Chapter Twenty-One: Queen of Ashes.

The wind howled through the blackened trees as Jayden stood on the cliffside, the dark sky swirling above her. Her once-soft eyes were now sharp, glowing faintly with power. The air around her shimmered as the spirits she'd learned to command circled her like shadows obeying their queen.

Mammoth stood nearby, watching her with pride and possessive hunger. "You've come far," he said, stepping closer. "Power suits you."

Jayden didn't look at him. Her voice was low, but firm. "I was born for this."

Suddenly, the wind stilled. A bright blue light shimmered before her, and a familiar figure emerged from it—Aurora, ethereal and glowing like moonlight.

"Jayden," Aurora's voice echoed in the air. "The king... he's begun a ritual. He plans to sacrifice twenty innocent souls at the temple during the red moon eclipse. The sealed crown—he's going to use it. If he succeeds, you and Azrael will fall."

Jayden's jaw clenched. "Then I won't let him succeed."

Aurora nodded, then began to fade, her voice like a whisper. "Act quickly, my queen."

As the light vanished, Mammoth approached from behind, wrapping an arm around her waist. His voice was a dark murmur against her skin. "It's almost time to take back what is rightfully yours. The throne… the kingdom… all of it."

Jayden's eyes burned with purpose. "The royal family will suffer for what they did to me. For what they did to this land."

He grinned, lowering his mouth to her ear. "That's my queen."

---

Meanwhile, far below the living world, Azrael sat in the **Garden of Lost Souls**—a graveyard of the forgotten, silent and still. Cloaked in shadows, he hadn't removed his hood since returning to the underworld.

"You still thinking about her?" came a familiar, teasing voice.

Azrael didn't look up. "Go away, Hades."

Hades chuckled as he leaned against a crumbling pillar. "You've gone soft, brother. Moping around over a girl like some mortal poet. I didn't think Death himself could feel heartbreak."

Azrael sighed deeply. "It's not so bad… being human."

Hades blinked in mock shock. "Wow. I must've missed the apocalypse if you're saying that."

Azrael finally looked up, his voice sharp. "Why are you here?"

"I have news," Hades said, more serious now. "I saw the king. I watched his little deal with the gods. He's going through with it—twenty lives, red moon, blood on the altar. All to kill her and bind you."

Azrael's jaw tightened.

"You still love her?" Hades asked.

Azrael said nothing, but the silence spoke for him.

"Then protect her. Even if she hates you," Hades said. "Even if she doesn't believe you. You owe her that."

Azrael stood, pulling his cloak tighter. "I'll do my duty."

---

In a whisper of smoke, Azrael appeared at the edge of the forest. He saw her instantly—standing by the river, her back turned to him. The wind stirred her hair gently. She looked… powerful. But hollow.

"Jayden," he said, voice barely above the breeze.

She turned. Her eyes widened—not in hate, but in a strange mixture of pain and longing.

"You came," she whispered.

"I had to. There's something you need to—"

"I already know," she interrupted coldly. "You don't have to tell me."

He stepped closer. "Jayden… please. I wanted to protect you. I thought—"

"You never told me the truth," she snapped. "You always beat around the bush. You let me fall in love with you."

Azrael's voice trembled. "I still love you."

Before she could respond, Mammoth appeared behind her, slipping his hand around her waist with casual possession.

"She's no longer yours," Mammoth said with a smirk. "She's mine now. A queen. A powerful woman."

Azrael's eyes burned with quiet fury. "You're a manipulator. A parasite."

Mammoth's smirk widened. "And yet, she chose me."

Azrael looked past him, directly at Jayden. "I love you. And I won't stop watching over you. Not anymore."

Jayden's voice was soft, but each word was like a knife. "You broke my trust."

He flinched. The silence stretched.

"Exactly," Mammoth said, grinning like a wolf. "Pain. Regret. Love…"

He ran his fingers over her arms, possessive and slow. Jayden didn't flinch, but she didn't smile either. Her eyes, distant and cold, never left Azrael's.

Azrael said nothing more. With one last glance at her, he vanished into black smoke.