Chapter 5: The Chosen Sacrifice

The days began slipping away.

Ten days.

Nine days.

Eight.

Each morning Seraphina woke with the same crushing realization.

The Blood Moon Festival was approaching.

And with it—

Her fate.

The covenant had answered one question but created dozens more.

Was the Devil truly real?

Why had her family made such an agreement?

What would happen once she was taken?

Would she die?

Or would something worse await her?

Nobody would answer.

Nobody cared enough to answer.

And so she carried her fear alone.

At breakfast she sat in her usual place.

A small table near the kitchen.

Far away from the main dining hall.

The servants moved around her as if she were invisible.

By now she was accustomed to it.

Yet lately something had changed.

People looked at her differently.

Not with contempt.

Not with pity.

With guilt.

The realization disturbed her.

Even servants who rarely acknowledged her now struggled to meet her gaze.

As though they knew something terrible.

As though they were watching someone walk toward her execution.

The thought made her lose her appetite.

She pushed her food aside.

The bread remained untouched.

That afternoon Lord Ashwood summoned her again.

The moment she entered his study, Seraphina knew something was wrong.

Her father looked exhausted.

Older.

Dark circles shadowed his eyes.

Several documents covered his desk.

Among them she recognized a familiar symbol.

A black crown surrounded by flames.

The same symbol drawn throughout the covenant.

For the first time in years, anger overwhelmed her fear.

She stepped forward.

"Why?"

Lord Ashwood looked up.

His expression hardened.

"What?"

"You promised me to him."

Silence exploded across the room.

The temperature seemed to drop instantly.

Her father's face turned pale.

For several seconds neither moved.

Neither spoke.

Then—

"You read the covenant."

It wasn't a question.

Seraphina laughed bitterly.

"Was I not supposed to?"

"You had no right."

The answer stunned her.

"No right?"

Her voice shook.

"No right to know my own future?"

Lord Ashwood rose from his chair.

His expression darkened.

"You should not have opened that cabinet."

"Answer me."

The words escaped before she could stop them.

Her father froze.

Seraphina's hands trembled.

Years of pain poured from her chest.

"Why?"

The single word sounded broken.

Fragile.

Human.

"Why did you do it?"

For the first time, genuine emotion appeared in Lord Ashwood's eyes.

Regret.

Only for a moment.

Then it vanished.

"It was necessary."

Necessary.

The answer felt like a slap.

"Necessary?"

"Our family survived because of that covenant."

His voice became harsher.

"Everything you see exists because of it."

"The wealth?"

"Yes."

"The power?"

"Yes."

"The titles?"

"Yes."

Each answer felt worse than the last.

Seraphina stared at him.

Unable to recognize the man before her.

"So you sold me."

Lord Ashwood remained silent.

That silence was answer enough.

Tears burned her eyes.

"You sold your daughter."

For the first time in her life, she saw shame cross his face.

But it wasn't enough.

It could never be enough.

"Leave," he said quietly.

Seraphina laughed.

A broken sound.

"No."

His eyes narrowed.

"I said leave."

"I spent nineteen years obeying everyone."

She stepped backward.

"But not anymore."

Then she turned and walked out.

Ignoring his furious shout.

Ignoring the servants staring from the hallway.

Ignoring everything.

For the first time in her life—

She chose herself.

That night she packed a small bag.

A few dresses.

Some money she had secretly saved.

Several books.

Nothing more.

If she stayed, she would be sacrificed.

If she left...

Maybe she had a chance.

The kingdom was large.

Surely she could disappear.

Surely she could hide.

The Devil couldn't truly find her.

Could he?

The thought felt absurd.

Yet fear refused to disappear.

Midnight arrived.

The manor slept.

Seraphina slipped through dark corridors.

Her heart pounded violently.

Every creak of the floorboards sounded deafening.

Every shadow felt alive.

Finally she reached the back entrance.

Freedom stood only a few steps away.

A few more seconds.

A few more breaths.

Then—

The door opened by itself.

