The black river churned below, louder than before, as though it knew something they did not.
Aria stood frozen on the ancient bridge.
Across from her stood the second Damon.
He wore Damon’s face.
His voice was Damon’s.
Even his scent was the same.
But something was terribly wrong.
The real Damon stood behind Aria, sword drawn.
“Don’t listen to him.”
The impostor smiled.
“Still pretending you don’t remember?”
Damon’s grip tightened around his sword.
“I know exactly who I am.”
“Do you?”
The impostor tilted his head.
“Then tell her.”
Damon said nothing.
Aria looked between them.
“Tell me what?”
The impostor laughed softly.
“Ask him why he was there the night you died.”
Aria’s stomach tightened.
“Damon?”
The real Damon looked at her.
“Aria, don’t.”
“Answer me.”
He hesitated.
The impostor stepped closer.
“He watched.”
Aria’s eyes widened.
“He watched you die.”
Damon’s expression broke.
“That’s not the whole truth.”
“Then tell me the whole truth.”
Damon lowered his sword.
“I was there.”
Silence.
Aria stared at him.
“You were there?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Three thousand years ago.”
Her breathing became shallow.
“You knew me.”
“Yes.”
“You knew I was the Queen.”
“Yes.”
“You knew Kael.”
Damon nodded.
“You knew Malakai.”
Another nod.
“And you never told me.”
“I couldn’t.”
“Why?”
“Because you made me promise.”
Aria frowned.
“I made you promise what?”
Damon looked away.
“To let you forget.”
The impostor laughed.
“Pathetic.”
Damon’s eyes flashed.
“Enough.”
“No.”
The impostor pointed at Aria.
“She deserves to know.”
Damon stepped between them.
“She deserves to hear it from me.”
Aria stared at him.
“Then talk.”
Damon swallowed.
“The night you died, the Shadow King had already taken control of the palace.”
Aria said nothing.
“Kael was fighting outside.”
“Malakai was trying to get the children out.”
“And you?”
“I was ordered to protect you.”
“By whom?”
Damon’s eyes met hers.
“By you.”
Aria’s heart sank.
“You told me that if the palace fell, I was to make sure you died before the Shadow King could take your soul.”
She stared at him.
“You were supposed to kill me.”
Damon nodded.
“But I couldn’t.”
“Why?”
His voice broke.
“Because I loved you.”
The impostor smiled.
“Now we’re getting somewhere.”
Damon ignored him.
“You weren’t just my Queen.”
He looked at Aria.
“You were the person I would have died for.”
Aria felt tears gathering in her eyes.
“What happened?”
“The Shadow King found us.”
Damon closed his eyes.
“You were already dying.”
“I remember…”
Fragments flashed through Aria’s mind.
Fire.
Blood.
A sword.
Damon kneeling beside her.
Her own hand touching his face.
And a promise.
She gasped.
“I remember.”
Damon’s eyes widened.
“What?”
“You were crying.”
He looked stunned.
“I told you not to.”
A tear rolled down his cheek.
“You remembered.”
“I told you…”
Her voice trembled.
“…to protect my children.”
Damon nodded.
“You did.”
“What happened to them?”
“Malakai took them.”
“Both?”
“Yes.”
Aria turned toward Lyra and Orion.
Her heart pounded.
“Then why did everyone tell me Lyra was my only child?”
Damon looked toward the impostor.
“Because Orion wasn’t supposed to survive.”
The impostor smiled.
“Exactly.”
Orion stepped forward.
“What does that mean?”
The impostor looked at him.
“It means you weren’t born.”
Orion froze.
“You were created.”
Aria stepped in front of him.
“Don’t listen.”
But the impostor continued.
“You were created from the Queen’s darkness.”
Orion shook his head.
“No.”
“You are not her son.”
Aria’s expression hardened.
“Enough.”
“You are her weapon.”
Orion looked at Aria.
“Mother?”
Aria grabbed his hand.
“You’re my son.”
The impostor laughed.
“You believe that?”
Aria raised the Crown of Eternity.
“I don’t care what you were created from.”
Silver light surrounded Orion.
“He’s my son.”
The impostor’s smile disappeared.
For the first time, he looked afraid.
“Don’t.”
Aria stepped forward.
“Who are you?”
He hesitated.
Then his face began changing.
The skin cracked.
The eyes turned black.
The body twisted.
And the creature standing before them was no longer Damon.
It was something ancient.
Something inhuman.
A pair of enormous black wings spread behind him.
Lyra screamed.
