I still found it hard to believe… and yet, at the same time, I did.
After everything we had been through because of Aurora, a part of me wanted to accept what Adrian was saying.
But another part of me refused to.
I tightened my grip on the bedsheet, my thoughts spiraling as I tried to make sense of everything.
I was pulled back to reality by Cassian’s voice.
He stood up from the bed and turned toward Adrian.
“Obviously, we know this can’t be true,” he said casually.
“The Queen Mother and Aurora are out of town attending an event.”
Then he turned to me.
“Our Master Seraphina couldn’t attend because the Queen Mother forbade her after the—”
I slowly turned to look at him, still clutching the bedsheet tightly.
The moment Cassian saw my expression, his voice faltered.
“Mm… you know… after everything that happened earlier,” he finished awkwardly.
Silence followed.
All eyes turned toward him.
Kael suddenly picked up a book from the table and smacked it lightly against Cassian’s head before pulling him down into the chair.
“Sit down,” he muttered.
Lucien spoke next, his voice calm but firm.
“But what if Adrian is telling the truth?” he said.
“We all know what Aurora is capable of.”
His gaze shifted to Adrian.
“What did she use to threaten you?”
Adrian lowered his head, staring at the floor.
The room grew quiet again.
Lucien’s voice came once more, sharper this time.
“Answer the question, Adrian.”
Adrian remained silent for a while.
The room waited.
Nobody rushed him.
Nobody interrupted.
Finally, he spoke.
“I saw Aurora last night in my room.”
His voice was low, almost reluctant.
“At first, I thought it was my imagination.”
He paused.
“But then she ripped part of the curtain.”
His eyes remained fixed on the floor.
“That was when I realized it was really her.”
The room fell silent.
I could feel everyone’s attention fixed on Adrian.
“I tried my best to ignore her,” he continued.
“I thought if I refused to acknowledge her, she would eventually leave.”
His hands clenched into fists.
“But then she brought Veyrion.”
A chill ran through me.
“The moment he appeared, I knew something was wrong.”
Adrian swallowed hard before continuing.
“He pinned me down.”
His voice tightened slightly.
“And together, they forced me to transform into my beast form.”
Kael’s expression darkened.
Lucien’s eyes narrowed.
Even Sylas looked more serious than usual.
Adrian continued.
“She forced me to extract some of my venom and pour it into a glass jar.”
My heart sank.
“I didn’t understand why at first.”
He finally lifted his head.
His eyes met mine.
Then he spoke the words that made the room feel colder.
“She told me that if I didn’t get rid of you…”
His voice almost became a whisper.
“She would use my own venom against me.”
Silence.
Complete silence.
Nobody spoke.
Nobody moved.
I sat frozen on the bed, staring at him.
My mind struggled to process everything I had just heard.
Aurora had threatened him.
Manipulated him.
Forced him into a corner.
And suddenly…
The image of Adrian kneeling in front of me earlier made a lot more sense.
I opened my mouth to speak.
But no words came out.
I didn’t know what to say.
I didn’t know what to think.
I just sat there in shock.
I knew Aurora was dangerous.
But I never realized she was this dangerous.
The room felt heavier than before.
Nobody spoke.
Nobody knew what to say.
Adrian slowly stood up from his chair.
Then, before anyone could react, he dropped to his knees in front of me once again.
“Master,” he said quietly, lowering his head.
“Please forgive me.”
I immediately reached out and grabbed his shoulders.
“Get up.”
Adrian hesitated.
“Master—”
“Get up,” I repeated.
Reluctantly, he obeyed.
I guided him back to the chair and made him sit down properly.
For a moment, I thought the matter was finally over.
Then Adrian spoke again.
“Master, what is my punishment?”
I blinked.
“What?”
“You are free to do whatever you want to me,” he continued.
“I will accept it.”
Before I could answer, Kael suddenly stood up.
The look on his face made my stomach drop.
He looked furious.
“No.”
His voice was cold.
Dangerously cold.
“Despite the fact that Aurora blackmailed you, that still isn’t a good enough excuse.”
The room fell silent.
Kael took a step forward.
“You attempted to kill our master.”
His eyes narrowed.
“And for that, the punishment should be death.”
A flash of white light appeared around his hand.
Slowly, his left hand transformed into a tiger’s claw.
