The first thing Aria noticed was the silence.
The creature had stopped laughing.
Kael had stopped breathing.
Even Damon stood completely still.
Something was coming through the gate.
Something that made the ancient beast look afraid.
A massive hand emerged from the darkness.
Long black claws scraped against the stone floor.
Then another hand appeared.
The creature pulled itself through.
It was enormous.
Its body was covered in dark armor that seemed to move like living shadows.
Two enormous horns curved from its skull, and crimson veins pulsed beneath its black skin.
But its face was almost human.
Almost.
Its eyes were completely silver.
Aria stared at it.
Her wolf became strangely quiet.
Lyra?
No answer.
Lyra!
Still nothing.
For the first time since Aria’s awakening, her wolf was afraid.
The creature stepped forward.
The mountain shook.
It looked directly at Aria.
“Finally.”
Its voice was deep enough to vibrate through her bones.
“The Queen has returned.”
Kael raised his sword.
“Back away from her.”
The creature slowly turned its head.
“Still playing the protector?”
Kael’s expression hardened.
“I’ll kill you if you come any closer.”
The creature smiled.
“You’ve said that before.”
Aria looked at Kael.
“What does it mean?”
He didn’t answer.
The creature laughed.
“You truly haven’t told her anything.”
Kael’s grip tightened around his sword.
“She doesn’t need to hear it from you.”
“Then perhaps she should hear it from me.”
The creature stepped closer.
“My name is Azrael.”
Aria’s breath caught.
The name felt familiar.
Not because she had heard it before.
Because something inside her recognized it.
“Who are you?”
Azrael smiled.
“I am the firstborn of the Shadow Realm.”
Damon’s face went pale.
“The Shadow Realm…”
Azrael looked at him.
“Yes, little wolf.”
Damon’s hand moved toward his sword.
“You were supposed to be dead.”
“I was never alive.”
Damon froze.
Azrael turned back to Aria.
“I existed before your kingdoms.”
“Before the werewolves.”
“Before the humans.”
Aria’s voice was barely a whisper.
“Then why do you want me?”
Azrael’s smile disappeared.
“Because your blood is the key.”
“The key to what?”
“The throne.”
Aria frowned.
“I don’t understand.”
Azrael pointed toward the silver crown carved into the wall.
“The first Queen did not rule this world.”
Kael looked at Aria.
“Don’t listen.”
Azrael continued.
“She ruled both worlds.”
Aria’s eyes widened.
“Both?”
“The human realm…”
He pointed behind him.
“And the Shadow Realm.”
Aria stared at the gate.
“You were her enemy.”
Azrael laughed.
“No.”
He looked at her.
“I was her husband.”
Silence.
Aria’s heart stopped.
“What?”
Kael’s face went cold.
“He’s lying.”
Azrael smiled.
“Am I?”
Aria looked between them.
“Kael?”
He didn’t answer.
Azrael stepped forward.
“Your ancestor was not simply the first Lycan Queen.”
His voice softened.
“She was my Queen.”
Aria felt dizzy.
“Then why did she disappear?”
“Because your ancestors betrayed her.”
Azrael’s eyes darkened.
“They feared what she could become.”
“What did they do?”
“They separated her from me.”
Aria looked at Kael.
“Is that true?”
Kael remained silent.
Azrael laughed.
“They imprisoned her soul inside the Moon Gate.”
Aria’s blood ran cold.
“Her soul?”
“Yes.”
“She’s still there?”
“Part of her.”
Aria felt the silver energy around her body intensify.
Azrael noticed.
“That’s why you can hear her.”
Aria froze.
“My wolf?”
“No.”
Azrael pointed at her chest.
“Her.”
Aria’s eyes widened.
“The Queen.”
A voice suddenly whispered inside Aria’s mind.
Don’t believe him.
Aria gasped.
Azrael’s smile vanished.
“You hear her.”
Aria nodded slowly.
“Yes.”
“Then she has awakened.”
Kael stepped forward.
“Aria, listen to me.”
She turned toward him.
“What?”
“Your wolf isn’t the only thing inside you.”
Aria stared at him.
“What does that mean?”
Kael looked at Azrael.
“The Queen’s spirit was sealed into your bloodline.”
Aria’s heart pounded.
“Why?”
“Because your mother was the final vessel.”
Aria froze.
“My mother?”
Kael nodded.
“Elena inherited the Queen’s soul.”
“Then why didn’t she have silver eyes?”
“She suppressed it.”
“How?”
“With the pendant.”
Aria looked down.
The broken silver pendant suddenly made sense.
“My pendant…”
“Wasn’t jewelry.”
Kael’s voice was quiet.
“It was a seal.”
Aria touched the empty place around her neck.
“Then when it broke…”
“Your mother’s seal broke with it.”
Azrael smiled.
“And now the Queen has chosen you.”
Aria shook her head.
“No.”
Azrael stepped closer.
“You feel her.”
Aria couldn’t deny it.
“You’ve heard her voice.”
She remained silent.
“You’ve seen her memories.”
Her breathing quickened.
“You’re beginning to remember.”
Azrael raised his hand.
A dark flame appeared in his palm.
“Because the Queen is waking.”
