THE FORGOTTEN SON-IN-LAW

Chapter Seven

Shaken by her sister’s treachery, Selene clung to Adrian with newfound resolve. “I will not let this city fall. I will not let you fall. Whatever comes, I stand with you.”

Her words were a balm to Adrian’s weary soul, binding them together more than any oath of marriage could.

Kael’s army returned, larger and more ruthless. Siege towers loomed against the sky, drums of war thundered, and the ground shook with their advance.

Adrian rallied his forces. “On this day, we do not fight for wealth or crowns. We fight for every child who deserves to wake tomorrow free. Stand with me, and let our courage write history!”

The defenders roared, and the battle erupted.

Amidst fire and chaos, Adrian met Kael on the battlefield. Their blades clashed like storms colliding, each strike echoing with the weight of destiny.

Kael snarled. “You cannot win. You are a ghost of a fallen house.”

Adrian’s eyes blazed. “And yet even ghosts can haunt kings.”

Their duel raged, neither yielding. But as Adrian drove Kael back, a horn sounded—Julian’s forces ambushing from behind. Betrayal struck again.

Julian’s ambush threw the defenders into chaos. Arrows rained from the hills, cutting down men and women who had stood bravely against Kael’s horde. Adrian fought desperately to regroup his forces, but the numbers overwhelmed them.

“Fall back to the inner walls!” he shouted, his voice carrying over the clash of steel.

Selene refused to leave his side, her gown stained with blood as she tended the wounded amidst the fire. When Kael pressed forward, Adrian unleashed a fury that left even Kael staggered. But it was not victory—it was survival.

From a distant ridge, Julian watched with satisfaction as Adrian was forced to retreat. Beside him, Eleanor stood with cold eyes, her betrayal complete.

“You’ve delivered him to me,” Julian said. “Now the city will see me as its savior when Kael and I bring him down together.”

Eleanor hesitated, doubt flickering in her gaze. But Julian’s hand on hers reminded her of the chains she had willingly clasped.

In the aftermath of battle, Adrian returned to the sealed chamber beneath the Harlow estate. Among the scrolls, he uncovered a hidden layer—a map etched in faded ink. It pointed toward a forgotten valley beyond the mountains, marked with his family’s crest.

“The relic,” Adrian murmured. “It still exists.”

Selene placed her hand over his. “Then we must find it—before Kael does.”

To pursue the relic, Adrian needed more than swords. He sought out the old war veteran from the council, who introduced him to mercenaries, scholars, and even thieves who knew the mountain passes.

“You are asking us to risk everything on a legend,” one of them scoffed.

Adrian’s steady gaze silenced him. “Legends are born from truth. Follow me, and you’ll see.”

Selene insisted on joining the quest. Though Adrian feared for her safety, she refused to remain behind.

“I will not be left waiting, wondering if you’ll return. I will walk this path with you, whatever it demands.”

He saw in her the same fire that burned in his own heart, and at last, he agreed.

Their journey into the mountains tested them in ways steel never could. Treacherous cliffs, howling storms, and ambushes by Kael’s scouts thinned their numbers. But each trial forged them stronger.

At night, Adrian and Selene huddled by the fire, sharing whispers of fear and hope. It was in those moments of vulnerability that their bond deepened beyond words.

Back in the city, Eleanor began to see the cost of her betrayal. The people suffered under Julian’s schemes, and Kael’s shadow stretched longer with each passing day.

She stared into the mirror, unable to recognize herself. “What have I become?” she whispered, her hands trembling.

But Julian’s grip on her life left little room for redemption—unless she chose to break free.

At last, Adrian and his companions reached the valley marked on the map. The air shimmered with an ancient energy, and ruins of a forgotten civilization loomed before them.

In the heart of the valley lay a stone altar, upon which rested a blade of silver and obsidian—the Relic of His House.

Adrian stepped forward, the air thick with destiny. When his hand touched the hilt, visions seared his mind—battles long past, kings fallen, and a prophecy yet unfulfilled.

Before Adrian could claim the relic fully, Kael appeared, his army encircling the valley. His laughter echoed off the cliffs.

“You thought you could hide from me? That relic belongs to me!”

Adrian drew the blade, its power surging through him. “No, Kael. It belongs to those who fight for freedom. And I will use it to end you.”

Steel rang out once more as Adrian and Kael clashed beneath the shadow of the relic’s altar. Their blows shook the ground, sparks igniting the ancient ruins. The blade in Adrian’s hand moved with unnatural speed, guiding his strikes.

Selene watched, her heart in her throat. She knew this was no ordinary battle—it was the fight that would decide the fate of kingdoms.

But as Kael staggered, laughing even through blood, he shouted: “Did you think I came alone?”

From the ridge, Julian’s banner appeared—his forces descending into the valley.

Adrian now faced not one enemy, but two.

Julian’s army swept down into the valley, arrows blotting out the sky. Caught between Kael’s horde and Julian’s legions, Adrian realized he was walking into the trap of two enemies who hated each other almost as much as they hated him.

“Withdraw?!” one of his generals cried.

“No,” Adrian said firmly, the relic blade glowing faintly in his grip. “We fight. And we survive.”

As Kael and Julian attempted to coordinate their attack, their fragile alliance cracked. Kael’s pride could not bear Julian’s orders, and Julian could not tolerate Kael’s arrogance ...