CROWNLESS

I, Violet Quinn, never understood where all that darkness came from, the darkness that seemed to follow me like a living shadow.

Nor where his obsession came from—that silent, suffocating presence, always watching me as if I were something that could escape at any moment.

Nikola Wilder was no ordinary king.

And, deep down, I knew I wasn't just any girl either.

Since I was little, I felt… something.

A calling.

A weight.

A truth locked inside me, pulsing like a second soul, waiting for the right moment to awaken.

But that day—the day everything changed—the darkness seemed denser than ever.

The windows of the fortress were covered by black curtains, and the air had that metallic smell that always indicated Nikola was angry. I walked down the narrow corridor, the sound of my footsteps echoing, when a chilling sensation ran down my spine.

He was near.

— Violet. — His voice cut through the silence like a sharp blade.

I swallowed hard before turning around. Nikola was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, his eyes so dark they seemed to devour the surrounding light. There was something different in his gaze—a tension, a distrust… or perhaps fear.

Fear of me.

“You left again this morning,” he said, without raising his voice, but each word weighed like a warning. “I already told you this kingdom isn’t safe for you.”

I took a deep breath.

“I can’t live locked up forever.”

An almost imperceptible smile curved his lips, but it wasn’t a gentle smile. It was the kind of smile someone gives when they’ve already accepted that they’re going to break something.

“You can,” he replied. “And you will.”

My heart pounded in my chest. I knew that if I didn’t escape soon, I’d never have another chance.

And that night… the chance came.

The distant roar of the Drakonus echoed through the walls, throwing the fortress into turmoil.  Lanterns lit up, a rush filled the corridors, and for the first time in my memory, the gates were poorly guarded.

I didn't think twice.

I ran.

I ran as if my feet had never touched the ground, as if my heart had decided that this was the only possible destination.

But as I traversed the darkness of the forest, a voice echoed within my mind—soft, faint, but real.

“Violet… come back.”

For a moment, my body froze.

It wasn't Nikola.

It was something—or someone—much older.

And it was only the beginning of the truth that was about to engulf me.