Thorny Princess

The first thing Mira felt was pain. Not the dull ache of a headache or the sting of a scraped knee, but a bone-deep, soul-shredding agony that made her scream before she even opened her eyes. Her voice tore through the darkness, raw and unfamiliar, echoing off stone walls she couldn't see. Her hands clawed at her chest, expecting to find a wound, a blade, something to explain the fire raging inside her. There was nothing but smooth skin under tattered fabric, slick with sweat and something thicker—blood.Her eyes snapped open. The world was a blur of crimson and shadow. She lay sprawled on a cold stone floor, surrounded by jagged pillars that loomed like teeth in a cavernous maw. Torches flickered weakly, casting light on a grotesque scene: bodies, dozens of them, strewn across the ground. Men and women in ornate armor, their faces frozen in terror, their throats slashed or chests caved in. The air reeked of iron and decay."What the hell…" Mira's voice was wrong—higher, sharper, with a lilt she didn't recognize. She pushed herself up, her arms trembling not from weakness but from a strange, electric surge coursing through her. Her hands weren't hers either. Slender, calloused, with faint scars crisscrossing the knuckles. She wore a shredded black tunic, stained with blood that wasn't all hers, and leather pants that clung to legs far leaner than the ones she'd had last night.Last night. The memory hit like a truck. She'd been in her apartment, debugging code at 2 a.m., the glow of her monitor her only company. A storm had raged outside, lightning cracking so close it rattled her windows. Then—a surge, a spark from her overloaded outlet, and fire. She'd tried to run, but the flames were faster. The last thing she'd seen was her ceiling collapsing, and then… nothing."I'm dead," she whispered, her breath hitching. "I died."But she wasn't dead. Not anymore. Her heart pounded, her lungs burned, and her body felt alive—too alive, like it was holding back a storm. She staggered to her feet, ignoring the dizziness that threatened to pull her back down. The cavern stretched endlessly, its walls carved with runes that pulsed faintly, like they were watching her. She wasn't alone.A low groan broke the silence. Mira spun, her instincts screaming before her mind caught up. Ten feet away, a man slumped against a pillar, one hand pressed to a gash across his ribs. Blood seeped between his fingers, staining a dark cloak that blended with the shadows. His hair, black as ink, fell over eyes that glinted silver in the torchlight. He was young—maybe her age, maybe a little older—but his presence felt heavy, like the air itself bent around him."Who are you?" Mira demanded, her voice steady despite the chaos in her head. She took a step forward, fists clenched, ready for anything.The man's lips curled into a half-smirk, though pain tightened his features. "Funny. I was about to ask you the same thing, princess." His voice was low, rough, with an edge that made her skin prickle."Don't call me that." The words came out before she could stop them, laced with a venom she didn't understand. Her body moved on its own, closing the distance between them. She stopped just out of arm's reach, her eyes locking onto his. Up close, he was striking—sharp cheekbones, a jawline that could cut glass, and those eyes, like twin moons in a storm. But there was something else, something dangerous, like a blade hidden in silk."You're not one of them," he said, nodding toward the corpses. "But you're not supposed to be here either." He shifted, wincing, and his hand tightened on the hilt of a sword she hadn't noticed before, half-buried in the dirt.Mira's gaze flicked to the blade, then back to him. "If you're thinking of using that, don't. I'm not in the mood to play hero or victim."He chuckled, a sound that was half-pain, half-amusement. "Good. I don't have the energy to kill you anyway." He coughed, blood flecking his lips, and for a moment, his mask slipped. He was hurt—badly.Against her better judgment, Mira knelt beside him. "Let me see," she said, reaching for his hand. He flinched but didn't stop her as she peeled back the torn fabric. The gash was deep, jagged, and oozing black at the edges, like it was poisoned. She didn't know much about medicine, but she knew this wasn't normal."You're not dying on me," she muttered, more to herself than to him. "Not until I figure out what's going on.""Bossy," he rasped, but there was a spark in his eyes, like he was testing her. "What's your name?"She hesitated. Mira Kade didn't feel right anymore, not in this body, this place. But another name surfaced, unbidden, like a memory she hadn't earned. "Miriel," she said, testing it. "Miriel Veyra."His eyes narrowed, recognition flickering. "Veyra. That's… interesting." He didn't elaborate, and she didn't ask. Not yet."I'm Kael," he offered, his