Arachne's Warning

My whispered prayers mixed with distant voices, and the scent of damp stone and burning incense filled the air. I stood at the center of the Shadow King's private chambers, the firelight flickering over the silk-draped walls and the heavy iron bed that had become both my sanctuary and my prison. 

Kaizer's presence was suffocating. 

He leaned against the massive obsidian desk, watching me with the stillness of a predator. His black tunic was loose at the collar, exposing the sharp cut of his collarbone, the inked patterns of his ancient markings running down his skin like dark veins of power. His golden eyes burned with something unreadable but dangerous. 

My pulse throbbed against my ribs. 

"You haven't answered my question, Redgold." His voice was as smooth as silk. "Why did you try to run?" 

I forced my chin up, ignoring the way my skin still tingled from his touch hours before. "Because I refuse to be your pet." 

A slow, cruel smile ghosted across his lips. "And yet, your body tells me otherwise." 

Heat flared up my neck. I hated him, hated the way he peeled me open with nothing but his gaze, hated the way my traitorous body responded to him even now, the ghost of his hands lingering on my skin. 

As I opened my mouth to snap a retort, the heavy doors burst open. 

A hooded figure stormed into the room, robes billowing with urgency. The scent of parchment and magic followed her in, thick and cloying. 

Kaizer straightened, his gaze sharpening as Arachne, the blind oracle, stepped forward. 

"The Crimson Moon has begun to wane," Arachne rasped, her milky eyes unseeing but her presence demanding. "And with it, a prophecy is in motion." 

I stiffened. 

Kaizer exhaled slowly, his expression unreadable. "What prophecy?" 

"The one she carries in her blood." Arachne's head turned as if she could see straight through me. "The girl is not just yours to claim, Shadow King. Others are moving against you." 

A chill ran down my spine. 

I knew it. I had felt that eerie sense of being watched by unseen forces, that my abduction had set something far bigger in motion. 

Kaizer turned back to me, his eyes flashing. "Who else knows?" 

Arachne hesitated. "The Queen. Your Queen." 

My breath hitched. 

Queen Valentina. My stepmother?! 

I hadn't seen her since the night I was taken from Velmoria's castle, since her cold eyes had watched me from the marble throne with a straight expression. She had never loved me, not truly. I was nothing but a reminder of the woman she could never replace—my mother. 

And now, she was involved in this? 

Kaizer's jaw tightened. "And?" 

"She has aligned herself with Lord Sareth," Arachne continued. "And they are moving against you as we speak." 

A muscle ticked in Kaizer's jaw. 

Lord Sareth. The name sent a shiver of uneasiness down my spine whenever it was mentioned. He was no ordinary noble. He was a man whispered about in the shadows, a lord of cunning and cruelty. If he and Valentina had joined forces, then— 

Kaizer's lips curled in something that was not quite a smirk, not quite a snarl. "They think they can take what's mine." 

The air between us crackled. 

I should have been furious at his possessiveness. I should have pushed back against the way he claimed me with every glance, every word. But instead, my blood pounded with something strange and thrilling. 

I had been taught to fear him. But at that moment, a deeper fear took root. A fear of what I would become if I surrendered. 

---

Elsewhere—Velmoria

The grand palace of Velmoria was bathed in the dim glow of candlelight, shadows stretching long across the polished floors. 

Queen Valentina stood at the highest balcony, her golden gown rippling in the night breeze. She was beautiful in the way a blade was beautiful—sharp, gleaming, and capable of slicing through flesh without hesitation. 

Behind her, Lord Sareth watched with a smirk. 

"You seem troubled, my Queen." His voice was smooth as wine, but laced with something venomous. 

Valentina did not turn. "I am merely contemplating our next move." 

Sareth chuckled, stepping closer. "The girl is lost to you, Valentina. She belongs to Kaizer now." 

Valentina's fingers curled around the marble railing. "Not if I take her back." 

Sareth raised a brow. "And what will you do with her?" 

A slow smile spread across her lips. "She will fulfill her duty. Whether she wishes to or not." 

The wind howled through the night. And somewhere in the distance, the fate of a kingdom hung in the balance. 

---

Back in Tenebris Noctis

Kaizer's hand wrapped around my wrist before I could move. His grip was firm, unyielding—but not cruel. His thumb brushed over my pulse, feeling the rapid beat beneath my skin. 

"I won't let them take you." His voice was low, lethal. 

I swallowed hard. "I don't belong to you." 

His eyes darkened. "No?" 

Before I could protest, he yanked me against him, the heat of his body searing through my thin silk gown. I gasped, but the sound was swallowed as his lips crashed against mine. 

The kiss was not gentle. It was a claim, a firestorm of desire and dominance that sent a violent shiver down my spine. His fingers tangled in my hair, tilting my head back as his mouth devoured mine, pulling a ragged moan from my lips before I could stop it. 

My body burned, every nerve igniting as he pressed me against the stone wall, his grip tightening around my waist. 

I hated him. I wanted him. 

His hand slid down my spine, pressing me closer until there was nothing but heat and breath between us. 

And then— 

A sudden knock shattered the moment. 

Kaizer wrenched away with a growl, his chest rising and falling. His golden eyes flickered with frustration and something deeper... annoyance... anger, maybe. 

"What?" he snapped. 

A guard entered, bowing. "Your Majesty. We have a problem." 

Kaizer exhaled sharply, his gaze never leaving mine. His thumb brushed against my lips; one final, silent promise before he turned. 

"Stay here," he ordered. 

I didn't move as he strode out of the room, but my heart thundered in my chest. 

Because I knew whatever had happened, whatever danger lurked beyond these walls— 

This was only the beginning. 

And I was running out of time.