Chapter 25
1030 Words
Midnight dreamed of chains.
Not ordinary chains.
Ancient ones.
Massive black iron wrapped around skeletal pillars beneath the mountain, glowing crimson symbols burning across every link while something enormous breathed in the darkness below.
Waiting.
Watching.
Hungry.
And in the dream—
the chains were breaking.
Midnight woke with a gasp.
The room was dark except for moonlight spilling across stone walls and black sheets tangled around her legs. Her pulse thundered violently.
The call was stronger now.
Not whispers.
Not visions.
Direction.
Come below.
Her stomach twisted.
The demon inside her stirred immediately, recognizing the voice like blood recognizing blood.
Midnight shoved herself upright quickly.
No.
Absolutely not.
She swung her legs over the side of the bed—
and froze.
Kael sat in the chair across the room.
Watching her.
Of course he was.
The alpha lounged back in the shadows wearing black sweatpants and nothing else, muscular arms folded across his chest while silver eyes glowed faintly in the darkness.
Midnight blinked slowly.
“How long have you been sitting there?”
“All night.”
Her mouth fell open slightly.
“You watched me sleep?”
Kael looked completely unbothered by how insane that sounded.
“You were restless.”
“That doesn’t answer the question.”
His expression remained calm.
“Yes.”
Midnight stared.
The terrifying part?
Part of her wasn’t even surprised anymore.
Kael noticed the shift in her scent instantly.
Amusement flickered briefly across his face.
Tiny.
Gone immediately.
“You were dreaming.”
Midnight’s stomach tightened.
Of course he could smell nightmares too.
“I saw the chains again.”
Kael’s expression darkened instantly.
“And?”
Midnight hesitated.
Because saying it aloud made it more real.
Finally—
“They’re weakening.”
Silence filled the room.
Kael rose slowly from the chair.
The alpha moved like something dangerous even half-awake.
Every instinct inside Midnight reacted immediately.
Mate.
The bond pulsed warmly.
The demon purred.
Annoying.
Kael stopped directly in front of her.
“Tell me exactly what you saw.”
Midnight rubbed a hand across her face tiredly.
“The Hollow King.”
Kael’s jaw tightened.
“It was waiting for me.”
The room felt colder after that.
Kael crouched in front of her slowly, silver eyes sharp with focus.
“Did it say anything?”
Midnight looked away briefly.
“Yes.”
Kael waited.
“It told me…” she swallowed hard, “…that the chains were never meant to keep it trapped.”
The silence afterward felt suffocating.
Kael’s expression became unreadable.
Dangerous sign.
Midnight’s pulse quickened.
“What?”
Kael stared at her another second before answering.
“The chains beneath Draven Ridge were built to contain abyss energy.”
“That sounds bad already.”
“It gets worse.”
Of course it did.
Kael’s silver gaze locked onto hers.
“The Hollow King was never the true prisoner.”
Cold spread through Midnight instantly.
“What do you mean?”
Kael stood slowly.
“The chains were designed to contain the bloodline.”
The demon inside her reacted violently.
Midnight’s breath caught.
No.
No no no—
Kael saw the realization hit her.
“The abyss royalty line,” he continued carefully, “was never meant to die out completely.”
Midnight shook her head immediately.
“You’re saying those chains were made for me?”
“No.”
Kael’s expression darkened.
“I’m saying they were made for all of you.”
The room suddenly felt too small.
Too hot.
The shadows beneath the bed stirred uneasily.
Midnight stood abruptly and paced toward the window.
“This is insane.”
Kael watched her carefully.
“Yes.”
She turned sharply.
“My father’s a demon.”
“Yes.”
“There’s an ancient monster under your mountain trying to crown me queen of hell.”
Kael crossed his arms calmly.
“Essentially.”
Midnight pointed accusingly.
“You saying it calmly is making it worse.”
A dangerous near-smile touched his mouth briefly.
Then vanished.
The mate bond pulsed warmly at the reaction.
Midnight hated that too.
Another pulse suddenly slammed through her chest.
Hard.
She gasped sharply.
The call beneath the mountain intensified instantly.
COME BELOW.
Midnight grabbed the edge of the windowsill.
Kael moved immediately.
“What is it?”
“It’s stronger.”
The floor beneath them trembled faintly.
Kael cursed quietly.
The call wasn’t just reaching her anymore.
It was affecting the estate.
The mountain.
The shadows in the room suddenly stretched unnaturally toward Midnight.
Kael grabbed her shoulders.
“Look at me.”
Her glowing eyes snapped to his instantly.
The mate bond surged warm through her chest.
The pull weakened slightly.
Kael noticed.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Midnight realized it too.
“You stop it.”
Kael’s expression sharpened.
“The bond disrupts the connection.”
“How?”
Kael looked grim.
“I don’t know yet.”
Another pulse hit.
This time Midnight physically doubled over.
The Hollow King’s voice thundered through her mind.
COME HOME.
Black smoke exploded from beneath her skin.
The windows shattered instantly.
Kael caught her before she hit the floor.
“Midnight!”
Her eyes flashed fully crimson.
The demon inside her surged violently toward the call beneath the mountain.
Hungry.
Ready.
Kael pulled her tightly against his chest.
The second their bodies touched—
everything stopped.
Silence.
The call vanished completely.
Midnight froze in his arms.
Kael did too.
Because now there was no denying it anymore.
The mate bond wasn’t feeding the abyss.
It was restraining it.
Midnight slowly looked up at him.
Kael’s silver eyes locked onto hers with terrifying intensity.
“We’re going below the mountain.”
Her breath caught.
“What?”
Kael’s jaw tightened.
“If the Hollow King is trying this hard to reach you, then we need answers before something worse breaks loose.”
Midnight stared at him like he’d lost his mind.
“You want to walk directly into the abyss?”
Kael’s expression turned coldly lethal.
“No.”
His hand slid against the back of her neck possessively.
“I want the abyss to understand you’re not facing it alone.”
- Writer
