The Forbidden Room
Amber knelt in the center of the cold stone floor. Her back was bare, save for the thin black bra top that clung to her trembling frame. Her white skirt was stained crimson where the whip had struck.
Deep, fresh welts crisscrossed her skin—some still bleeding.
Queen Sabrina sat on the throne, regal and merciless, her eyes fixed on her trembling subject. Beside her stood Alison, her posture proud, her gaze unreadable.
The heavy wooden doors groaned open.
Nikki stepped inside, her head bowed as she knelt. "Greetings, my Queen," she said formally.
"Raise your head," Sabrina ordered.
As Nikki looked up, her eyes immediately found Amber. "Amber?" she breathed, rushing forward.
Amber lifted her tear-streaked face. "I'm sorry, my princess," she whispered as Nikki wrapped her in a protective embrace. Nikki's arms trembled; anger and sorrow twisted inside her.
Then Nikki turned to her mother. Her eyes burned like coals. "Why are you doing this to Amber?"
"Have you forgotten your place, you incompetent brat?" her mother snapped.
"Don't make me repeat myself, Mother," Nikki warned, a red aura beginning to seep from her body, swirling like smoke.
"How dare you, Nikki?" her mother shouted.
"Please," Amber whispered weakly, clutching Nikki's hand. "Don't get into trouble because of me."
"I'll teach you a lesson today," Sabrina declared, rising from her throne.
But before she could take a single step, she suddenly collapsed to her knees, her body paralyzed by unseen force.
Alison gasped as she was lifted into the air and then slammed violently against the far wall. The impact left a crater in the stone. A heavy, invisible pressure pinned her there, immobilizing her.
"I'll be the one doing the teaching today," Nikki said coldly. Her eyes glowed a deep, blood-red hue. "Now, I'm going to ask questions. You'll answer each one—truthfully. One wrong word, and I'll snap both your necks."
"Nikki—what are you doing?" her mother struggled, unable to move.
"Why are you torturing Amber?"
"Alison told me you had an outburst at the party!" her mother barked. "She said you attacked the Crown Prince of Hell!"
"What?" Nikki demanded, stunned. "Why would I attack the Crown Prince?"
"You don't remember?" Alison choked out from where she hung. "You attacked the royals of the Upper Chamber! Prince Lucian stopped you—you tried to strike him, but he wasn't harmed."
"That's absurd! Why would I do something that suicidal?"
"It was because you wanted to protect the human you came with," Alison continued bitterly. "He defended you and angered the upper demons. They were going to kill him, and you interfered. That's when you lost control—you almost destroyed everyone in the hall."
"You went to Princess Laurel's party with a human?" Sabrina demanded.
"What did you expect, Mother?" Nikki snapped. "My fiancé was too busy playing lover boy with Alison! He took her to the event, leaving his fiancée without a date."
Sabrina turned sharply to Alison. "Is that true?"
Alison's voice trembled. "I… I'm sorry, Mother."
"The next time you lay a finger on Amber," Nikki warned darkly, "I won't be so merciful."
She placed her hand gently on Amber's wounded back. A faint red light glowed beneath her palm, and the cuts and welts vanished, leaving smooth, unbroken skin behind.
Nikki's eyes softened as their color returned to normal, the aura dissipating. The crushing pressure lifted; her mother and Alison gasped as they regained movement.
"Let's go, Amber," Nikki said, helping her to her feet. But the moment she tried to stand herself, her body gave out. She collapsed to the floor, unconscious.
"Nikki!" Amber cried, catching her before her head hit the ground. She held her close, tears spilling over. "Please, don't do this to me. Wake up, Nikki! Please!"
Sabrina and Alison rushed over, panic flashing in their eyes.
"What's happening to her?" Sabrina demanded.
"I don't know!" Amber sobbed.
"Alison—tell Jack to fetch Ryder. Now!" the Queen ordered.
Alison nodded and sprinted out of the room.
Amber cradled Nikki's head in her lap. "Please, stay with me," she whispered, trembling.
CHAPTER NINE
The Awakening
Amber and Queen Sabrina carried Nikki to the medical wing of the Sawyer Mansion.
Nikki lay unconscious on a pristine white bed. Amber and Alison stood beside her, while Sabrina sat across the room with a tall man at her side, both faces drawn with concern. The air was thick with unease.
