“You chose the wrong man.”
Evelyn’s words echoed through the vault.
I tightened my grip on Damien’s hand.
“What does that mean?”
She smiled.
“You still don’t understand.”
“Then explain it.”
Evelyn walked slowly toward us.
“The prophecy doesn’t say the queen must choose the heir.”
She pointed at Damien.
“It says she must choose the right heir.”
Damien’s expression hardened.
“And apparently I’m not him.”
“No.”
Evelyn smiled.
“You’re the wrong one.”
I looked at Damien.
“What is she talking about?”
He shook his head.
“I don’t know.”
Evelyn laughed.
“Of course you don’t.”
She walked past us toward the throne.
“This vault was created by the First Queen.”
She touched the stone throne.
“She possessed a power that could command every bloodline connected to the ancient kingdom.”
I stared at the crown.
“And I’m her descendant.”
“Yes.”
“So why do you care who I choose?”
“Because whoever stands beside you will inherit half of that power.”
Damien’s expression changed.
“Half?”
Evelyn nodded.
“The queen’s power can only be completed by her chosen heir.”
“And if I choose Damien?”
Evelyn looked at him.
“The Blood Court will become unstoppable.”
I frowned.
“Then why call him the wrong man?”
“Because he doesn’t belong on the throne.”
She turned toward me.
“He belongs beneath it.”
Damien stepped forward.
“What are you hiding?”
Evelyn smiled.
“Your blood.”
Silence.
She looked at me.
“Ask him.”
I turned to Damien.
“What does she mean?”
He looked confused.
“I don’t know.”
Evelyn laughed.
“Your father never told you.”
“Tell me what?”
“Damien isn’t Richard Vale’s biological son.”
My heart stopped.
Damien went completely still.
“What?”
Evelyn smiled.
“Richard raised you.”
She touched her chest.
“But your blood comes from somewhere else.”
Damien shook his head.
“No.”
“Ask Isabella.”
I looked at Damien.
His face had gone pale.
“She’s lying.”
Evelyn shrugged.
“Then ask your father.”
“Richard is dead.”
“Exactly.”
She smiled.
“He can’t correct me.”
Damien stepped toward her.
“You’re lying.”
“You’re welcome to believe that.”
Then Evelyn looked at me.
“But there’s one person who can prove it.”
“Who?”
“Adrian.”
My heart dropped.
“My father?”
“Yes.”
“Where is he?”
Evelyn smiled.
“Alive.”
I stared at her.
“You said you had him.”
“I do.”
“Then bring him here.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because he’s the only person who knows who Damien’s real father is.”
Damien’s face hardened.
“Where is he?”
Evelyn pointed toward the crown.
“Put it on.”
I stared at her.
“What?”
“Put on the crown.”
“No.”
“Then you’ll never see Adrian again.”
I looked at Damien.
He shook his head.
“Don’t.”
I whispered,
“What happens if I put it on?”
Evelyn smiled.
“You’ll remember.”
I stepped toward the throne.
Damien grabbed my wrist.
“Amara.”
I looked at him.
“I need to know.”
“It could be a trap.”
“Everything is a trap.”
He didn’t let go.
“I won’t let you do this alone.”
I squeezed his hand.
“Then don’t.”
We walked toward the throne together.
The black crown sat beneath the ancient symbols.
I reached for it.
The moment my fingers touched the metal—
Pain exploded through my head.
I screamed.
Damien caught me.
Images flashed before my eyes.
My mother.
Jonathan.
Adrian.
Richard.
Evelyn.
A hospital.
A newborn baby.
Me.
Then another image.
Damien.
A child.
Standing beside my mother.
She was holding his face.
Crying.
Then I heard her voice.
“I’m sorry.”
The vision changed.
A man stood behind her.
I couldn’t see his face.
He was holding a newborn baby.
Damien.
My mother whispered:
“He can never know.”
Then the man turned.
I saw his face.
My heart stopped.
I knew him.
Everyone did.
His face had been on the walls of Vale Manor.
His photograph had been in Damien’s childhood albums.
The founder of the Vale empire.
Richard Vale.
But he wasn’t holding Damien like a son.
He was handing him to my mother.
Then the vision shattered.
I opened my eyes.
Damien was kneeling beside me.
“Amara?”
I stared at him.
He looked terrified.
“What did you see?”
I couldn’t speak.
“What did you see?”
I whispered:
“Your father.”
His face tightened.
“What about him?”
“He gave you to my mother.”
Damien froze.
“What?”
“He gave you to her.”
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“I know.”
I looked at him.
“He wasn’t your father.”
Damien’s breathing stopped.
I reached for his hand.
“Richard Vale wasn’t your biological father.”
Evelyn smiled.
“Now you’re getting somewhere.”
Damien turned toward her.
“Who is?”
Evelyn’s smile disappeared.
“Your mother knows.”
“Who is my father?”
“Ask Isabella.”
Damien’s face darkened.
“She’s here?”
Evelyn nodded.
“Waiting for you.”
The vault doors suddenly slammed shut.
I turned.
“Where is she?”
Evelyn smiled.
“Behind you.”
We turned.
Isabella stood at the entrance.
But she wasn’t alone.
Adrian stood beside her.
Alive.
And between them— a man I had never seen before.
Tall.
Dark-haired.
His eyes were exactly like Damien’s.
Damien stared at him.
The stranger stared back.
Then Isabella spoke.
“Damien…”
She swallowed.
“Meet your real father.”
The man stepped forward.
Damien’s face went white.
“No.”
The stranger smiled.
“Hello, son.”
I looked at Damien.
Then at the stranger.
And suddenly—
I understood why Evelyn had called him the wrong man.
Because Damien Vale wasn’t a Vale at all.
He was something much more dangerous.
Something the Blood Court had been searching for centuries.
And the stranger’s next words made my blood run cold.
“I am the last king of the Blood Court.”
He looked at me.
“And you…”
His eyes moved to the black crown.
“…are my queen.”