Chapter 2 One
ELEANOR'S POV
My chest tightened instantly.
Maria grabbed my hand as we followed the hooded acolytes deeper into the temple.
The air smelled heavily of incense and melted wax. The deeper we walked, the colder it became.
Strange symbols were carved into the walls, images of kneeling women, crowned vampires, blood rituals… brides.
My skin crawled.
Then we finally entered a massive circular chamber.
Hundreds of girls stood inside already. Some were praying quietly. Some were crying. Others looked moments away from collapsing.
At the center of the chamber stood a crystal orb glowing faintly atop a silver pedestal. The moment my eyes landed on it, unease settled deep in my stomach.
Nathan stepped forward. His voice echoed across the chamber.
“One after another,” he announced solemnly, “you will place your hand on the sacred orb.”
Nobody moved. Nobody even breathed.
“It will determine your suitability…” His eyes slowly swept across the terrified girls. “…to become the bride of the Vampire King.”
One after another, the maidens stepped forward. Some approached the crystal orb with trembling hands. Others were crying before they even reached it. A few whispered frantic prayers beneath their breaths, as though the gods might take pity on them if they sounded desperate enough.
But nothing happened.
The orb remained dull and lifeless no matter who touched it. Sometimes it flickered faintly for a second before dying again, almost like it was bored of them.
The tension in the chamber slowly eased.
Girls who had already been tested hurried away from the pedestal with relieved tears in their eyes, clutching onto their friends like they had just escaped death itself.
I swallowed hard.
Maybe we would be lucky too. Maybe this nightmare would finally pass over us.
Then Nathan called Maria’s name.
I felt her fingers immediately tighten around mine..When I turned toward her, all the color had drained from her face..
“Eleanor…” she whispered shakily.
For the first time since we were children, Maria looked genuinely terrified. I forced myself to smile at her even though my own stomach was twisting violently.
“It’ll be fine,” The lie tasted bitter.
She nodded weakly before walking toward the pedestal.
The entire chamber fell silent again. Even the air suddenly felt heavier.
Maria stopped in front of the orb, staring at it like it was some cursed object ready to devour her whole.
Then slowly…She stretched out her trembling hand. The moment her palm touched the crystal–the orb lit up.
A sharp golden glow burst from inside it, pulsing brightly beneath her fingers.
My heart nearly stopped.
Gasps erupted around the chamber.
Maria jerked backward in fright that she almost fell. Her eyes widening so much I could practically see the fear exploding inside them. Her lips parted soundlessly while the glow reflected against her pale face.
“No…” I whispered unconsciously.
The orb pulsed again and again. Like it was alive. Like it had recognized her.
Maria’s breathing became uneven as she stared at the glowing crystal in horror. I could visibly see her chest rising faster now, panic creeping into every inch of her body.
My heart slammed violently against my ribs.
No.
No no no.
Not Maria.
Please not her. Anyone but her.
Nathan's gaze remained fixed on the crystal.
For the briefest moment, something flickered across his face.
Concern or Confusion, I wasn't sure.
But it vanished so quickly I almost thought I had imagined it.
“Step aside,” he instructed calmly.
Maria didn't need to be told twice. She stumbled away from the pedestal and hurried back toward me.
The moment she grabbed my hand, I realized how badly she was shaking.
Her fingers were ice cold.
“What does that mean?” she whispered.
I opened my mouth but nothing came out. Because I was terrified too.
Then Nathan called my name.
My blood ran cold.
I looked at Maria instinctively, but she looked even more frightened than I felt. My legs suddenly felt too heavy as I forced myself toward the pedestal.
Every step felt wrong, slow and painful.
The closer I got to the orb, the louder my heartbeat became.
Please don’t light up.
Please.
I didn’t even realize I was silently praying until I stood directly in front of it.
The crystal glowed faintly beneath the candlelights, as though waiting for me. Something about it made my skin crawl.
Then suddenly, a strange sensation washed over me.
My breath caught.
The chamber blurred for a second. Images flashed through my mind–A towering black castle. Stone corridors lit by blue flames. A woman screaming. High flames of fire. A voice crying out in agony.
And then.
"EUDORA!"
The name slammed through my head so violently that I physically flinched.
My vision spun.
For one terrifying moment, the room no longer felt unfamiliar. It felt remembered. As though I had stood here before. As though I had lived this moment already.
Then another voice whispered. A woman's voice. Soft. Urgent and Terrified.
‘Don't touch it.’
My hand jerked backward instinctively.
I stared at the orb.
My pulse thundered in my ears.
What was happening to me?
The strange feeling disappeared as quickly as it came. Leaving only confusion behind.
I hesitated.
After what happened with Maria, touching it felt like willingly placing my hand into fire.
But everyone was watching.
I swallowed hard. Then slowly reached forward again.
The moment my palm touched the crystal…The room erupted.
