**The Runaway**
Eira's lungs burned as she sprinted through the tangled undergrowth, branches whipping at her arms. The stranger—*Kaelan*—moved like a shadow ahead of her, his footsteps silent on the damp earth. Behind them, the Hunters' shouts cut through the night.
*"You can't outrun them forever, little witch!"*
Her mark flared again, the silver crescent pulsing like a second heartbeat. She gritted her teeth against the pain.
Kaelan suddenly wheeled around, catching her by the shoulders. "We make our stand here."
"*Here?*" Eira gasped, staring at the crumbling ruins around them—an ancient shrine, its stone pillars carved with forgotten runes. "There's nowhere to hide!"
A slow, dangerous smile curved his lips. "Who said anything about hiding?"
He pressed his palm to the largest pillar. The runes ignited with violet fire, and the ground trembled as a hidden doorway yawned open.
Eira's breath caught. *Magic. Real magic.*
"Move!" Kaelan shoved her inside just as an arrow whistled past her ear.
---
**The Truth in the Dark**
The passage sealed behind them, plunging them into darkness—until Kaelan snapped his fingers. A sphere of ghostly blue flame bloomed above his palm, illuminating the cavern.
Eira recoiled. The walls were lined with *bones*—not human, but something older, their edges fused with crystal.
"Where *are* we?" she whispered.
"The Tomb of the First Starlight," Kaelan said, his voice echoing. "The last safe place for your kind."
"My *kind*?"
He turned, his golden eyes searing into hers. "You're the lost heir of the Celestial Court, Eira. The last Starlight Sorceress."
The words hit like a physical blow. She stumbled back. "That's impossible. The Celestial line died out a century ago—"
"*Because the Shadow King slaughtered them.*" Kaelan's jaw tightened. "All but one. You."
Her knees buckled. She remembered the dreams—flashes of a palace among the clouds, a woman's voice singing her to sleep. *Mother.*
"Why didn't I know?"
"You were hidden. Protected." His gaze flicked to her mark. "But the Blood Moon has awakened your magic. Now, he'll hunt you to extinction."
A roar shook the cavern. Dust rained from the ceiling.
Kaelan cursed. "They've found us."
---
### **First Magic**
The Hunters' blades scraped against stone, their hollow-eyed leader grinning as he stepped into the light. "Give her up, Dain. The King rewards traitors *painfully*."
Eira froze. *Traitor?*
Kaelan didn't flinch. "Touch her, and I'll peel the flesh from your bones."
The Hunter lunged.
Kaelan moved faster—a blur of shadows—but three more Hunters surged from the dark. One grabbed Eira's arm, his fingers bruising.
*No.*
Rage ignited in her chest. Her mark *burned*, and suddenly, the world *exploded* in light.
Silver flames erupted from her skin. The Hunter screamed as his flesh blackened.
Eira gasped, staring at her hands. *"What did I just do?"*
Kaelan's voice was raw with awe. "What you were born to do."
---
**The Bargain**
Silence fell. The remaining Hunters were gone—fled or ash.
Eira trembled, her magic flickering out. "You work for the Shadow King."
Kaelan didn't deny it. "I *did*."
"Then why save me?"
For the first time, his mask slipped. Pain flashed across his face. "Because the curse he put on my brother? It's *your* magic that can break it."
Her stomach dropped. "You need me alive to save him."
"Yes." He stepped closer, shadows writhing around him. "But I also need you to *win*. The King fears you, Eira. That's power."
A distant howl echoed through the ruins. More Hunters.
Kaelan offered his hand. "Trust me long enough to survive tonight. Then decide if you want to run or fight."
Eira looked at her glowing mark. At the bones of her ancestors.
She took his hand.
---
**Teaser for Chapter Three: The Betrayal**
*Kaelan's secrets ran deeper than blood—and when Eira uncovered the truth about his brother, she'd have to choose: flee the war… or ignite it.*
*But the Shadow King wasn't the only one hunting her.*
*Something older lurked in the dark.*
*And it had just opened its eyes