The forest burned with silence… then exploded with chaos.
The elite vampire guards lunged, their red eyes glowing like wildfire. But the hooded man moved faster. Too fast.
Seraphina had never seen anything like it.
One vampire swung a blade laced with silver. The man caught it mid-air—barehanded—and crushed it like glass. Another vampire launched a strike toward Seraphina. In the blink of an eye, her protector was in front of her, arm sweeping out like a wave of shadow. The guard was flung back through two trees, spine cracking on impact.
Vael stood frozen.
Not in fear.
In recognition.
"I saw him once," Vael murmured, "years ago. When I was a boy in Crimsaria. They said he was a myth—The Silver Phantom. The Vampire prince who vanished. A traitor."
Seraphina's heart thundered in her chest. She didn't need an introduction. No words.
She knew.
He was her father.
Even without a name, her blood answered his. It screamed in her veins like a song that had waited too long to be sung.
The lead vampire, blood dripping from his cracked lips, snarled, "You should be dead."
The man pulled back his hood.
Scars etched his face, deep like lightning had kissed him. But his eyes were molten gold, ageless, unreadable. "Many tried."
"Crimsaria branded you a traitor."
"And yet here I stand," he replied coldly.
"You protect a mistake."
The man's eyes sharpened.
"I protect my daughter. Speak again, and I'll carve your name into the soil of this forest."
Seraphina gasped softly. The word echoed—daughter—and something deep inside her unlocked.
The vampire guards hesitated, clearly shaken. The Queen had not prepared them for this.
In Crimsaria…
Queen Morwenna watched the chaos unfold through her enchanted mirror. Her expression didn't change, but her fingers tightened on the arm of her throne.
"He survived," whispered Lord Caldrik. "How?"
"I suspected," Morwenna said coldly. "But now we know."
Lord Varos cursed. "We should've struck faster. If they unite…"
"They already have," Morwenna said.
Her crimson eyes glowed brighter. "Then we change our strategy."
Back at the battle…
Seraphina's father—whose name she still did not know—turned to her at last. "We can't stay here. Crimsaria will send more."
"I'm not leaving," she said. "I've run enough."
His voice was gentle, but firm. "They will burn every inch of this forest to ash. For you."
"Then let them try," she whispered.
But her body trembled.
Vael stepped beside her. "She needs time to understand what's inside her. She's changing. Evolving."
Her father nodded. "There is a place. Far beyond their reach. An old sanctuary—forgotten by both wolf and vampire."
Seraphina's lips parted. "Where?"
"The mountains of Ilyara," he said. "Buried beneath moonstone cliffs."
"I'm not going anywhere until I get answers."
He studied her face, the fire in her eyes. Then slowly, he nodded.
"Then you'll get them. All of them. But not here. Not tonight."
A low whistle echoed through the trees.
More were coming.
Kael moved toward the edge of the cave. "We travel at dawn. Sleep while you can."
Seraphina lingered by the fire, eyes distant, thoughts churning like a storm.
"Wait," she said suddenly. "Where's Eryn?"
The name hung in the air like a stone.
Vael stiffened. Kael's jaw tensed.
"She was with us. She was right beside me—"
"She stayed behind," Kael answered quietly, not meeting her eyes. "Created a diversion. Drew some of the guards away."
Seraphina's throat closed. "She what?"
"There wasn't time," Vael added, voice heavy. "If she hadn't… you might not have made it out."
"But I didn't ask her to," Seraphina whispered, voice cracking. "She shouldn't have had to."
Kael turned to her. "She made her choice, Seraphina. Brave. Reckless. But hers."
"And now she's gone," she said, staring into the dark. "She saved me… and I didn't even know."
Kael's hand rested on her shoulder. "She's strong. If anyone can survive Crimsaria's hunt, it's her."
Seraphina nodded slowly, but her heart felt like it was unraveling.
Later that night…
Seraphina couldn't sleep. Again.
Kael stood at the edge of the cliff, watching the stars. She joined him.
"Why did you leave me?" she asked, barely audible.
"I didn't want to," he replied. "But the day you were born, the skies split. The moment the marks appeared… Crimsaria ordered your death. And the wolves… they wanted to use you."
"Then why didn't you take me with you?"
He looked down. "Because I was hunted too. I would've led them straight to you. I thought if I disappeared… you'd have a chance."
Silence hung between them, sharp and aching.
"I'm sorry," he said. "I missed everything. Your first shift. Your questions. Your fear."
Her voice cracked. "You missed me."
He reached out, hesitating… then wrapped his arms around her. Awkward at first. But real.
"I'm here now."
And for the first time in her life, Seraphina cried.
Not because she was broken.
But because she wasn't alone anymore.
At dawn…
They left the forest.
Three figures cloaked in shadow.
But behind them, deep within the trees… a silent figure watched.
A Crimsarian spy, hidden well beyond Kael's senses, had seen everything.
He turned, shifting into mist, and whispered into the wind.
"They are heading to Ilyara. Prepare the hounds."
In Crimsaria…
Queen Morwenna smiled.
"The game begins."