Draeven's POV
We're barely a mile into the forest when I hear them coming.
Dragons. At least twenty, maybe more. Their roars echo through the trees, and I can see their shadows circling overhead.
"They're hunting us," Kael says grimly. "The court must have declared you a traitor."
"For protecting my mate?" I growl. "That's insane."
"You chose a witch over your kingdom. To them, that's treason." Kael looks back the way we came. "We need to move faster. They'll catch our scent soon."
Seraphina is barely conscious in my arms. Coming back from death drained her completely. Her head rests against my chest, her breathing shallow.
"I can walk," she mumbles. "Put me down."
"No."
"Draeven—"
"You just died and came back to life. You're not walking anywhere." I adjust her weight carefully. "Besides, I've carried injured soldiers through worse. You're lighter than most of them."
She makes a weak sound that might be a laugh. "Are you saying I'm skinny?"
"I'm saying you're perfect. Now save your strength."
Kael leads us deeper into the forest, taking paths I don't recognize. "Where are we going?" I ask.
"The tunnels."
"What tunnels?"
"The secret escape routes our grandfather built during the Great War. They run underground for fifty miles, all the way to the northern border." Kael glances back at me. "You never knew about them because Father died before he could tell you. But I found the maps in his private study years ago."
Something tight in my chest loosens slightly. "Father planned for this? For us to need an escape?"
"He planned for everything. He knew being king meant having enemies, even within your own court." Kael's voice is sad. "He just didn't plan on dying so soon."
We reach a massive oak tree with roots that spread like veins across the ground. Kael kneels and pushes against one of the roots. A section of earth slides away, revealing stairs leading down into darkness.
"After you, brother," Kael says.
I carry Seraphina down the stairs. The tunnel is narrow and cold, lit by glowing crystals embedded in the walls. The air smells like damp earth and old magic.
Behind us, I hear the dragons landing. Hear voices shouting. They've reached the forest.
"In! Now!" Kael jumps down and slams the hidden door closed. Darkness swallows us except for the crystal light.
"Will they find this entrance?" Seraphina asks quietly.
"Not unless they know exactly where to look." Kael touches the wall, and more crystals light up, creating a path forward. "These tunnels are protected by ancient magic. Only those with royal blood can open the doors."
We start walking. The tunnel stretches endlessly ahead, and I can hear water dripping somewhere in the distance.
"How long will it take to reach the northern border?" I ask.
"If we don't stop? Eight hours." Kael looks at Seraphina. "But she needs rest. And so do you. You're still healing from the battle."
He's right. My ribs ache with every breath. My magic is depleted. I'm running on pure stubbornness.
"We rest when we're safe," I say.
"We're safe now."
"No. We're safe when we're out of my kingdom and away from dragons who want us dead."
Kael doesn't argue. He just leads us deeper into the tunnels.
We walk in silence for what feels like hours. Seraphina falls asleep against my chest, her breathing evening out. I'm grateful she's resting, but I'm also terrified. What if she doesn't wake up? What if coming back from death damaged something we can't fix?
"She'll be okay," Kael says quietly, reading my thoughts. "She's stronger than she looks."
"I know. But I almost lost her today. Twice." I look down at her peaceful face. "I don't know what I'd do if—"
"Don't think about it. Focus on what is, not what could be." Kael's voice is firm. "She's alive. You're alive. I'm alive, which is honestly surprising given I was dead an hour ago. We'll figure out the rest."
I want to believe him. But doubt keeps creeping in.
"Kael, what happened when you died? You said you saw something."
"I saw the in-between place. The space between life and death." He shivers. "It was gray and empty and cold. I felt myself being pulled toward nothingness. But then something yanked me back—your bond with Seraphina. It was like a rope of light pulling me to safety."
"The mate bond brought you back?"
"No. Your love brought me back." He smiles. "Which is disgusting and beautiful at the same time. Very on-brand for you two."
Before I can respond, Seraphina jerks awake with a gasp.
"What's wrong?" I ask immediately.
"Someone's following us." Her silver eyes are wide with fear. "In the tunnels. I can feel them."
Kael and I both freeze, listening. At first, I hear nothing. Then, very faintly, I hear footsteps. Coming from behind us. Getting closer.
"How is that possible?" Kael whispers. "These tunnels are sealed with royal blood magic."
"Unless someone with royal blood is hunting us," I say grimly.
"Who? You and I are the only ones left with Father's bloodline."
I'm about to answer when I remember something that makes my blood run cold. "Not the only ones."
"What do you mean?"
"Father had another child. A daughter from before he married our mother. She was sent away when she was young—Mother demanded it. I barely remember her, but..." I strain to recall. "Her name was Elena. She'd be in her three hundreds now."
"You have a sister?" Kael looks shocked. "And you never mentioned this?"
"I forgot about her! She's been gone for over two hundred years!" I set Seraphina on her feet carefully. "But if she's back, and if she has royal blood—"
"She can use the tunnels," Kael finishes. "And if someone told her you're a traitor, she might think she's doing the kingdom a favor by killing you."
The footsteps are getting louder. Multiple people, moving fast.
"Run," I say.
We run.
The tunnels twist and turn. I'm holding Seraphina's hand, pulling her along as fast as she can go. Kael leads the way, his dragon senses guiding us through the maze.
"There!" Kael points to a fork in the tunnel. "Left goes to the border. Right goes to—"
An explosion behind us cuts him off. Rock and dust fill the air. When it clears, I see them.
Ten dragon warriors in full armor. And leading them is a woman I barely recognize.
She has Father's eyes. His strong jaw. But her face is twisted with anger.
"Hello, little brothers," Elena says coldly. "Did you miss me?"
