Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
The Nightborn's words echoed through the courtyard.
"The Heir has returned."
Elara's heart hammered against her ribs.
The Heir?
Who was the Heir?
Because it definitely wasn't her.
She was a nursing student who got hit by a truck.
That was her qualification.
Nothing more.
Yet every eye in the courtyard turned toward her.
Kael.
Hendrick.
The guards.
The servants watching from the palace windows.
Everyone.
The Nightborn slowly straightened.
Its glowing red eyes never left Elara.
The creature looked almost... relieved.
As if it had been searching for her.
Waiting for her.
For centuries.
Kael stepped forward.
Immediately placing himself between Elara and the monster.
His sword burst into silver flames.
The Nightborn growled.
A deep rumbling sound.
Dangerous.
Hostile.
But only toward Kael.
Stay behind me.
The thought slammed into Elara's mind.
She blinked.
Then another thought followed.
If it moves toward her, I'll kill it.
His obsession was apparently alive and well even during monster attacks.
Hendrick moved to her other side.
"You have terrible luck."
Elara stared.
"A monster just called me some ancient heir and that's your conclusion?"
"Yes."
"Fair enough."
The Nightborn suddenly spoke again.
"The Bloodline awakens."
Kael's eyes narrowed.
Hendrick's smile vanished.
Neither looked happy.
Which meant the monster had said something important.
"What bloodline?" Elara asked.
No one answered.
Suspicious.
Very suspicious.
The Nightborn took one step forward.
Every guard immediately raised their weapons.
The creature ignored them.
Its gaze remained fixed on Elara.
Then it did something unexpected.
It knelt.
The giant monster actually knelt.
The courtyard erupted into chaos.
"What is it doing?"
"Why is it kneeling?"
"Impossible!"
The Nightborn lowered its head.
"The Queen's Daughter has returned."
Silence.
Complete silence.
Elara's brain stopped working.
Queen?
Daughter?
Returned?
Nothing about that sentence sounded good.
Kael's thoughts became alarmingly dark.
Not possible.
The royal bloodline was destroyed.
Every record says they died.
Unless...
The king suddenly looked at Elara.
Really looked at her.
As though seeing her for the first time.
That made her nervous.
Very nervous.
Because Kael was incredibly intelligent.
And she could practically hear the pieces clicking together inside his head.
Ancient bloodline.
Mind-link.
The Nightborn recognizing her.
No.
No, it can't be.
Before he could say anything, a powerful explosion echoed from the eastern side of the city.
Boom.
The ground shook violently.
Screams followed.
The Nightborn's head snapped toward the sound.
Its expression changed.
Fear.
The monster looked afraid.
That was not reassuring.
Then the creature uttered three words.
"They found her."
A chill raced through Elara.
Who found her?
Before anyone could ask, the Nightborn exploded into motion.
It leapt from the tower.
Straight toward Elara.
The guards shouted.
Kael moved.
Hendrick moved.
Everything happened at once.
Elara stumbled backward.
The Nightborn landed directly in front of her.
Not attacking.
Protecting.
The creature spread its massive body like a shield.
Then dozens of black arrows rained from the rooftops.
Kael's eyes widened.
The arrows weren't aimed at the monster.
They were aimed at Elara.
Someone was trying to kill her.
ELARA!
The king's panic thundered through the bond.
Silver flames erupted around him.
The night exploded into chaos.
And hidden among the palace rooftops...
An assassin smiled.
To be continued......