Orion whispered:
“He’s a Shade.”
Malakai’s expression changed.
“You know what that is?”
Orion nodded.
“The Shadow King told me about them.”
“What are they?”
“Servants.”
“Of the Shadow King?”
Orion shook his head.
“No.”
He stared at the creature.
“They existed before him.”
The creature smiled.
“Very good.”
Aria tightened her grip on the crown.
“What do you want?”
The creature looked at Lyra.
“Her.”
Aria immediately moved in front of her daughter.
“You’ll never have her.”
“She carries the light.”
“She’s my child.”
“She carries the soul of the First Queen.”
Aria shook her head.
“She’s Lyra.”
The creature’s eyes narrowed.
“And that is why you will lose.”
The bridge shook.
A crack appeared beneath Aria’s feet.
Kael grabbed her.
“Move!”
The bridge began collapsing.
“Run!”
Everyone sprinted toward the other side.
Behind them, the Shade laughed.
“You cannot escape destiny!”
Aria turned.
“Watch me!”
She raised her hand.
Silver chains erupted from the bridge.
They wrapped around the Shade.
It roared.
“YOU!”
Aria pulled harder.
The chains tightened.
The Shade’s wings were pinned.
Damon looked at her.
“That won’t hold him.”
“I know.”
“Then what are you doing?”
Aria smiled.
“Buying time.”
Malakai suddenly shouted.
“The Sanctuary!”
Everyone turned.
A massive stone door had appeared at the end of the bridge.
Symbols covered it.
Aria recognized them.
“The door is opening!”
Kael pushed Lyra forward.
“Go!”
They ran.
One by one, they crossed the threshold.
Aria was last.
She turned back.
The Shade had broken one of the chains.
Then another.
He looked directly at her.
“You cannot hide from me.”
Aria stepped backward.
“I don’t need to hide.”
She raised the Crown.
“I need you to follow.”
The Shade froze.
“What?”
Aria smiled.
Then she stepped through the doorway.
The door slammed shut.
A massive explosion shook the mountain.
The Sanctuary went silent.
Aria leaned against the wall, breathing heavily.
Kael came to her.
“Are you okay?”
She nodded.
“Yes.”
Damon approached.
“I need to tell you something else.”
Aria looked at him.
“What?”
“The Shade wasn’t pretending to be me.”
She frowned.
“What do you mean?”
“He was using my memories.”
Aria’s eyes narrowed.
“So?”
“So he couldn’t have known those things unless…”
Damon stopped.
“Unless what?”
“He was there too.”
Aria’s blood ran cold.
“With us?”
Damon nodded.
“He has been watching you since your first life.”
Malakai stepped forward.
“That’s impossible.”
Damon looked at him.
“Is it?”
“What are you saying?”
Damon’s expression became grim.
“The Shade isn’t a servant.”
“Then what is he?”
Damon looked at Aria.
“He’s the witness.”
“The witness to what?”
“The first death of the Queen.”
Aria stared.
“What does that mean?”
Damon lowered his voice.
“It means he knows who actually killed you.”
Silence filled the Sanctuary.
Aria’s heart began pounding.
“Then ask him.”
Damon shook his head.
“We can’t.”
“Why?”
“Because he’s not the one we should be afraid of.”
Aria frowned.
“Who, then?”
Damon looked toward Orion.
“Your son.”
Orion froze.
Aria stepped between them.
“Don’t.”
Damon shook his head.
“Not because he’s evil.”
“Then why?”
“Because the Shadow King didn’t create Orion to destroy you.”
Damon looked toward the ceiling.
“He created Orion to replace the Shadow King.”
Everyone fell silent.
Kael’s eyes narrowed.
“That makes no sense.”
“It does if you know what the Shadow King really is.”
Aria stared at Damon.
“Then tell us.”
Damon took a breath.
“The Shadow King isn’t a person.”
Aria’s blood ran cold.
“What?”
“He’s a crown.”
Malakai’s face went pale.
“The Shadow Crown.”
Damon nodded.
“It chooses a vessel.”
Aria looked at Orion.
“And Orion…”
“Was chosen.”
Orion stepped backward.
“No.”
A black symbol suddenly appeared on his chest.
He screamed.
Aria rushed toward him.
“Orion!”
The Sanctuary shook.
The walls began glowing red.
And a voice whispered from inside Orion’s mind.
Finally.
Orion’s eyes turned completely black.
He looked at Aria.
But this time…
it wasn’t Orion looking back.
The Shadow King had awakened.
And he smiled through her son’s face.