Sharp.
Deadly.
My eyes widened instantly.
“Kael—”
But he wasn’t listening.
He continued walking toward Adrian.
“Master,” he said without taking his eyes off him, “allow me to bring you justice today.”
Adrian remained seated.
He didn’t move.
He didn’t defend himself.
It was as if he had already accepted his fate.
Kael raised his claw.
The killing intent in the room became suffocating.
Then—
“KAEL, NO!
STOP IT!”
My scream echoed through the room.
Everyone froze.
Including Kael.
His claw stopped inches from Adrian.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then Kael slowly turned toward me.
“But, Master…”
There was frustration in his voice.
“He deserves to die.”
His eyes shifted back to Adrian.
“He tried to kill you.”
I stood up from the bed and looked directly at Kael.
My voice was cold.
Steady.
Firm.
“I am your master.”
The room fell silent.
“And you will—”
I took a step forward.
“No.
Not will.”
My eyes locked onto his.
“You must obey my every word.”
For a moment, nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
Kael stood frozen in place.
The fury in his eyes hadn’t disappeared, but neither had his loyalty.
Slowly, his claw returned to normal.
His jaw tightened.
Then he looked away.
I turned and helped Adrian to his feet.
The moment I did, something in Kael seemed to snap.
Without saying another word, he stormed out of the room.
The door slammed shut behind him.
Silence followed.
A heavy silence.
I stared at the closed door.
I didn’t know what to say.
I didn’t know what to do.
Part of me wanted to run after him.
Another part of me wanted to stay.
Then I noticed movement.
Lucien had stood up.
He didn’t say a single word.
But the look on his face told me everything.
He wasn’t happy.
If anything, he looked furious.
His silver eyes lingered on Adrian for a moment before shifting to me.
Then, without a word, he turned and left the room.
The door closed behind him.
One after another, the others followed.
Cassian sighed softly before walking out.
Sylas glanced at Adrian, then at me.
For a brief moment, it looked like he wanted to say something.
But in the end, he remained silent and left as well.
Soon, only Adrian and I remained.
The room suddenly felt much larger than before.
Much emptier.
I let out a slow breath.
Then I grabbed Adrian gently by the arm.
“Come on.”
He looked up at me in surprise.
I didn’t explain.
I simply guided him toward the door.
And together, we left the room.
That night, I couldn’t stop thinking.
About Adrian.
About Aurora.
About Sylas.
Everything that had happened that day kept replaying in my mind over and over again like a broken record.
No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t focus on anything else.
Even the food placed in front of me at the dining table remained untouched.
I simply sat there, staring down at my plate.
Lost in thought.
Then—
CREEEAK.
The sound of the palace’s entrance door opening echoed through the hall.
I looked up immediately.
At first, I wasn’t worried.
I assumed it was one of the others returning.
Maybe Kael had finally calmed down.
Maybe Lucien had decided to stop avoiding me.
Or perhaps Cassian was coming to bother me again.
I sighed.
“If this is some prank you guys are trying to pull on me,” I called out, “then please stop.
It’s not funny.”
No answer.
I frowned.
“Kael?”
Silence.
“Lucien?”
Nothing.
“Cassian?”
Still nothing.
A strange feeling settled in my stomach.
The palace suddenly felt far too quiet.
Then the lights began to flicker.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
The entire dining room flashed between light and darkness.
My heart skipped a beat.
“What…?”
The chandelier above me swayed slightly.
The shadows around the room stretched unnaturally across the walls.
I slowly pushed my chair back.
The sound echoed loudly through the empty hall.
For some reason, I felt afraid.
I didn’t know why.
I didn’t know what was happening.
But every instinct in my body was telling me that something was wrong.
Very wrong.
I looked around the dining room.
At the ceiling.
At the long dining table.
At the rows of empty chairs.
At the massive chandelier hanging overhead.
Then I lowered my gaze toward the floor.
And that’s when I saw it.
A shadow.
Not mine.
Someone else’s.
My blood ran cold.
The shadow stretched across the floor, moving slowly toward me.
Step.
Step.
Step.
The sound of footsteps echoed through the room.
My breathing became uneven.
The shadow continued to grow closer.
Closer.
Until suddenly—The lights went out completely.
And a familiar voice whispered from the darkness.
“Found you.”
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