voice softer now, almost reluctant. "Kael Draven.""Great. Now that we're best friends, let's—" Her words cut off as the ground trembled. A low, guttural roar echoed through the cavern, so deep it rattled her bones. The runes on the walls flared red, and the air grew thick, heavy with something malevolent.Kael cursed under his breath, forcing himself to his feet. "We need to move. Now.""What is that?" Mira's heart raced, but she wasn't scared—not exactly. Something inside her was waking up, something that wanted to meet whatever was coming."Something that eats people like us for breakfast," Kael said, grabbing his sword. He swayed, but his grip was steady. "You know how to fight, Miriel?"She didn't. Not in her old life. But her body disagreed. Her muscles tensed, her stance shifted, and her hands itched for a weapon she didn't have. "Guess we'll find out," she said, a grin tugging at her lips despite herself.The roar came again, closer. Shadows writhed at the edge of the cavern, coalescing into a shape—massive, serpentine, with eyes like molten gold. Scales glinted in the torchlight, each one the size of a shield. Claws scraped stone, and a maw opened, revealing teeth that could crush steel.Kael stepped in front of her, sword raised. "Stay behind me.""Like hell," Mira snapped. She didn't know where the defiance came from, but it felt right. She scanned the ground, spotting a fallen spear among the bodies. She grabbed it, the weight familiar in her hands, like an old friend. "You focus on not bleeding out. I'll handle this."He shot her a look—half-exasperation, half-respect. "You're insane.""Probably."The beast lunged, faster than anything that size should be. Mira moved on instinct, diving to the side as claws raked the stone where she'd stood. Sparks flew, and the impact shook the cavern. Kael shouted something, but she couldn't hear over the blood pounding in her ears.She rolled to her feet, spear gripped tight. The beast's eyes locked onto her, and for a moment, she felt it—power, raw and endless, coiling inside her chest. It wasn't fear. It was hunger. Her vision sharpened, the world slowing as heat surged through her veins. Her hands glowed faintly, crimson light seeping from her skin."What…" She barely had time to process before the beast charged again. This time, she didn't dodge. She thrust the spear forward, aiming for its eye. The weapon struck true, sinking deep, but the beast didn't stop. It roared, thrashing, and a tail thicker than a tree trunk whipped toward her.Mira braced herself, but the impact never came. Kael was there, his sword flashing as he parried the tail, shadows trailing his blade like smoke. The force sent him skidding back, but he held his ground, teeth gritted."Nice try," he panted, "but you're not stealing all the glory.""Glory?" Mira laughed, wild and reckless. "I'm just trying not to die!"The beast reared, blood streaming from its wounded eye. Mira felt that power again, stronger now, begging to be unleashed. She didn't know what it was, but she wasn't about to question it. She dropped the spear, stepping forward as the glow in her hands intensified. The air around her crackled, heat distorting the cavern."Miriel, don't!" Kael's voice was sharp, but she ignored him. She raised her hands, and the world exploded.Crimson fire erupted from her palms, a torrent of flame that consumed the beast's head. The creature screamed, a sound that shook the earth, before collapsing in a heap of charred scales and ash. The cavern fell silent, save for the hiss of cooling stone.Mira stood there, chest heaving, her hands still tingling. The fire was gone, but she felt it simmering inside her, waiting. She turned to Kael, who was staring at her like she'd grown wings."What… was that?" he asked, his voice hoarse."I don't know," she admitted, meeting his gaze. His eyes held something new—wariness, curiosity, and something hotter, like he was seeing her for the first time. Her pulse quickened, not from the fight, but from the way he looked at her, like she was a puzzle he wanted to solve.Before she could say more, the cavern trembled again—not from a beast, but from something deeper. The runes pulsed wildly, and a voice boomed, ancient and cold."Eclipse-bearer, your awakening has begun. The gods see you. The world will burn."Mira's blood ran cold. Kael grabbed her arm, his touch firm but not rough. "We need to go," he said, his voice low. "This place isn't safe anymore."She nodded, her mind racing. She didn't know who she was, what she'd done, or what that voice meant. But one thing was clear: she wasn't Mira Kade anymore. She was Miriel Veyra, and this world was about to learn what that meant.As they ran into the darkness, Kael's hand lingered on her arm, his fingers brushing her skin. It was a small gesture, but it sent a spark through her, one that promised trouble—and maybe something more.