"Elena." I step in front of Seraphina. "You don't understand what's happening—"
"I understand perfectly. You betrayed your people for a witch. You let the kingdom fall into chaos. You chose your own selfish desires over duty." She draws her sword. "And now I'm going to fix your mistake."
"By killing me?"
"By taking the throne that should have been mine from the beginning." Her eyes burn with decades of resentment. "Father cast me out because your mother was jealous. Made me live in exile for two centuries. But now he's dead, and you've proven yourself unworthy. The crown belongs to me."
"This isn't about the crown," Kael says. "This is about revenge."
"Maybe." Elena smiles coldly. "But revenge tastes sweeter when it comes with power."
The warriors advance. We're outnumbered and exhausted.
"Kael, take Seraphina and run," I say quietly.
"Not happening."
"That's an order."
"Good thing I've never been good at following orders." Kael shifts to dragon form, filling the tunnel with silver scales.
I shift too, my black scales reflecting the crystal light.
Elena laughs. "Two exhausted dragons against ten fresh warriors? This will be quick."
But before she can attack, Seraphina steps between us all.
"Stop!" Her voice echoes through the tunnel with power that makes everyone freeze. "I won't let you hurt him."
"Move aside, witch," Elena says. "This doesn't concern you."
"It concerns me when you're trying to kill my mate." Seraphina's hands glow with white light. "And I'm done letting people hurt the ones I love."
"Your love is meaningless. You're not even fully alive—you're some kind of undead thing pretending to be—"
"I'm alive enough to do this."
Seraphina slams her hands on the ground, and power explodes from her.
The tunnel shakes. The walls crack. And something impossible happens.
Roots burst through the stone. Living roots, green and thick, growing at impossible speed. They wrap around Elena and her warriors, binding them in place.
"How—" Elena struggles against the roots. "You're a witch! You can't control earth magic!"
"I'm not a witch. I'm not a dragon. I'm something new." Seraphina's eyes glow pure white now. "And I'm protecting my family."
The roots tighten, and the warriors cry out in pain.
"Seraphina, stop," I say gently. "Don't kill them."
"Why not? They were going to kill you."
"Because that's not who you are. You chose mercy with Morganna. Choose it again now."
She looks at me, and I see her struggling. The power wants violence. Wants revenge. But she's stronger than the power.
Slowly, the roots loosen. They don't release Elena and the warriors, but they stop hurting them.
"Thank you," I say softly.
"Don't thank me yet." Seraphina sways, and I catch her before she falls. "That took... everything I had left..."
She passes out in my arms.
"We need to go," Kael says. "Now, while they're trapped."
I look at Elena, bound in roots and glaring at me with pure hatred.
"This isn't over, Draeven," she snarls. "I'll hunt you to the ends of the earth. You and your witch and everyone who helps you. You've made an enemy of your own blood."
"Then I'll deal with that when it comes." I adjust Seraphina in my arms. "But right now, I'm choosing her over you. Over the kingdom. Over everything."
"You'll regret that choice."
"Maybe. But at least it's my choice to make."
Kael and I shift back to human form and run down the left tunnel. Behind us, I hear Elena screaming in fury, promising revenge.
We run for what feels like forever. The tunnel slopes upward, and finally, I see light ahead.
We burst out into daylight. We're on a cliff overlooking a vast valley. In the distance, I can see mountains.
"The northern border," Kael says. "We made it."
I sink to my knees, still holding Seraphina. We're alive. We're free. We're together.
But Elena's words echo in my mind: "This isn't over."
And I know she's right.
This is just the beginning of a much longer war.
"What now?" Kael asks.
I look at the mountains in the distance. Beyond them lies territory I've never explored. Lands outside my kingdom. Places where we might find answers about the Thirteen Keys and the Forbidden Archive.
"Now we find help," I say. "We find allies. And we figure out how to stop the Void's army before it destroys everything."
"That's a terrible plan."
"You have a better one?"
"Not even slightly." Kael grins despite everything. "But at least it'll be an adventure."
Seraphina stirs in my arms. Her eyes flutter open.
"Where are we?" she mumbles.
"Safe. For now." I kiss her forehead. "How do you feel?"
"Like I got hit by a mountain. But alive." She looks around at the unfamiliar landscape. "Where do we go from here?"
Before I can answer, a voice speaks from behind us.
"You go with me."
We all spin around.
A figure stands at the tunnel entrance. But it's not Elena. It's not anyone from the kingdom.
It's a man wrapped in shadows, with eyes that glow red like fire.
"Who are you?" I demand, moving to shield Seraphina.
The figure steps forward, and the shadows fall away.
He's tall and lean with black hair and a scar running down his face. But it's his eyes that make my blood freeze. I've seen those eyes before. In history books. In legends.
They're the eyes of the first Dragon King. The one who vanished a thousand years ago during the war against the Void.
"My name is Darius Nightflame," he says. "I was the Dragon King before your great-great-great grandfather. And I'm here because the Void is about to do something that will end all life in every realm."
He looks at Seraphina with an expression I can't read.
"Including yours, Luna Priestess. Because the deal Celestia made wasn't just about trapping the Void. It was about feeding it. And you, my dear, are its next meal."
Seraphina goes pale. "What?"
"Every thousand years, the Void gets to consume a Luna Priestess's soul. That's the deal. That's how Celestia kept it asleep." Darius's voice is grim. "You have seven days before it comes to collect. And when it does, there will be nothing left of you but screaming darkness."
The world seems to stop.
Seven days.
That's all we have.
"How do we stop it?" I ask.
Darius smiles, but it's not a happy smile.
"You don't. No one has ever stopped it. But..." He pauses. "There might be a way to change the deal. To break the contract. But it requires something impossible."
"What?"
"You have to kill the Moon Goddess herself."