The hall went silent.
Every shattered mirror lay scattered across the floor.
Aria couldn’t breathe.
“Our child?”
The Shadow King smiled.
“Yes.”
Kael stepped forward.
“Don’t listen to him.”
The Shadow King laughed.
“You always say that.”
Aria looked at Kael.
“Is it true?”
Kael didn’t answer.
“Kael.”
His eyes met hers.
“I don’t know.”
The Shadow King smiled.
“Of course you don’t.”
Aria turned toward him.
“Tell me.”
“I will.”
He walked slowly through the broken glass.
“You were my Queen.”
“I remember.”
“You loved me.”
“I remember that too.”
“And we had a child.”
Aria’s heart pounded.
“Then where is the child?”
The Shadow King stopped.
“Dead.”
Aria’s face went pale.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
“You killed her.”
Aria staggered backward.
“I would never…”
“You did.”
His expression became cold.
“You chose your kingdom.”
“No.”
“You chose power.”
“No!”
“You sacrificed our daughter.”
Aria covered her ears.
“Stop.”
The Shadow King stepped closer.
“You want the truth.”
“I want the truth.”
“Then remember.”
He raised his hand.
The entire hall turned silver.
Aria gasped.
A vision appeared.
A palace.
Fire.
Screaming.
Aria stood in the center of the throne room.
She was wearing the silver crown.
The Shadow King stood before her.
He looked furious.
“Give her to me.”
Aria held a newborn against her chest.
“No.”
“She is mine.”
“She’s our daughter.”
“Exactly.”
The baby began crying.
Aria held her tighter.
“You’ll use her.”
“I’ll protect her.”
“You want her blood.”
“I need her.”
“Why?”
“Because she can open the final gate.”
Aria’s expression hardened.
“Never.”
The Shadow King stepped forward.
“Then I’ll take her.”
Aria raised her hand.
Silver energy exploded.
The Shadow King was thrown backward.
“You won’t touch my daughter.”
He stood slowly.
“You’ve chosen them.”
“I’ve chosen her.”
He smiled.
“Then you will regret it.”
The vision changed.
Aria was running through a corridor.
The baby was in her arms.
Malakai was behind her.
“Your Majesty!”
“Get her out!”
“What about you?”
“I’ll hold them back.”
Malakai took the baby.
Aria grabbed his arm.
“Protect her.”
“I swear.”
Then the Shadow King appeared.
He raised his hand.
Darkness filled the corridor.
Aria screamed.
The vision ended.
Aria opened her eyes.
Tears streamed down her cheeks.
She looked at Malakai.
“You took my daughter.”
Malakai nodded.
“I tried to save her.”
“Where is she?”
He looked away.
“I don’t know.”
Aria’s heart broke.
“You said she was dead.”
“I thought she was.”
The Shadow King laughed.
“She isn’t.”
Everyone froze.
Aria turned toward him.
“What?”
“Your daughter survived.”
Aria’s heart slammed against her ribs.
“Where is she?”
The Shadow King smiled.
“Closer than you think.”
Aria stared at him.
“What does that mean?”
“You’ll discover it soon.”
Kael stepped forward.
“Stop playing games.”
The Shadow King looked at him.
“You should be worried.”
“About what?”
“You’ve already met her.”
Kael’s expression changed.
Aria noticed.
“Kael?”
He said nothing.
“Who is she?”
The Shadow King laughed.
“Ask him.”
Aria turned toward Kael.
“Tell me.”
Kael looked at the floor.
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t know.”
The Shadow King smiled.
“You do.”
Kael’s eyes hardened.
“Leave.”
“You’re afraid.”
“I’m not.”
“You should be.”
The Shadow King raised his hand.
Darkness wrapped around Kael’s body.
He dropped to his knees.
“Kael!”
Aria rushed toward him.
The Shadow King stopped her with a wave of energy.
“Don’t.”
“Let him go!”
“Come with me.”
“No.”
“Then watch him die.”
