Page 36 of Haunted Crowns
Kareon’s fists curled. His breath caught. “You knew this would happen.” His voice cracked, thick with something deeper than rage. “And you let her do it?”
Kaelioth’s expression did not waver. “The spirits claimed her long before tonight. You could not have stopped this. You should have known.” He paused. “All you can do now is have faith.”
Kareon exhaled hard, jaw locked. The thought of losing her clawed at him.
He sank into the chair beside the bed. One hand gripped the edge to anchor himself. The other hovered above hers, trembling. “Fight, Eris. Come back to me.”
She twisted on the bed, drenched in sweat. Her breath came ragged, hunted by something she could not wake from.
Kareon pressed a cool cloth to her skin. He swallowed helplessly. “Eris.”
His thumb brushed her temple. Somewhere in the haze, she felt it: a whisper of coolness on her skin. Her breath wavered. She exhaled, and the fevered world unraveled.
Mist curled around her in endless silver. A ripple spread. At the river’s edge, a small Lycan child stumbled.
Eris inhaled sharply. Before she could move, a young vampire girl rushed past, black curls flying, and dove into the water without hesitation.
She saved him.
The vision shifted, flowing like the river itself.
Eris turned as the mist parted. The girl and boy were together, laughing, climbing trees, chasing fireflies. Their joy shimmered, unbound, untouched by fate.
Eris followed, her steps quick and uncertain.
The girl spoke as she gestured, teaching the boy about spirits. Her smile glowed with warmth. In the boy’s wide eyes, there was only devotion.
Figures emerged in the mist. Lycans stepped forward and welcomed the girl with open arms, embracing her as one of their own. The bond was unbreakable. Eris moved to keep pace.
The girl slipped through the world with joy that never wavered. Then the moments quickened. Scenes blurred until the girl appeared again, older now. She was not alone. A tall, gentle vampire stood beside her. His presence radiated warmth. His smile disarmed.
Eris stiffened.
The girl's eyes glowed as she introduced him to her Lycan friend. Then the name passed her lips. “Kriponius.”
A breath snagged in Eris’s throat.
Kriponius?
She searched his face—the warmth in his eyes, the ease in his voice. It was so far from the monster she had known. How could this kind man become the tyrant who tore their world apart? Had he truly been this once? Or had it always been a mask?
Her gaze shifted back to the girl, the one who ran with Lycans, who laughed without fear.
The pieces slid into place.Seraphina.
Eris watched them together, their bond forming without hesitation. The girl moved between worlds with effortless joy. Her presence glowed with promise. But in Eris, only hollow weight remained. This warmth, this fragile joy, would not last, for Kriponius would be the one to shatter it. Time lurched forward. Shadows crept inward.
Seraphina stood before the Lycan boy. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. "I cannot see you anymore," she said. Her voice broke as the words left her.
The boy froze. Grief carved deep into his face.
Seraphina turned and walked away, leaving him behind. Darkness fell. From it, a mirror rose.
Eris hesitated. Dread coiled in her chest. She stepped forward, and the reflection shifted. It was not her. It was Seraphina, radiant and distant. Sorrow clouded her gaze, and her shoulders bent beneath a burden too old to name.
A figure stepped into view behind her. He was tall, his expression glacial. A necklace glinted in his hands. He fastened it around her throat. Seraphina did not smile. Her sorrow deepened.
Then came the scream. A woman’s voice, broken and raw.
