Evelyn opened the main gate slowly, locking it behind her. She ran blindly, not caring where she went, only wanting to put as much distance as possible between herself and the palace.
She had no idea what the forbidden cave looked like… how would she even find it now?
Finally, exhausted, she collapsed onto a hard rock, her chest heaving. Why had she left home? She looked up at the moon, silently praying for guidance.
Then the moonlight shifted, shining brighter, illuminating a spot a little farther ahead. Evelyn barely noticed—her tears fell freely as she lowered her head. She wiped her cheeks, trying to gather herself, ready to return home.
But then… rose petals appeared on the ground.
Was he here? she whispered.
The petals formed a path, delicate and glowing in the moonlight. Heart pounding, Evelyn followed them, each step pulling her closer to a place she had never been allowed to see.
Minutes later, she stood under a spotlight of moonlight, in the midst of blooming rose bushes. The deafening sound of a waterfall echoed from deep within the cave. The forbidden place seemed alive, as if it had been waiting for her. She should be here… she was meant to be here.
Cautiously, she stepped forward. Damn it, this is wrong… so wrong, she thought.
The cave opened up to reveal a beautiful pond, surrounded by rose bushes, their petals drifting lazily into the water. She touched the surface, feeling it shimmer and glow, the water deepening into a brilliant blue, warm and soothing.
Without thinking, she set aside her nightdress and stepped into the water. The sensation was electric—refreshing, alive. Evelyn closed her eyes, letting the pond embrace her. For the first time in her life, she felt free.
Why would someone declare this place forbidden? she wondered.
A sudden sharp prick broke her thoughts.
"Ouch!" she cried, withdrawing her hand from a thorn. Carefully, she stepped out of the pond, blood trickling from the small wound. She wrapped herself in her nightdress, intending to leave—but before she could move, a sudden force propelled her deeper into the cave.
She stumbled to the ground, pain shooting through her side. Blood trickled from her wound, but something else drew her attention—something familiar yet more surreal than she could have imagined.
There, in a glass coffin, just like in her dreams…
The silver-eyed stranger. Shirtless, chained, head bowed. He didn't move.
Evelyn froze, her heart racing. Every night he had haunted her dreams, every vision of those piercing eyes and dangerous aura now staring at her through cold glass.
She stepped closer, curiosity mingled with fear. The pain from her wound flared again, forcing her to clutch her side. Blood spattered against the glass, the sound echoing in the cave.
"Maybe… this was a mistake," she whispered. "Coming here… was useless."
Her eyes lingered on him one last time before she considered retreating, her heart aching with a mix of fear, fascination, and something she couldn't yet name.