Kael struggled to breathe.
Aria’s eyes turned silver.
“Release him.”
The Shadow King smiled.
“Come to me.”
“I said no.”
The darkness around Kael tightened.
He cried out.
Aria screamed.
“Fine!”
She stepped forward.
“I’ll come.”
Kael looked at her.
“No!”
The Shadow King smiled.
“Good.”
Aria walked toward him.
One step.
Then another.
Kael shook his head.
“Don’t trust him.”
Aria whispered:
“I don’t.”
She continued walking.
The Shadow King extended his hand.
“Give me your hand.”
Aria looked at it.
Then at Kael.
Then at Damon.
Damon’s eyes were filled with fear.
She slowly reached forward.
The moment their hands touched—
Everything changed.
Aria stood in another world.
There was no castle.
No wolves.
No darkness.
Only a quiet village.
Children played in the streets.
Women carried baskets.
Men worked in fields.
It looked peaceful.
Aria turned.
“What is this?”
The Shadow King stood beside her.
“My kingdom.”
“It looks normal.”
“It wasn’t always.”
He pointed toward the village.
“I built it.”
“For who?”
“For you.”
Aria stared.
“You built this for me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I wanted a world where no one could take you from me.”
Aria shook her head.
“You destroyed worlds.”
“Because they wanted to destroy you.”
“You killed innocent people.”
“Because they chose your enemies.”
“You killed my family.”
His expression changed.
“I never killed your mother.”
Aria froze.
“What?”
“I killed the people who took her.”
“Then why did she die?”
“Because your father sacrificed her.”
Aria stared.
“You’re lying.”
“Am I?”
He touched the air.
A memory appeared.
Elena stood before Lucian.
She was crying.
“You can’t do this.”
Lucian held a sword.
“I have to.”
“She’s your daughter.”
“That’s why.”
Elena looked toward a sleeping baby.
Aria.
“If you kill me, they’ll find her.”
“I know.”
“Then don’t.”
“I have no choice.”
Lucian raised his sword.
Elena closed her eyes.
“Protect her.”
The memory disappeared.
Aria’s breathing became unsteady.
“Did my father kill my mother?”
The Shadow King nodded.
“Yes.”
“Then why did everyone blame you?”
“Because I allowed them to.”
“Why?”
“Because I needed you to hate me.”
Aria stared.
“Why?”
“So you would never willingly return to me.”
She shook her head.
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“It will.”
The world began changing.
The peaceful village disappeared.
The sky turned black.
The buildings vanished.
Aria found herself standing in front of a massive lake.
The water was silver.
A child stood on the opposite shore.
A little girl.
She had long dark hair.
Silver eyes.
And a crescent-shaped birthmark on her wrist.
Aria’s heart stopped.
“Who is she?”
The Shadow King smiled.
“Look closer.”
The girl turned.
Aria gasped.
She recognized her.
Not from a memory.
From somewhere deeper.
The child was wearing the same pendant Aria had worn as a child.
“My daughter.”
The little girl smiled.
“Mother.”
Aria ran toward her.
But an invisible wall stopped her.
“Let me through!”
The Shadow King shook his head.
“Not yet.”
“Why?”
“Because she isn’t ready.”
“Ready for what?”
The child looked toward the sky.
A dark shadow appeared above her.
She screamed.
“Mother!”
Aria attacked the barrier.
“Let me go!”
The Shadow King grabbed her.
“Not yet.”
“Let me go!”
“Aria!”
The voice came from behind her.
Kael.
She turned.
He was standing on the other side of the lake.
Blood covered his chest.
He looked at her.
“Don’t trust him.”
The Shadow King smiled.
“He’s too late.”
Aria looked at Kael.
“How did you get here?”
“I followed you.”
The Shadow King raised his hand.
Aria screamed.
“No!”
Kael fell to his knees.
The Shadow King whispered:
“Choose.”
Aria froze.
“Choose what?”
“Your child…”
He pointed toward the girl.
“…or the King.”
