*****Author's POV
The realm Ellis stepped into was nothing like the witch's domain or the demon realm. The sky hung low and colorless, as though time itself had been drained from it. The air felt heavy, thick with ancient magic that pulsed softly beneath her feet. Towers of stone floated in the distance, unmoving, suspended as if frozen in a single moment that never progressed. This was a place that existed outside consequence—outside mercy.
Ellis clenched her fists.
"Zareth!" her voice rang out, sharp and furious, echoing endlessly across the barren expanse. "I know you're here. Come out now."
Silence answered her.
Her jaw tightened. Dark magic gathered around her palms, crackling like restrained lightning.
"If you think hiding will save this realm," she snapped, "then you clearly don't know me anymore. Come out before I tear this place apart stone by stone."
The ground trembled in response to her power.
A sigh cut through the air—calm, resigned.
From between two fractured pillars, a figure stepped forward, cloak shifting as though woven from shadows and starlight. Zareth's expression was unreadable, his crimson eyes tired rather than defiant.
"Threatening an entire realm," he said mildly. "You're emotional, Ellis."
Her fury exploded.
"You dared to sabotage us," she shouted, striding toward him. "You erased our spells, watched Harper walk straight into Kael's trap, and you have the audacity to stand there calmly?" Her voice cracked. "Why, Zareth? Why would you betray us?"
Zareth closed his eyes for a brief moment before opening them again. "I didn't betray you."
Ellis scoffed bitterly. "Then explain."
He inhaled slowly. "I went to the Realm of the Timekeepers."
That made her falter—just for a heartbeat.
"If I had let you go through with those spells," he continued, voice low, "history would have repeated itself. Bloodshed on a scale worse than Ravenna's era. Harper would have survived… but everyone around her would not."
Ellis stared at him. "You're saying this was necessary?"
"I'm saying," Zareth replied quietly, "that everything must unfold in its proper order. Interfere too early, and Harper becomes the catastrophe instead of the savior."
Ellis pressed her lips together, then whispered sharply, "I already gave her the hairpin. The one that awakens memory."
Zareth's eyes darkened. "Then we're out of time."
"What do we do now?" she demanded.
He turned toward the veil between realms. "We go. Now. Because if we don't—Harper will be in danger."
****Harper's POV
My eyes fluttered open slowly, my head pounding as though I had been pulled from the depths of a storm. The familiar canopy of my chamber greeted me, soft drapes swaying gently as sunlight filtered in.
Maids rushed forward immediately.
"My lady—are you alright?"
I lifted a hand, stopping them before they could touch me. "How long?" I asked quietly.
One of them bowed. "Only a few hours, Your Highness. The wedding preparations are still ongoing."
A few hours.
I nodded, my gaze sweeping the room instinctively. Something—or someone—was missing.
The maid Kael and his mother had seized… Natalie.
I didn't ask. Whatever happened to her, asking questions now would only draw attention.
"I'm ready," I said calmly.
They exchanged relieved glances and moved quickly, helping me to my feet, smoothing my gown, adjusting the intricate layers of silk and embroidery. My reflection stared back at me from the mirror—perfect, composed, obedient.
But inside my mind, it was chaos.
Three voices whispered at once.
Take control, Ravenna urged, her tone dark and commanding.
Be patient. Think, Seraphina warned, steady and measured.
Enough, I snapped silently. Both of you—be quiet.
I kept my face blank as they led me through the corridors, my heart pounding with every step. From a distance, I saw Kael waiting at the altar, smiling as though nothing had ever gone wrong. As though he hadn't shattered my world piece by piece.
I wondered where Natalie was.
I wondered if she was still alive.
And I told myself—over and over—that for now, my only choice was to walk forward, to marry him, to pretend. Any sign of resistance would doom me… and possibly her.
***Author's POV
Outside the demon castle, space folded in on itself as Ellis and Zareth appeared. The sound of ceremonial bells echoed through the air, sharp and final.
From a distance, they watched.
Harper and Kael stood before the altar.
The rings were exchanged.
Ellis's breath hitched. "She's alive," she whispered. Relief flooded her expression for only a moment before dread replaced it.
"Then where is Natalie?"
She reached out with her senses, magic spreading desperately outward.
Nothing.
Ellis's face drained of color. "I can't feel her presence anymore."
Zareth closed his eyes and exhaled slowly.
The silence that followed was heavier than any scream.
Something had gone terribly wrong.