LOGINLisa’s POV"Finally."The voice came from beneath the floor.It sounded exactly like Ronan.I turned towards him.He stood beside the children, his eyes fixed on the opening. His expression told me he had heard it too."That wasn't me," he said.The hand pushing through the crack slowly withdrew.Then the floor split wider.A dark figure rose from beneath it. At first, I could only see its hands and shoulders. But as it climbed out, the markings around the chamber began to glow.The Queen stumbled backwards."No."The figure lifted its head.It had Ronan's face.Not the King's borrowed appearance. Not a distorted version of him.It was Ronan.I looked between the two men, unable to understand what I was seeing.The newcomer smiled."Have you missed me?"Ronan stepped forward."Who are you?"The man looked at him."You really don't recognise your own face?"The King slowly stood."Impossible."The stranger turned towards him."You're still here?"The King looked shaken."You were suppo
Lisa’s POVThe Queen had returned.She stood beside the black pool, her silver hair falling over her shoulders. Her black crown looked almost identical to the one I had seen in my memories.But this time, there was no Evelyn's face to hide behind.She looked directly at me."Hello, Lisa."I tightened my grip on the pendant."What do you want from me?""Something that has belonged to me for a very long time."I glanced at my mother. Evelyn stood beside Elias, her face pale."You said she was gone," I whispered."I thought she was," Evelyn replied.The Queen laughed."Did you really believe I would disappear simply because you found the chamber?"The King stepped towards her."You said I would become King."She barely looked at him."I said you would serve a purpose."His expression changed."You promised me the First Blood.""And you believed me?"The King stared at her.For the first time, I saw how much he had been deceived. He had spent years chasing a throne that had never been mea
~Lisa~Three knocks came from beneath the floor.Everyone went still.The first knock had been loud enough to shake the chamber. The second sent cracks through the markings surrounding my feet. By the third, even the King had stopped moving.I stared at my mother."My father?" I whispered.Evelyn's eyes filled with tears."Yes, Lisa."I shook my head. "You told me he was dead.""I know.""You let me believe that all these years.""I was trying to protect you."I pulled away from the markings, but the light held me in place."Protect me from what? My own father?"My mother looked towards the floor."Your father was the first King. He ruled long before the packs we know today existed. The Circle feared his power, so they turned against him. They wanted to take control of the royal bloodline, but he refused to surrender it."The King laughed quietly."That is a beautiful version of the story."Evelyn looked at him. "You should be the last person to speak about lies."He tightened his gri
~Lisa~"Lisa, don't open the door. Whatever happens, do not let them bring him back."My mother's voice echoed through the chamber.I froze.The pendant around my neck burned against my skin, and the markings beneath my feet grew brighter. I tried to move away from the circle, but the moment I lifted my foot, a sharp pain travelled through my leg."Mom!" I shouted. "Where are you?"There was no answer.Ronan slammed his hands against the black wall separating us."Lisa! Get away from the markings!""I can't move!"He struck the wall again, but it did not break. The King stood on the other side of the chamber, watching us with a satisfied smile."Your mother should have stayed silent," he said.I turned towards him."What door is she talking about?"He ignored me.Instead, he looked at the pendant around my neck."Give it to me."I covered it with my hand."No.""You don't understand what you are protecting.""Then explain it."His smile disappeared."The Blood Hall contains the first
~Lisa~Ronan's words silenced the chamber.The King stopped moving. His fingers were still wrapped around the girl's arm, but something in his expression had changed. For the first time since I had seen him, he looked uncertain.Ronan stepped closer."I remember now," he repeated. "I remember what happened after my father refused to kill you."The King slowly turned towards him."You remember nothing.""I remember enough.""Then tell me." The King's voice grew colder. "Tell them what you saw."Ronan glanced at Victor. My father-in-law stood a few steps behind Elias, his injured body supported by the older man. He looked as though he wanted to speak, but Ronan raised a hand to stop him."No," Ronan said. "This time, I want to hear it from myself."I tightened my hold on Milo. His twin stood beside the girl, and the three children watched Ronan with frightened eyes.The King released the girl's arm."Your father was ordered to kill me," he said. "He refused. He hid me. That is all there
~Lisa~“Now that I have found my brothers, I don't need a father anymore.”The girl's words sent a chill through me.Ronan was on his knees, struggling to lift his head. The twins stood in front of her, their marks glowing as the silver light spread around them.I tried to push the door open.“Let them go!”The girl turned toward me.“Why?”“Because they are my children.”She tilted her head.“I'm your child too.”I swallowed.“I know.”“Then why are you trying to take them away from me?”“I'm not trying to take them away. I want all of you to come home.”For a moment, she looked confused.Then she glanced at Milo and his twin.“They don't want to come home.”I looked at the boys.Milo's face was pale, and his brother was holding his hand tightly.“Milo, sweetheart, come to Mommy.”Milo looked at me.“Mommy?”“Yes, baby. Come here.”He took one step.The girl raised her hand.He stopped.I felt my heart break.“Please,” I whispered.The girl looked at me again.“You left me.”“I didn'