She froze.

The hallway beyond was empty.

Yet the door had definitely opened.

A cold wind swept inside.

Unnatural.

Watching.

Waiting.

The candle flames flickered.

Darkness stretched along the floor.

For one terrifying moment, Seraphina felt as though something enormous stood outside.

Something ancient.

Something powerful.

Then the sensation vanished.

Silence returned.

Slowly she stepped forward.

Nothing happened.

No monster appeared.

No Devil emerged.

Only the night awaited her.

Relieved, she crossed the threshold.

And immediately collided with someone.

She gasped.

A tall figure stood before her.

Dressed entirely in black.

His face remained hidden beneath a hood.

Fear shot through her body.

"Who are you?"

The stranger remained silent.

Then—

He knelt.

Seraphina blinked.

"What?"

The man lowered his head respectfully.

"As expected."

His voice was deep.

Ancient.

Unsettling.

"You attempted to run."

Seraphina stepped backward.

Every instinct screamed danger.

"How do you know who I am?"

The stranger slowly rose.

When he lifted his head, silver eyes met hers.

Not human eyes.

Something else.

Something far older.

"My King predicted this."

A terrible feeling settled in her stomach.

"My King?"

The stranger smiled.

"The Lord of Darkness."

The world seemed to stop.

The Devil.

The stranger bowed once more.

"He requested that no harm come to you."

Requested?

No.

Protected.

The realization sent chills through her body.

The stranger continued.

"You may run if you wish."

"What?"

"My King ordered us not to stop you."

Seraphina stared.

Confused.

That made no sense.

"Then why are you here?"

The silver-eyed man smiled strangely.

"To accompany you."

The answer frightened her more than any threat.

"You've been watching me."

"For years."

Her blood ran cold.

Years?

Before she could respond, the stranger stepped aside.

"The choice remains yours."

Seraphina looked toward the distant road.

Freedom.

Escape.

Hope.

Then she looked back.

The stranger hadn't moved.

Hadn't threatened her.

Hadn't attempted to stop her.

A strange realization surfaced.

If the Devil truly wanted to imprison her—

She would already be imprisoned.

The thought unsettled her deeply.

In the end, she ran anyway.

Across the gardens.

Beyond the gates.

Into the darkness.

The stranger never followed.

At least not visibly.

Hours later, far from Ashwood Manor, Seraphina finally stopped.

She stood in the middle of an abandoned road.

Breathing heavily.

Exhausted.

The forest around her was silent.

Moonlight filtered through the trees.

For the first time in her life—

She was free.

A small smile appeared on her face.

Then thunder echoed overhead.

The sky darkened instantly.

Clouds gathered unnaturally fast.

The wind screamed through the forest.

And far above—

A crimson light appeared among the stars.

Seraphina stared upward.

Her heart nearly stopped.

The moon.

It was changing.

Turning red.

Days before it should have.

As though reality itself had begun preparing for the Blood Moon.

Fear gripped her chest.

Something was wrong.

Very wrong.

Far away, within the Black Palace, Lucien stood before a massive window overlooking the Underworld.

His gaze remained fixed upon the mortal realm.

Upon a lone girl standing beneath a crimson moon.

His bride.

His beloved.

The woman he had waited centuries to find again.

One of his generals approached cautiously.

"My King."

Lucien didn't look away.

"She escaped."

The general swallowed nervously.

"Should we retrieve her?"

For several moments, silence filled the room.

Then Lucien smiled.

A soft smile.

Unexpectedly gentle.

"No."

"My King?"

"Let her run."

The general looked confused.

Lucien's golden eyes softened.

Because unlike everyone else—

He understood Seraphina's fear.

Understood her pain.

Understood her loneliness.

And he knew one thing with absolute certainty.

No matter where she ran.

No matter how far she traveled.

No matter how desperately she tried to escape.

Fate would still guide her toward him.

Because some bonds could not be broken.

Some promises could not be erased.

And some loves—

Were older than time itself.

To be continued...

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