Chapter 9: The Betrayed Blood

The chamber fell silent.

Even the wolves stopped breathing.

A thin crack appeared across the black gemstone.

Then another.

Kael stared at it, unable to look away.

Something was trapped inside.

Something alive.

“Kael,” Rowan said sharply. “Move!”

Kael tried.

His feet refused to obey.

The silver ring on his finger had become painfully hot, while the black gemstone pulsed like a heartbeat.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Then—

CRACK.

The gemstone exploded.

A wave of darkness swept across the chamber.

Wolves were thrown against the walls.

Lysander dropped to one knee.

Rowan shielded his face.

Darius remained standing.

But his expression had changed.

For the first time, fear replaced anger.

“No…”

A shadow rose from the broken gemstone.

It was shaped like a man, but there was nothing human about it.

Two enormous black eyes opened.

A voice filled the chamber.

“You have awakened me.”

Kael’s blood ran cold.

“Who are you?”

The shadow turned toward him.

“I am the witness.”

“To what?”

“The first betrayal.”

The crown began spinning above the pedestal.

Three beams of light shot from its gemstones—silver, red, and black.

They struck the floor.

Symbols appeared beneath Kael’s feet.

Lysander stared at them.

“The First Blood Seal.”

Rowan’s face went pale.

“What?”

Lysander looked at Kael.

“The Moon Crown was never simply a symbol of kingship.”

Kael swallowed.

“Then what is it?”

“A prison.”

The word echoed through the chamber.

Kael stared at the crown.

“A prison for what?”

Before Lysander could answer, Darius stepped forward.

“For the thing your family created.”

Kael turned sharply.

“My family?”

Darius pointed toward the shadow.

“Your ancestors made a pact with it centuries ago. The Moon bloodline received its power in exchange for one promise.”

“What promise?”

The shadow smiled.

“Every generation, one royal heir would belong to me.”

Kael’s heart stopped.

“No.”

Rowan immediately shook his head.

“That pact was destroyed.”

“Was it?” the shadow whispered.

The crown suddenly released a burst of light.

Kael screamed.

Pain tore through his body.

Images flooded his mind.

A young king kneeling before the same shadow.

A silver crown placed on his head.

Blood dripping from his palm.

Then another scene.

His mother.

She was standing in the same chamber years later.

But she wasn’t alone.

A young Darius stood across from her.

And Rowan was beside her.

Kael watched in horror as his mother whispered:

“Take my life instead.”

The shadow answered.

“Your life is not the price.”

His mother looked toward a small bundle in her arms.

A baby.

Kael.

“No,” she whispered.

The vision shattered.

Kael collapsed to his knees.

Rowan rushed toward him.

“Kael!”

Kael pushed him away.

“You knew.”

Rowan froze.

“You knew about the pact.”

“I knew there was a pact.”

“You knew!”

Kael’s voice broke.

“You knew my mother was trying to sacrifice herself for me.”

Rowan said nothing.

That was answer enough.

Kael looked at Darius.

“And your family?”

Darius lowered his gaze.

“My family discovered the truth. We tried to stop the pact from being completed.”

“What happened?”

“Your mother stopped us.”

Kael’s breathing became unsteady.

“Why?”

“Because the Crimson Court had already found you.”

Darius looked toward the shadow.

“They wanted the royal heir. Your mother had two choices.”

Kael whispered, “What choices?”

“Give you to the Crimson Court…”

Darius paused.

“…or sacrifice my bloodline to create enough power to hide you.”

Kael felt sick.

“So she chose your family.”

“She chose you.”

The words struck harder than any weapon.

Kael looked down at his hands.

His entire life had been built on a sacrifice he never knew existed.

He had spent years believing he was unwanted.

Weak.

Worthless.

A burden.

Yet his mother had destroyed an entire bloodline to keep him alive.

Darius stepped closer.

“That is why I hate you.”

Kael looked up.

Darius’s eyes were filled with tears.

“Not because you killed them.”

His voice trembled.

“But because you survived.”

Silence.

Then the shadow laughed.

A low, ancient sound.

“How beautiful.”

Everyone turned toward it.

The shadow stretched its hand toward Kael.

“But the pact remains unfinished.”

The crown suddenly flew toward Kael.

Rowan shouted.

“Kael!”

The silver crown stopped inches above his head.

The three gemstones burned brighter.

Red.

Black.

Violet.

The shadow whispered:

“Choose.”

Kael stared at the crown.

“Choose what?”

“Who will pay the final price.”

Three figures appeared before him.

Rowan.

Darius.

And—

Lucien.

Kael’s heart stopped.

The image of Lucien looked exactly as he had on the night of the rejection.

Cold.

Proud.

Untouchable.

But unlike the real Lucien, this version had blood running down his chest.

The shadow whispered:

“Your crown demands a sacrifice.”

Kael stared at the three figures.

Then the chamber doors suddenly exploded open.

A familiar voice rang through the darkness.

“Then sacrifice me.”

Kael turned.

Lucien Draven stood in the doorway.

His golden eyes were glowing.

And his rejected mate mark was burning like fire.