Moments later, the door swung open, and a young man in his late twenties entered.
He was tall and lean, with smooth skin and sharply defined features—high cheekbones, a strong straight nose, and full lips. His tousled dirty-blond hair framed olive-green eyes that were both piercing and calm.
"Ryder," Sabrina breathed in relief.
"It's a pleasure to see you again, Queen Sabrina," Ryder said, bowing slightly before approaching the bed.
"What's wrong with her?" Sabrina asked, her voice tight with worry.
"I've got good news and bad news," he replied gently. "Which do you want first?"
"The bad news," she said without hesitation.
"Nikki is going to die."
"What?!"
Sabrina shot to her feet. "What do you mean by that, Ryder?"
He sighed. "The good news might explain it. Nikki has finally awakened her powers—but she won't be able to use them."
"Explain."
"The real reason Nikki couldn't awaken her power wasn't weakness," Ryder said. "It was because someone sealed them. She broke that seal today—but only temporarily. If she forces it open again, it'll kill her. Honestly, I'm surprised she survived this time. She was lucky."
"I don't understand," Sabrina said, shaken.
"To put it simply: someone sealed Nikki's powers long ago. Her will to protect something precious to her broke the seal briefly today. But if she tries again, she'll die."
Amber stepped forward. "So you're saying Nikki can never use her powers again?"
"Not exactly," Ryder replied. "She can—but only if she breaks the seal completely."
Alison frowned. "And how does she do that?"
"She needs to find the person who sealed her powers. Only that person can undo it."
Sabrina's eyes narrowed. "There's no other way?"
"There is," Ryder admitted reluctantly. "But it's dangerous. Nikki could break the seal herself if she reaches the highest emotional point."
"What does that mean?" Sabrina asked.
"She must watch someone she loves die," Ryder said quietly. "That kind of pain would shatter the seal completely—but it could also destroy her mind. You remember what happened the last time someone lost control like that."
Sabrina's gaze darkened. "I can never forget."
Amber's voice trembled. "Will she wake up?"
"Yes," Ryder said softly. "But she'll need rest. Breaking the seal didn't just drain her—it took part of her life force."
"She'll recover, right?"
"She will," he said reassuringly. "She's strong."
Nikki stirred, her fingers twitching slightly. Slowly, her eyelids fluttered open. Her gaze wandered in confusion before settling on the people around her.
"...Damien?" she whispered faintly.
Amber, Alison, and her parents leaned in, relief washing over their faces.
"Nikki, are you feeling alright?" Sabrina asked, her voice unusually tender.
"Mother? Why are you here? Where's Damien?" Nikki murmured, her voice trembling.
Amber exchanged a worried glance with Alison. "There's nobody named Damien, Nikki," she said gently.
"What happened?" Nikki asked, looking toward Ryder, who stood at the end of her bed. "Ryder… what's wrong with me?"
He stepped closer, taking her hand in his. "Nothing's wrong with you, my little demon," he said with a kind smile.
"Am I going to be alright?"
"You just need rest," he assured her. "You'll be fine soon."
"Thank you, Ryder," she said softly, then turned toward the man seated beside her mother. "Father? What are you doing here?"
Her father smiled warmly. "I heard you fainted, so I came straight from the airport. I couldn't wait to see you."
"Dad, you didn't have to," she protested weakly. "You had business to attend to."
"Nothing is more important than you, princess," he said.
"Can I have the room—with my father?" she asked suddenly.
"Nikki—" her mother began, but Nikki cut her off.
"Don't make this harder, Your Highness. I'd like to speak to Father alone."
Sabrina hesitated, then sighed. "Fine. We'll leave."
She stood and walked toward the door. Alison, Amber, and Ryder followed. Ryder held the door open, gesturing for the others to exit before stepping out himself, leaving Nikki alone with her father.
CHAPTER TEN
In the Forbidden Room
After leaving the medical chamber, Queen Sabrina summoned Alison and Amber to the forbidden room. The air there was cold and heavy, the torches on the walls flickering faintly as if reluctant to burn. The two girls followed her in silence, their footsteps echoing on the black marble floor.