Aria’s eyes widened.
“What?”
“If you save Kael, the child dies.”
He pointed toward the little girl.
“If you save your daughter, Kael dies.”
Aria shook her head.
“No.”
“That’s the prophecy.”
“I refuse.”
“You cannot change it.”
Aria’s silver energy exploded.
The lake began boiling.
The Shadow King stepped backward.
“What are you doing?”
Aria raised both hands.
“I won’t choose.”
The ground shook.
“I’ll save both.”
The Shadow King laughed.
“You cannot.”
“Watch me.”
Silver light spread across the lake.
The little girl began glowing.
Kael’s body began glowing.
The Shadow King screamed.
“Stop!”
Aria pushed harder.
The entire Shadow Realm trembled.
Then—
A third voice spoke.
“Enough.”
Everything stopped.
Aria froze.
The little girl looked behind her.
Kael lifted his head.
The Shadow King went pale.
A woman stepped out of the darkness.
Long black hair.
Silver eyes.
A crescent crown.
Aria’s own face.
But older.
More powerful.
The original Queen.
Aria stared.
“Who are you?”
The woman smiled.
“I am you.”
Aria’s heart stopped.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“Then who am I?”
The woman stepped closer.
“You are my reincarnation.”
“But I thought I was you.”
“You carry my memories.”
“Then what about the child?”
The Queen looked at the little girl.
“She is the future.”
Aria frowned.
“The future of what?”
The Queen looked toward the Shadow King.
“The final war.”
The Shadow King stepped backward.
“No.”
The Queen raised her hand.
The Shadow King’s body began cracking.
“No!”
The Queen turned toward Aria.
“Your time is almost over.”
Aria’s eyes widened.
“What do you mean?”
“You cannot remain in both worlds.”
“Why?”
“Because the longer you stay here, the more the Queen inside you awakens.”
Aria shook her head.
“What happens when she fully awakens?”
The Queen smiled sadly.
“You disappear.”
Aria’s heart stopped.
“What?”
“You will cease to be Aria.”
The Queen touched her forehead.
“You will become me.”
Aria stepped backward.
“No.”
The Queen whispered:
“And when that happens…”
She looked toward Kael.
“…you will no longer love him.”
Kael’s face fell.
Aria looked at him.
“No.”
The Queen’s expression softened.
“That is the final price.”
The Shadow King smiled.
“Now you understand.”
Aria turned toward him.
“You knew.”
“Of course.”
“And you brought me here to force the Queen to awaken.”
“Yes.”
Aria’s silver eyes burned.
“You made one mistake.”
The Shadow King frowned.
“What?”
Aria looked toward Kael.
“I don’t need to become the Queen.”
She looked toward the little girl.
“I don’t need to choose.”
Then she looked at the original Queen.
“And I don’t need to repeat your life.”
The Queen smiled.
“Good.”
Aria’s eyes widened.
“Good?”
The Queen nodded.
“Because that’s exactly what I wanted you to realize.”
The Shadow King’s smile disappeared.
“What are you doing?”
The Queen turned toward him.
“Ending your reign.”
Silver light erupted.
The Shadow King screamed.
Aria reached for Kael.
Their hands touched.
The little girl reached toward Aria.
“Mother.”
Aria grabbed her hand.
The three of them were surrounded by silver light.
The Shadow King roared.
“You cannot escape destiny!”
Aria looked at him.
“Maybe not.”
She smiled.
“But I can rewrite it.”
The entire Shadow Realm exploded into light.
And when Aria opened her eyes…
She was no longer in the Shadow Realm.
She was standing in the human world.
But Kael was gone.
Damon was gone.
Her parents were gone.
And the little girl was nowhere to be seen.
Only one thing remained.
A silver crown lying at Aria’s feet.
She picked it up.
Then a voice whispered behind her.
“Mother.”
Aria slowly turned.
The little girl stood in the doorway.
And beside her…
stood a man Aria thought had died three thousand years ago.
Malakai.