Rain POV
Midnight Tent Encounter
My stomach twisted. I reached out, my fingers brushing the small oil lamp switch. The flame hissed up, chasing away some of the darkness.
That's when I saw him. A figure standing by the far side of the tent, barely lit by the dying glow of the lamp. I grabbed the nearest thing — the thin duvet — and clutched it to my chest like it could actually protect me.
"Who the hell are you?" I whispered, trying to sound tough, though my voice trembled a little.
He stepped forward, hands raised in mock surrender. "Easy. I'm not here to hurt you."
The low light caught his face — sharp jawline, messy dark hair, and eyes like trouble.
"My name's Kay," he said softly. "King Ramus's one and only son."
I stared, heart pounding. I knew who he was. Of course I did. But I pretended I didn't.
"What do you want?" I asked, shifting back against the pillows, the ache in my side making me wince.
He smirked, leaning against one of the tent poles. "Relax. Believe me, you're not my type."
I rolled my eyes, but the tension in my chest stayed tight. "Then why sneak into my tent in the middle of the damn night?"
He hesitated, then shrugged. "I overheard Grandma Lolo talking to her granddaughter yesterday. She said you were getting better… so I came to see for myself."
I narrowed my eyes. "And you picked now? Middle of the night? What — hospitals closed during the day around here?"
A faint grin tugged at his mouth. "Timing works for what I need to talk to you about."
I snorted, though my stomach twisted with unease. "Thought you said you just came to check on me."
"Didn't say that was the only reason."
His voice stayed low, barely above a whisper, but there was something in it that sent a chill up my spine.
"What is it then?" I asked, my fingers tightening on the duvet.
He crouched in front of me, close enough for me to catch the scar slicing through his left eyebrow. His eyes didn't leave mine.
"I'm curious about something," he murmured. "You should be dead."
Well. That made me feel awesome.
"Excuse me?"
"That blade should've marked you. It didn't. And you know why?"
I swallowed hard, my throat tight. "Because… I'm cursed?"
He let out a breath of a laugh, shaking his head. "No. Because you're the one."
I frowned. "The one what? What the hell are you talking about?"
"There's a prophecy," he said, voice barely a murmur now. "About the child of the star — the cursed-born who'll bring my father's reign to an end. And I think it's you, Rain."
Hearing my name from his lips — spoken so quietly, like a secret — made my stomach twist in a way I couldn't explain.
"I… I'm nobody," I whispered.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out something small and metallic, pressing it into my palm. It was cold and heavy, carved with a strange emblem. A wolf eating a serpent.
"They called her Veyra the Pale. The first cursed-born. She died fighting my father's bloodline… but she left descendants. You."
I stared at him, my pulse thudding. "You're insane."
"I thought so too."
For a second, neither of us spoke. The silence between us was thick, but not empty. It was charged, like a storm about to break.
He sighed, rubbing a hand through his hair. "Tomorrow night… he's holding the mate-bonding ceremony. You and him. By the fire."
My stomach dropped. "What? No. No, he can't — I'm not even his mate!"
Kay's jaw clenched. "Doesn't matter to him. He doesn't care about any of that."
I blinked, trying to keep my breathing steady. "And what do you want from me?"
"I want you to kill him," he said, voice tight.
I let out a shaky laugh, though it wasn't funny. "Yeah, sure. Let me grab my assassin kit. Do I look like I know how to kill a king?"
Kay didn't smile this time. "You don't have to know how. You just have to want it."
His eyes searched mine, and for the first time, I saw the cracks in his tough act. Fear. Regret. Rage.
"Why now? Why not before?"
"Because I was scared," he admitted quietly. "Because the only way to end him is with a cursed-born's hand. And I didn't have one. Not until you."
I swallowed, my chest tight.
"And what happens to me after that?" I asked, my voice soft. "You kill me too? Or do you take the throne?"
He shook his head. "I don't want the throne. I want this whole place to burn."
For a long, aching moment, neither of us spoke.
I looked down at the medallion. It felt… alive somehow. Warm against my skin. I could almost hear a heartbeat in it.
"And if I say no?"
Kay's expression hardened. "Then tomorrow, when they drag you to his bed, you'll wish you hadn't."
Fury snapped through me, sharp and hot. "You'll get your cursed-born," I said, my voice steady, even if the rest of me was shaking.