Sabrina took her place upon the obsidian throne, her expression unreadable. The twin flames of the wall sconces reflected in her crimson eyes, casting her face in alternating shadows. Alison and Amber stood before her, their heads bowed respectfully.
"I know you both care deeply about Nikki," Sabrina began, her voice calm yet edged with steel. "But I need the truth—every detail. If you withhold anything, even out of love, you could endanger her more than you realize."
Amber swallowed nervously. "We promise to be honest, Your Highness."
Sabrina's gaze sharpened. "Then tell me—who is the human that Nikki brought to Princess Laurel's party? And why did she choose him to accompany her?"
"I'm afraid I can't answer that, Your Highness," Alison said carefully. "I have no idea who the boy is, nor why Nikki took him as her date."
Sabrina's eyes turned to Amber. "What about you? I want the truth."
Amber clasped her trembling hands. "He's a classmate, my queen. From the high school Nikki and I attend. Nikki chose him because he offered to be her date."
"He offered?" Sabrina echoed, narrowing her eyes.
"Yes, my queen," Amber replied quietly.
"Why?"
"He said he didn't want to attend Laurel's party alone—because Laurel would be all over him. We thought he was joking," Amber explained. "We figured he just wanted an excuse to go with someone. So Nikki offered to accompany him, mostly so she wouldn't embarrass you before the other demon royals by showing up alone."
Sabrina listened without interrupting, though her fingers drummed once against the throne's armrest. "Go on."
"Nikki went with him," Amber continued. "And to our surprise, he wasn't lying. Laurel was all over him. She was jealous—so jealous that she caused a scene. But… I don't remember much after that."
Sabrina leaned back slightly. "A crowned princess causing a scene at her own birthday party—over a human? Does that sound reasonable to you?"
"Your Highness, she isn't lying," Alison interjected quickly. "I saw it with my own eyes. Princess Laurel turned the other royals against Nikki out of jealousy—because of that boy."
"It doesn't make sense," Sabrina muttered, her voice low and distrustful. "Why would a high-ranked princess stoop so low… for a human?"
Amber frowned. "Then why don't I remember any of this happening?"
"Laurel wiped everyone's memories," Alison revealed, her tone heavy. "I escaped detection. That's why I still remember everything."
Sabrina's gaze sharpened further, her knuckles tightening around the armrest. "Even so, this is absurd. Why would Laurel be jealous of Nikki—over a human?"
"Mother," Alison said quietly, "there's something else I didn't tell you."
"Speak."
"Is it possible," Alison hesitated, "for anyone other than the King, the Crown Prince of Hell, or the Serpentines to summon Keruvim?"
Sabrina's face hardened. "You know that's impossible. Don't speak nonsense."
"I don't think it's impossible anymore," Alison said, her voice steady despite the tremor in her hands. "Because I saw Nikki summon Keruvim—in his serpent form."
The throne room fell utterly silent.
Sabrina's expression shifted from disbelief to raw fear. Her eyes widened, the color draining from her face. "What did you just say?"
"You heard me, Mother," Alison continued. "Nikki summoned Keruvim. I saw him—his full cobra form. I swear I'm not mistaken."
Sabrina rose abruptly, the heavy folds of her gown whispering against the floor. "Do you understand what that means?" she asked, her voice trembling now. "To summon Keruvim in his serpent form is something only the rulers of the deepest chamber can do. It's not just forbidden—it's sacred."
"I know what I saw," Alison replied firmly. "I'm not lying. I'm not imagining it."
Sabrina's eyes darted away, her mind racing. If what Alison said was true, then Nikki's awakening wasn't ordinary—it was a sign of something far more dangerous, something that could shake the balance of Hell itself.
Finally, she composed herself and looked at both girls. "Listen carefully," she said, her tone low and commanding. "You are not to speak of this—to anyone. Especially Nikki. She must never learn that she's awakened her powers. She must not know about the seal or what happened today. Am I clear?"
"Yes, Your Highness," both girls replied in unison.
"Good," Sabrina said, sinking slowly back into her throne. "You are dismissed."
The tall doors creaked open, and Alison and Amber quietly exited, their footsteps echoing into the silence. The doors closed behind them with a deep, resonant thud—leaving Queen Sabrina alone in the dim room, her expression shadowed with worry and something darker: fear.