Later That Evening — The Sawyer Mansion
The night air outside the Sawyer mansion was cold and quiet, but inside, tension ran high. The moment Nikki stepped through the grand double doors, a maid hurried toward her, bowing nervously.
"My lady, Her Majesty requests your presence in the forbidden room."
Nikki sighed softly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. She never calls me there unless it's serious.
Without a word, she turned and made her way down the long corridor. The faint hum of torches filled the silence, their orange glow flickering against the walls as she descended the spiral staircase into the depths of the mansion.
In the Forbidden Room
The large wooden doors groaned open, revealing Queen Sabrina seated on her obsidian throne. The dim light from the candles flickered across her regal yet cold features. Standing before her were Alison and Amber. Nikki entered slowly and moved to stand beside Amber.
"Greetings, my Queen," she said, bowing slightly.
Amber leaned close and whispered, "Where have you been?"
"Welcome, Princess Nikki," Sabrina's calm but commanding voice filled the room. "I would like to know where you've been."
"I went to the venue of Laurel's birthday," Nikki explained, steady but cautious. "I thought returning there might help me recall what happened that day."
Sabrina's lips curved faintly. "I see you're taking your duties seriously. That's good."
"I'm glad you're pleased, my Queen," Nikki replied politely.
The Queen's expression hardened. "I summoned you all here for something urgent. The Demon Council convened yesterday, and… there's been a troubling development."
Amber frowned. "Did something happen, my Queen?"
"After the incident on Saturday," Sabrina began, her tone sharp, "there was a surge—an overwhelming burst of power that spread across all realms. Every being—angelic, demonic, or otherwise—felt it. Because of this, the Council has ordered a global search to find the source. If it's a non-demon, they will be executed. But if it's a demon…"
She paused, her gaze lingering on Nikki.
"…the treatment will depend on their gender."
Nikki straightened. "What do you mean by that?"
"If it's a male," Sabrina said, "he will be appointed as Prince Asriel's right hand—the Crown Prince's second-in-command."
"And if it's a female?"
"She automatically becomes the Crown Prince's fiancée," Sabrina stated.
Alison looked uneasy. "What happens to Princess Lyra then?"
"She will be reassigned—likely married into another upper-chamber royal line," the Queen replied coolly.
Amber crossed her arms. "I'm guessing Lyra's praying it's a man."
"That's irrelevant," Sabrina cut in sharply. "The problem is that the Council already knows… the one who unleashed that power was a girl."
Nikki's eyes widened. "I thought you said they were still investigating. How do you know it's a girl?"
"And is she a demon or not?" Amber added.
"She is," Sabrina confirmed grimly. "And if she's found, it will bring disaster upon us all."
Nikki frowned. "What do you mean? With that kind of power, we could finally destroy our enemies."
"Nikki," Sabrina said, her tone suddenly softer but heavier. "There's something you need to know."
Nikki's heart skipped. "What is it, Mother?"
"Something happened that night at Laurel's party. After you returned, I… ordered Rose to alter your memories."
Nikki froze. "You replaced my memories?"
Amber looked down guiltily. Alison's expression was unreadable.
"Amber. Alison. Tell her what happened," Sabrina instructed.
Amber nodded slowly. "You remember going to the party with Alan, right?"
"Yes," Nikki said.
"Well, after I left to find Dave, Laurel approached you. Alan intervened before she could do anything harmful, but Laurel got angry. She forced you to drop your concealment spell, revealing your true identity. The upper-ranked demons were furious that a lower princess attended without proper escort. Lyra joined in and they all humiliated you."
Nikki's eyes narrowed. "And Alan?"
"He tried to protect you," Amber continued, "but they attacked him. You lost control, Nikki. Your power awakened—and it nearly wiped them all out if the Crown Prince hadn't stepped in."
Nikki took a step back, her breath catching. "You're saying I unleashed enough power to kill upper-ranked royals?"
Amber nodded. "You didn't just unlock your powers, Nikki. You… summoned Keruvim—in its serpent form. And it obeyed you."
"I… what?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "That's impossible."
"It happened," Alison said quietly. "You nearly killed Mother and me with the backlash."
Nikki turned to her mother, stunned. "So does that mean I can finally use my powers now?"
Amber quickly interjected. "You can't, Nikki."
"Why not? I've trained for years—why shouldn't I use what's mine?"
"Nikki," Amber said softly, "you fainted after healing me. Ryder found out there's a seal on you. That seal's been blocking your powers all along. You broke it temporarily that night, but it's still there. If you try again before it's gone completely, you'll die."
Nikki's eyes flickered with disbelief. "So I still can't use them?"
Amber shook her head. "I'm sorry."
"I'll find a way to break the seal," Nikki said firmly.
"You will do no such thing," Sabrina commanded.
Nikki turned sharply. "Why not?"
"Because you're the one they're looking for," Sabrina said. "You're the demon behind the outburst."
The words fell like thunder.
"What?!" all three girls gasped.
"I don't understand," Nikki said, voice trembling. "How can you be sure it's me?"
"Because you've done it before," her mother said solemnly. "You unleashed the same energy when you were younger."
"That doesn't prove anything," Nikki argued. "It could be coincidence!"
"Then explain," Sabrina snapped, "how that exact aura appeared across realms the same day your seal cracked—and vanished when you fell unconscious."
Amber spoke quietly. "It's too precise to be coincidence, Nikki."
Sabrina rose from her throne, her dark gown rippling as she stepped closer. "Until we find a way to protect you, I forbid you from breaking that seal or using your powers again."
"This isn't fair," Nikki said, her voice rising. "You're treating me like a criminal!"
"I'm protecting you," Sabrina replied firmly. "You have no idea what they'll do to you if they find out the truth—especially with your dormant bloodline."
Nikki froze. "Dormant bloodline? Mother, what aren't you telling me?"
Sabrina hesitated—just for a moment. "There are things you're better off not knowing. For now, trust me, and do as I say."
Nikki lowered her gaze. "…Yes, Mother."
Sabrina nodded, regaining her composure. "Princess Aria's birthday is this week. The Council, the Crown Prince, and every noble family will be in attendance. He intends to formally announce the search for the source of the power. We will attend, and Alison's father will accompany us."
She met Nikki's gaze, her tone softening. "Stay calm. They will try to provoke you, but you must not react. Do you understand?"
Nikki drew a slow breath. "I'll do my best to stay in control."
"Good."
Sabrina sat back on her throne. "That will be all for today. I'll give you the details about the celebration later."
"Yes, my Queen," the girls chorused before bowing and turning to leave.
As the doors closed behind them, the Queen's gaze lingered on the flickering torches.
Her voice, soft and filled with worry, barely escaped her lips.
"Please, Nikki… don't make me lose you the way I lost him."