"ELARA!"
Kael's voice shook the courtyard.
Not his thoughts.
His actual voice.
For the first time since she met him, fear cracked through his calm mask.
The black arrows rained from the rooftops.
The Nightborn reacted first.
It roared and swung its massive arm.
Several arrows shattered instantly.
Others bounced harmlessly off its dark armor-like skin.
But one arrow slipped through.
Straight toward Elara's heart.
Time slowed.
Elara couldn't move.
The arrow was too fast.
Too close.
Then silver flames exploded across the courtyard.
Kael appeared in front of her.
The arrow struck his shoulder.
Blood splattered across the stone.
Silence.
Absolute silence.
The Hybrid King had taken the hit.
For her.
"Your Majesty!"
The guards shouted.
Kael didn't even glance at the wound.
His golden eyes locked onto the rooftops.
Murder radiated from him.
Pure.
Unfiltered.
Murder.
Someone touched her.
The thought hit Elara like thunder.
Someone tried to take her from me.
The temperature dropped.
The sky darkened.
Even the moon seemed to retreat.
Kael slowly pulled the arrow from his shoulder.
Black poison coated the tip.
Hendrick's expression hardened.
"Shadowbane."
The vampire prince rarely looked serious.
Now he looked furious.
"What is Shadowbane?" Elara asked.
"A poison designed to kill hybrids."
Kael crushed the arrow in his hand.
The metal turned to dust.
Good.
If it can hurt me, it would have killed her instantly.
The realization made his rage even worse.
The Nightborn suddenly growled.
Its red eyes fixed on one of the palace rooftops.
"There."
A shadow darted across the roof.
The assassin.
Kael vanished.
The stone beneath his feet cracked from the force.
One second he was beside Elara.
The next he was on the rooftop.
The scream that followed echoed through the night.
Nobody wanted to know what happened.
Not even Hendrick.
"Remind me never to become his enemy."
Elara swallowed.
"Noted."
A few moments later, Kael returned.
Alone.
Covered in blood.
Most of it wasn't his.
His face was completely expressionless.
Which somehow felt more terrifying than anger.
"Who was it?" Hendrick asked.
Kael's jaw tightened.
"The assassin killed himself."
Of course.
How convenient.
Someone powerful was behind this.
Powerful enough to send trained assassins into the royal palace.
Powerful enough to know who Elara was.
The Nightborn suddenly turned toward her again.
"The enemy awakens."
Elara was getting tired of cryptic statements.
"What enemy?"
The creature hesitated.
As though speaking hurt it.
Then it answered.
"The Crown of Ash."
The name sent visible shock through Kael.
Even Hendrick paled.
Elara noticed immediately.
"You know what that is."
Neither answered.
Which was answer enough.
Before she could press further, the Nightborn staggered.
Its body flickered.
Like smoke being torn apart by wind.
The creature was weakening.
"The breach is closing," it rumbled.
Its gaze softened slightly as it looked at Elara.
A surprisingly human expression.
"Find the truth."
"What truth?" Elara asked quickly.
The Nightborn looked toward the moon.
Then back at her.
"You were never meant to die."
Elara froze.
The creature smiled.
A sad smile.
Then its body dissolved into black mist.
Gone.
The courtyard fell silent once again.
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
Because everyone had heard those final words.
You were never meant to die.
Kael slowly turned toward her.
For once, there was no coldness in his eyes.
Only concern.
And fear.
Real fear.
What if she's right?
What if Elara's arrival wasn't an accident?
What if someone brought her here?
A chill crawled down Elara's spine.
Because she had been wondering the same thing.
And for the first time since transmigrating...
She wasn't sure she wanted the answer.
To be continued...