He nodded, pulling a slender dagger from his belt. The blade shimmered black, strange runes etched along the edge.
"When the drums start," he murmured. "When he steps to the fire — drive this into his heart. Only you can pierce it."
He hesitated, then looked back at me one last time. "Rest, Rain. Tomorrow… the Hollow dies."
"Wait," I called softly.
He paused.
"Promise me. If I do this… you let me go."
His gaze met mine. "I swear."
Then he was gone. Silent as a ghost. Leaving me alone with the darkness, the medallion, and the storm raging inside my chest.
Morning came faster than I wanted it to. I really wished it had taken its sweet time, but no — it showed up like an uninvited guest, dragging reality with it.
The weirdest part? My body felt… fine. Too fine. No pain in my ribs. No headache pounding behind my eyes. My skin didn't sting, my stomach didn't twist. For the first time in days, I actually felt like myself again. And the best part? Solid food. Real, actual food — not broth, not herbs, not mush.
I had barely finished eating when four women stepped into my tent. Trailing behind them was Grandma Lolo. But one of those women — yeah, she stood out the moment she entered.
She was dressed like she thought she owned the place, her clothes finer than the others, a sharp air of authority clinging to her like perfume. And the way the others lowered their heads when she passed? Yeah… this one wasn't here to fluff pillows.
I eyed them suspiciously. "What's good?" I asked, my voice calm but my gut tightening.
None of them spoke. The tent hung heavy with silence — until Grandma Lolo shuffled over to me, setting her warm, dry hands against my forehead. She hummed to herself, nodding like she already knew what she'd find, then placed her ear to my chest, listening to my heartbeat. I swallowed, uneasy under her careful touch.
"She's healthy," Grandma Lolo finally announced, her words aimed at the finely dressed woman.
The lady smiled — sharp and knowing. "Grandma Lolo, your skill never fails to amaze me." She stepped closer, her gaze sweeping over me like she was sizing up a prize horse at auction.
"Where are her clothes?" she asked, frowning. "She can't wear that rag to her mate-bonding ceremony tonight."
Wait. What?
I blinked, sitting up straighter. "They're really going through with that… tonight?" My voice cracked a little at the end.
Nobody answered. Of course they didn't.
"The red dress she was wearing is still with me," Grandma Lolo said, waving a hand dismissively. "I had Lela wash it yesterday. She can wear that."
The lady — whoever she was — wrinkled her nose. "Remove that rag she's in. Let me get a proper look at her."
Before I could move, the other women sprang into action. Hands grabbing at my clothes, tugging them off before I could even catch my breath. I fought, shoving and cursing under my breath, but they overpowered me easily. I was left scrambling to wrap my arms around myself, trying to cover what little I could.
"There's nothing to be embarrassed about," the woman said coolly. "We're all women here."
Yeah, sure — tell that to my dignity currently rotting in the mud.
Then her gaze landed on the scars Jack the Terrible left behind. Her expression twisted.
"Who did this to you?" she demanded.
I glared at her in silence. If she could dish out the cold shoulder, so could I.
She turned to Grandma Lolo. "Can't you get rid of these scars?"
"There's nothing I can't do," Grandma Lolo answered with a shrug.
"Well, it doesn't matter. I'm sure the old man won't mind." The woman smirked. "Clean her properly. Make her beautiful. Tonight's her big night."
I clenched my jaw so hard it hurt.
As she turned to leave, she tossed one last line over her shoulder. "I suppose next time I see you… I'll be calling you Queen."
When she was gone, I glanced at Grandma Lolo. "Who the hell is she?"
"That's Nara," Grandma Lolo said softly. "Prince Kay's lover."
I blinked, confused. "Lover… or mate?"
"Lover," she confirmed, sighing. "His mate's been dead a long time."
The remaining women hovered awkwardly until Grandma Lolo waved them off. "Give us a moment."
They obeyed without question.
As soon as they were gone, I sat up, voice urgent. "You need to help me. I can't marry that old bastard."
Grandma Lolo looked down, her face lined and tired. "There's nothing I can do."
"But you said you and your granddaughter would serve me," I reminded her, my voice cracking, frustration bubbling up.
"If you're the Star Born," she said quietly. "But you haven't proven you are."
My stomach twisted. "And how the hell am I supposed to prove that?"
She met my gaze, and there was something heavy in her eyes.
"You end King Ramus's life."