Blinding silver light exploded from the orb. A collective scream echoed through the chamber. The force of the light flooded every corner of the room, washing over us like a wave.
I froze. Completely froze.
Unlike Maria’s, this light didn’t pulse. It remained steady. Bright. Powerful. Almost aggressive.
My breath caught painfully in my throat as fear crashed into me all at once.
“No…” I breathed shakily.
This couldn’t be happening.
Not me.
Please not me.
Around me, horrified whispers broke out across the chamber.
“The gods…”
“Did you see that?”
“It’s never glowed that brightly before…”
I could barely hear any of them over the roaring panic inside my head.
Nathan stared at me silently for what felt like forever.
Then finally, he spoke.
“It is decided.” His voice echoed heavily through the chamber. “The Anderson family will provide the Vampire King’s bride.”
The Anderson family?.
Not Eleanor.
Not Maria.
Just… the Anderson family.
Beside me, Maria turned toward me sharply, her horrified eyes meeting mine.
My stomach dropped instantly.
Why didn’t he specify which of us?
The realization hit me slowly.
Neither of us was safe.
Oh God.
We were doomed.
—------------
The ride back to the palace was painfully silent.
Nobody spoke. Not Father. Not Mother. Not even Maria.
The wheels of the carriage creaked softly against the road while tension suffocated the tiny space around us.
For the first time in my life, I truly understood what the bridal selection meant.
This wasn’t tradition. It wasn’t honor. It was sacrifice.
And now my family stood at the center of it.
The moment we arrived home, everyone scattered like they could no longer bear looking at one another.
Mother disappeared into her chambers with red swollen eyes. Father locked himself inside his study. Even Tyra was nowhere to be found.
The palace suddenly felt colder and emptier. Like grief itself had settled into the walls.
I stayed in my room for a while, staring blankly at nothing. Then eventually, guilt pushed me toward Maria’s room.
No matter how scared I was, Maria had always been more emotional between the two of us. She gets angry quickly, lashes out easily and also too quick to take drastic decisions.
And after what happened at the temple… I knew she was probably falling apart.
Quietly, I pushed open her door.
She turned so quickly that I immediately caught her wiping her face.
“Maria…” I frowned softly. “Have you been crying?”
“No,” she answered too quickly.
Her voice shook badly.
“Of course not.”
I sighed gently before walking further into the room.
“Maria, I can literally see the tears on your face.”
She looked away immediately.
“I said I’m fine.”
I slowly sat beside her on the bed. For a moment, neither of us spoke. The silence between us felt fragile and painful.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered eventually.
That made her stiffen.
“For what?”
“For everything.”
She frowned immediately.
“Eleanor….”
“If I hadn’t touched the orb too then maybe…”
“Stop it.” Her voice came out sharper this time.
I blinked at her in surprise.
“It’s not your fault,” she continued, though her voice sounded strained now. “None of this is your fault.”
But it felt like it was.
If only Nathan had specified which of us, then maybe things would’ve been easier somehow.
But now everything was worse.
Who was I going to save? Maria or myself?
I leaned back quietly against the bed while Maria remained seated at the edge with her back facing me.
Typical Maria.
Even as children, she hated crying in front of me.
A few moments later, she spoke again.
“I’m sorry for snapping at you.”
I shook my head immediately.
“You don’t have to apologize.”
“Still…” she whispered tiredly. “I shouldn’t have done that.”
Silence settled again before I finally asked the question haunting me.
“What do you think will happen now?”
Maria lowered her gaze.
“We’re the only daughters of King Anderson,” she said quietly. “So it has to be one of us.”
A lump formed painfully in my throat.
“But maybe…” I sat up quickly. “Maybe we can still change this somehow.”
She looked at me silently.
“We could speak to Nathan,” I continued desperately. “Maybe the selection can be repeated. Maybe another family could be cho…”
Maria let out a short bitter laugh.
“It doesn’t work that way, Eleanor.”
“But what if…”
“Stop it!”
I flinched.
Maria suddenly stood from the bed, breathing heavily now. Her eyes were glossy with unshed tears.
“Do you think the other families want to sacrifice their daughters either?” she asked harshly. “Do you think any of those girls would willingly trade places with us?”
I opened my mouth weakly.
“We won’t know unless we try…”
“Nothing is going to change!” she snapped.
The force in her voice shocked me completely.
“This is bigger than us, Eleanor! So stop clinging to childish fantasies and face reality for once!”
The room fell silent afterward except for her uneven breathing.
I stared at her speechlessly.
Her words hurt far more than they should have.
Maria had never yelled at me like that before. Ever.
Tears burned my eyes almost instantly. Without saying another word, I slowly stood from the bed..
“Spare…” her voice softened immediately. “I didn’t mean…”
But I was already walking away. I couldn’t stay there anymore.
The moment I reached my room and shut the door behind me, the tears finally spilled.
Everything was falling apart too fast.
Yesterday, my sister came home.
Today, one of us belonged to a monster.
