Cursed By Fate

shadows of betrayal

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Chapter [X+12]: Shadows of Betrayal

The queen's private chambers were drenched in twilight, the suffocating silence broken only by the soft rustle of her gown as Queen Séraphine paced near the window. Her kingdom thrived, yet all she felt was a festering emptiness that power alone could not fill. She glanced at the mirror, her reflection barely recognizable as the woman she once was—young, ambitious, but untouched by the darkness that now clung to her like a second skin.

A cold breeze swept through the room, and from the corners of the chamber, shadows began to writhe, coalescing into a figure. It was the same shadow that had appeared to her all those years ago.

“I’ve waited, Your Majesty,” the shadow purred, its voice a twisted melody. “You summoned me once for power, but that hunger is never sated, is it?”

Séraphine stiffened, her expression unreadable, but her mind buzzed with the weight of the past. “And yet here you are, again. Why should I trust you when I know all too well what shadows bring—betrayal.”

The shadow hissed a laugh, its form shifting as if amused. “You speak of betrayal, but you are no stranger to it. Have you forgotten? Shall we revisit that moment together?”

The room darkened, plunging Séraphine into a swirling memory—a time long buried beneath layers of blood and deception.

Flashback

The palace glittered with opulence, the night of Lilith's wedding to the general in full bloom. Lilith stood in the center of the grand hall, her golden hair cascading over her delicate shoulders, the symbol of everything Séraphine despised. She was radiant, a peasant girl who had caught the eye of the gods, and even worse, the king.

Séraphine stood on the edges of the crowd, watching as Lilith basked in adoration, jealousy gnawing at her with every glance. The king’s eyes followed Lilith like a moth to a flame, his affection burning too bright, too real.

“Why her?” The words were venom on her lips. “She doesn’t deserve his love.”

From behind her, Emily, Séraphine’s most trusted companion, whispered softly. “Séraphine, you’re destined for so much more than this. Don’t let envy cloud your vision.”

But Séraphine couldn’t stop the darkness growing inside her. "Destined?" she repeated bitterly. "How can I be destined for greatness when even the gods have turned their favor on her?"

Later that night, as the celebration quieted, Séraphine was approached by a cloaked figure—one who offered a path. “Do you wish to have what she has?” it asked, its voice like poisoned silk.

She hesitated, fear pricking at her soul. “What are you?”

“I am what you need, Séraphine. I can give you what you desire most—his love. But nothing comes without a price.”

The figure’s hand reached toward her, and in that moment, the desire for power outweighed her caution. “What must I sacrifice?”

“Trust,” the shadow answered simply. “Your trust in all things. You must learn to betray, or be betrayed.”

Séraphine nodded, her heart heavy with the weight of her decision.

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The shadow crept into her heart that night, binding itself to her soul. Soon after, the king’s affections for Lilith began to fade, manipulated by Séraphine's growing influence and dark magic. But Lilith's happiness with her new husband, the general, still gnawed at her. It wasn’t enough to have stolen the king—she needed to destroy Lilith completely.

Séraphine sought out Emily one final time, her voice laced with cold resolve. “She has to die, Emily. Only then will I be free.”

Emily recoiled, horror painting her features. “Séraphine, you can’t! This—this isn’t you! Lilith is innocent! You’ll damn us all!”

But Séraphine’s mind was made up, and the darkness within her had taken root. “I will have everything,” she whispered, eyes gleaming with malevolence. “And no one will stop me—not even you.”

Emily’s face paled. “I won’t help you do this. I’ll—”

“You’ll what?” Séraphine’s voice was a growl. “You’ll betray me?”

The room seemed to darken, the shadows pulsing in rhythm with Séraphine’s fury. With a flick of her wrist, dark tendrils shot from the shadows, coiling around Emily like serpents. “I can’t allow that.” With those words, Emily's scream was choked off, her body crumpling to the floor.

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Lilith was next. Séraphine led her deep into the woods under the pretense of peace, her voice dripping with false promises of reconciliation. But when Lilith turned to face her, Séraphine’s façade shattered.

“You stole everything from me, Lilith,” she hissed. “I’ll see you burn before I let you live another day in happiness.”

Lilith’s eyes widened in shock, betrayal flashing across her features. “Séraphine, we were friends! How could you—”

But there was no room for words as Séraphine unleashed the dark magic she had honed, the air around them crackling with lethal energy. Lilith fought back with the divine power gifted to her, but Séraphine was merciless, her fury unmatched.

As Lilith's life ebbed away, Séraphine stepped back, watching the light fade from her once-rival’s eyes. The shadows that had long whispered in her ear now swirled around her, their sinister whispers louder than ever.

End Flashback

Back in the present, Queen Séraphine’s heart beat steadily, the weight of her past tightening its grip. The shadow that had once lured her now hovered before her, its voice low and mocking.

“You remember now, don’t you? Betrayal has always been your closest ally.”

Her eyes darkened, the shadow coiling around her. “Aria must be destroyed,” she muttered. “Like her mother before her.”

As the shadow moved closer, Séraphine’s eyes turned black, the darkness sealing its final pact with her. “I will end her, and with her, every reminder of what I once was.”

The shadow’s voice wrapped around her like a noose. “Together, we will reign. Together, we will destroy.”

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