffed. "This place is cursed. Let's get out of here before the spirits wake."

The first voice didn't sound convinced. "We report this to Lord Eridan. If the boy was here, he won't have gone far."

Kael's blood ran cold. Lord Eridan. The king's right hand.

They were already being hunted.

The voices faded as the men moved back toward the tunnel, their footsteps echoing into the distance.

Elaria let out a slow breath. "That was close."

Kael clenched his fists. "Too close." He turned to her, his golden eyes burning with determination. "We need to move. Now."

Elaria nodded. "Where?"

Kael's mind worked quickly. "To the one place no one will expect us to go."

Elaria raised an eyebrow. "And that is?"

Kael smirked slightly, but there was no humor in it.

"To the king's city."