Kael attacked.
His sword sliced through the darkness.
Azrael blocked it with one hand.
The force sent Kael flying.
“Kael!”
Aria ran toward him.
Azrael moved.
He appeared in front of her instantly.
Aria froze.
His hand reached toward her face.
“Don’t touch her!”
Damon attacked from behind.
Azrael turned.
With one movement, he struck Damon across the chest.
Damon flew into the wall.
“Damon!”
Aria’s eyes flashed silver.
The ground beneath Azrael cracked.
He looked down.
Then smiled.
“Yes.”
Silver light erupted from Aria.
Azrael was thrown backward.
He crashed through several stone pillars.
Aria stared at her hands.
She had done it again.
But this time, she wasn’t afraid.
She felt something else.
Control.
Power.
Lyra’s voice returned.
We can defeat him.
Aria whispered.
“How?”
Don’t fight his body.
“What?”
Fight what controls it.
Aria didn’t understand.
Then she saw it.
A black thread connected Azrael’s chest to the gate.
She could see it.
No one else seemed to.
Azrael stood.
His expression changed.
“You can see it.”
Aria nodded.
“The connection.”
His smile disappeared.
“Interesting.”
Kael struggled to stand.
“What do you see?”
“A thread.”
“Where?”
“His chest.”
Kael’s eyes narrowed.
“The Shadow Core.”
Azrael laughed.
“You know its name.”
Kael looked at Aria.
“Don’t touch it.”
“Why?”
“Because if you destroy the Shadow Core, you could destroy yourself.”
Aria stared.
“Why?”
“Because your blood is connected to it.”
Azrael’s smile returned.
“Now she understands.”
Aria’s mind raced.
“If I’m connected to him…”
Azrael answered.
“Then killing me may kill you.”
Damon slowly stood.
Blood ran down his forehead.
“Then don’t kill him.”
Aria looked at him.
“What?”
Kael’s eyes narrowed.
“He’s right.”
Aria turned toward him.
“How?”
Kael looked at the silver symbol beneath her feet.
“The Queen’s power.”
“How do I use it?”
“You don’t.”
Aria frowned.
“What?”
“You let her.”
Aria closed her eyes.
She could hear the heartbeat again.
Not Azrael’s.
The Queen’s.
A woman whispered inside her.
My child.
Aria’s eyes filled with tears.
“Are you my mother?”
Silence.
Then—
No.
Aria’s heart sank.
But I knew her.
“Tell me what happened.”
Your mother sacrificed herself to protect you.
“From Azrael?”
From everyone.
“Why?”
Because they wanted your blood.
Aria clenched her fists.
“Why is my blood so important?”
The voice became quieter.
Because you are the bridge.
“Between the worlds?”
Yes.
Aria opened her eyes.
Azrael was watching her.
He knew.
He understood exactly what was happening.
“No,” he whispered.
Aria raised her hand.
Silver energy gathered around her.
Azrael stepped backward.
“Don’t.”
Aria stared at him.
“For three thousand years, you’ve waited for this moment.”
She took another step.
“Now you can wait a little longer.”
Azrael’s expression turned furious.
“You don’t understand what you’re doing!”
“Maybe not.”
Silver chains formed around his body.
“But I know what I want.”
The chains tightened.
Azrael roared.
The mountain shook.
The gate began closing.
Kael stared at Aria.
“Keep going.”
Aria pushed harder.
The silver light grew brighter.
Azrael screamed.
“You cannot seal me!”
The chains wrapped around his neck.
“You are only a child!”
Aria’s eyes flashed.
“I’m not.”
The silver crown symbol appeared above her head.
“I’m the Queen.”
The gate slammed shut.
Everything went silent.
Azrael disappeared.
The black creature that had opened the Moon Gate collapsed.
The mountain stopped shaking.
For several seconds, no one moved.
Then Aria fell.
Kael caught her.
Her head rested against his chest.
“Aria.”
She was unconscious.
Damon ran toward them.
“Is she okay?”
Kael checked her pulse.
“She’s alive.”
Damon sighed in relief.
Then he noticed something.
The silver mark on Aria’s wrist was gone.
Kael’s expression changed.
“That’s not possible.”
“What?”
Kael looked toward the sealed gate.
A thin black crack had appeared across it.
Damon stared.
“Did we fail?”
Kael shook his head.
“No.”
“Then what is that?”
Kael’s eyes darkened.
“The gate isn’t opening.”
Damon waited.
“It’s cracking from the other side.”
A deep voice echoed through the mountain.
Not Azrael.
Not the Queen.
Someone else.
Someone Kael had not expected.
“Kael…”
His face went pale.
Damon looked at him.
“Who is that?”
Kael slowly turned toward the darkness.
A woman’s voice whispered again.
“You promised me.”
Kael’s sword slipped from his hand.
“No.”
Damon stared.
“You know her?”
Kael’s eyes filled with something Aria had never seen before.
Fear.
“She’s dead.”
The voice laughed softly.
“Not anymore.”
Kael whispered one name.
“Elena.”
Aria’s eyes suddenly opened.
She gasped.
And the last thing she heard before darkness took her again was her mother’s voice.
My daughter…
Run from the King.