Crown of Thorns and Roses

Elena stared at her trembling hands, still tingling with a warmth that was both alien and familiar. The clearing was empty now, save for the ash that stained the earth where the wraith wolves had fallen. The wind stirred the black dust, whispering like a voice just out of reach.

"What… happened to me?" she asked, barely recognizing the sound of her own voice.

Cassian stood across from her, his silver eyes sharp and unreadable. He seemed to weigh his answer carefully, as if deciding how much she deserved to know. "The light chose you."

"The light?" she echoed, incredulous. "What light? I don't understand!"

Cassian approached slowly, his boots silent against the forest floor. He stopped just close enough that she could see the faint scar along his jaw, the only imperfection in his otherwise flawless face. "The Rose Crown," he said evenly. "It marks those who seek it—if they are worthy. That light you summoned was its answer."

Elena shook her head. "But I didn't summon anything. I didn't even know what I was doing!"

"That," he said with a faint, humorless smile, "is what makes it dangerous. Power rarely waits for you to understand it."

Her mind raced, the events of the last hour replaying like a fever dream. The wolves, the blinding light, the way it had surged through her like fire and sunlight combined. She had never felt anything like it. It was as if something inside her—something long buried—had been called awake.

She looked up at Cassian, her throat tight. "So what now? Do I just… walk into this cursed crown's trap because of some light?"

"No," Cassian said, his voice dropping lower. "You walk because you've already been claimed."

The words struck her like a blow. "Claimed?"

Cassian's gaze didn't waver. "The crown has marked you as a contender. Its magic has chosen to test you, and it will not be denied. If you turn back now, it will consume you from the inside out."

Elena stumbled back a step, her heart pounding. "You're lying."

"I don't lie," he said simply, though his tone carried no comfort. "You're part of this now, little dove. Whether you like it or not."

Elena opened her mouth to argue, but no words came. Her thoughts tumbled over one another, panic clawing at the edges of her mind. She could still feel the faint trace of that strange power within her, pulsing faintly beneath her skin like a heartbeat. It wasn't something she could deny—not anymore.

Claimed. The word echoed through her, cold and final.

She took a deep breath, fighting to steady herself. "And what about you?" she demanded, her voice sharper than she intended. "Why are you still here? Why help me at all?"

Cassian tilted his head slightly, his silver eyes narrowing as if he were sizing her up. "Because the crown's trials are not meant to be faced alone."

"That's not an answer," she shot back.

Cassian's mouth curved into something that wasn't quite a smile. "Perhaps not. But it's all you're getting."

They traveled in silence after that. The forest seemed to shift around them as they walked, the trees growing taller and darker, their branches tangling together like cages. The air grew colder, and Elena couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched.

Cassian led the way, moving with a quiet confidence that only deepened her mistrust of him. His sword remained at his side, though his hand never strayed far from the hilt.

"Where are we going?" she asked eventually, her voice breaking the stillness like a ripple in water.

"To the first gate," Cassian replied without looking back. "The trials begin there."

"The first gate?" Elena's stomach sank. "How many are there?"

"Three," he said. "And each one will test you more than the last."

Elena swallowed hard. "And what happens if I fail?"

Cassian stopped so suddenly that she nearly collided with him. He turned to face her, his silver eyes meeting hers with unsettling intensity. "You don't fail."

There was no room for argument in his tone, no room for doubt. Elena stared at him, her throat tight. "And if I do?"

Cassian's gaze lingered on her for a moment longer before he turned away. "Then the forest will claim you, and no one will remember your name."

By the time they reached the first gate, the forest had fallen completely silent. Elena stopped beside Cassian, her eyes widening as she took in the sight before her.

A massive arch of stone rose from the ground, covered in vines and ancient runes that glowed faintly in the dim light. The air thrummed with magic, thick and heavy, like the calm before a storm.

"What is this place?" she whispered.

"The Gate of Shadows," Cassian said quietly. "The first trial."

Elena took a hesitant step forward, the stone arch looming above her like the entrance to some forgotten underworld. The runes seemed to pulse in time with her heartbeat, and a chill prickled at her skin.

"What do I have to do?"

Cassian didn't answer immediately. He stared at the gate, his expression unreadable. "The gate will show you your greatest fear," he said at last. "You must face it. Conquer it. Or it will consume you."

Elena's breath caught. "My greatest fear?"

Cassian nodded, his silver eyes dark. "The crown demands strength, Elena. It will test every part of you. If you are weak, it will break you."

She turned to face the gate, her pulse thundering in her ears. The air around it seemed to shimmer, as if reality itself were bending. She could feel the pull of it, like an unseen hand reaching for her.

Cassian stepped back, his voice soft but firm. "Once you enter, there's no turning back."

Elena looked over her shoulder at him. "And if I succeed?"

He held her gaze. "Then you'll be one step closer to the crown."

She turned back to the gate, her fists clenching at her sides. Every instinct screamed at her to run, to turn and flee into the forest. But she couldn't—not now. She had come too far, and there was no going back.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward.

The air grew colder with each step, the world narrowing until all she could see was the stone arch and the darkness beyond. The runes flared brighter, and the pull became irresistible, dragging her forward.

As she passed beneath the arch, the forest vanished.

Elena froze. She stood alone in a world of shadows, her breath fogging the air. The silence was deafening, the darkness absolute. And then—

A voice.

"Elena…"

She turned sharply, her heart lurching in her chest. A figure stepped from the darkness, its face hidden, its voice achingly familiar.

"You let us die…"

Elena staggered back, her blood running cold. She knew that voice. She knew it as well as her own.

"No," she whispered, her voice breaking. "You're not real."

But the figure kept coming, its form dissolving into shadows that clawed toward her.

"You failed us, Elena. And now you'll fail again."

The shadows lunged.

And the darkness swallowed her whole.