Whispers of the Underworld

Prince Azrael Morvane had spent centuries avoiding commitment. If fate intended to bind him to one woman for eternity, then fate had chosen the wrong male. The thought lingered in his mind as he stood at the top of the obsidian staircase overlooking the Grand Hollow. Below him, hundreds of Underworld citizens filled the vast chamber. Tonight was the Mate-Knowing Ceremony. The most important event in the realm. One by one, soul bonds would awaken, revealing the person destiny had chosen for each individual. For most, it was a night of celebration. For Azrael, it was simply another obligation. Beyond the crystal walls of the Hollow, the Underworld shimmered beneath silver-violet skies. Black crystal towers rose above the kingdom while rivers of molten gold flowed between streets carved from obsidian. Floating lanterns drifted lazily through the air, illuminating the beautiful realm. One day, it would all belong to him. Yet the future king felt no excitement. Long silver hair brushed against his broad shoulders as he watched the ceremony unfold below. His ceremonial armor hugged a body forged through centuries of training and combat, exposing part of his sculpted chest. Dark brown eyes swept lazily across the crowd. Handsome. Powerful. Feared. Desired. Everything a future king should be. And completely uninterested in finding a mate. A burst of golden light erupted across the chamber. Cheers followed immediately. Another pair had found their mates. The newly bonded couple stared at one another in shock before breaking into smiles. The crowd applauded. Another bond formed. Then another. The atmosphere grew warmer with every successful match. Until finally— “Prince Azrael Morvane.” The High Oracle’s voice echoed throughout the chamber. The room fell silent. Every eye turned toward him. Azrael descended the staircase slowly. Confident. Controlled. Untouchable. He stopped before the Oracle. Ancient runes ignited beneath his feet. Golden light flooded the chamber. Everyone waited. Nothing happened. The runes flickered. Dimmed. Then vanished. Confused murmurs spread through the crowd. The Oracle frowned. She raised her staff once more. The runes reignited. A second passed. Two. Three. Then they died again. This time, silence crashed over the chamber. Nobody moved. Nobody spoke. Azrael’s jaw tightened. “What is this?” The Oracle swallowed nervously. “I… I don’t understand.” The air around him seemed to grow heavier. “You don’t understand?” The Oracle lowered her gaze. “Your mate exists, my Prince.” “Then where is she?” “I cannot see her.” Whispers immediately erupted throughout the chamber. A mate could always be found. Always. The runes never failed. Not once. Not in thousands of years. Azrael stepped forward. The crowd instinctively stepped back. “What do you mean you cannot see her?” The Oracle opened her mouth. Then froze. Her eyes widened. As though she had suddenly remembered something. “Elder Nyxara.” The words escaped her lips in a whisper. “You must seek Elder Nyxara.” Azrael stared at her. “Why?” “Because I cannot answer your questions.” ⸻ Hours later, Azrael stood inside the chambers of the oldest soul-seer in the Underworld. Ancient blue flames flickered softly along the walls. Elder Nyxara sat waiting. As though she had known he would come. “You know why I’m here,” Azrael said. The blind woman smiled faintly. “I do.” “Then explain.” Silence stretched between them. Then she spoke. “Your mate is not in the Underworld.” Azrael frowned. “What?” “She exists.” “Then where is she?” Nyxara lifted her head. “Earth.” The word struck him like a slap. For several seconds, he simply stared. Then he laughed. A short, disbelieving laugh. “No.” “It is the truth.” “No.” His voice hardened. “You’re telling me the future king of the Underworld is bound to a human?” Dark brown eyes flashed with irritation. “Try again.” Nyxara remained calm. “I have.” Azrael turned away. Anger burned through him. A human? A mortal? Someone who would grow old and die while he remained unchanged? It was absurd. Impossible. “There has been a mistake.” “There hasn’t.” “There must have been.” “There wasn’t.” The certainty in her voice only frustrated him further. “You have been chosen for each other.” His fists clenched. “Why?” For the first time, Nyxara’s smile faded. “Because destiny rarely asks for permission.” Silence filled the chamber. Then she added softly, “Find her, Azrael.” ⸻ Two days later. Earth. Amara Vale was exhausted. After attending classes all morning, she had rushed straight to work at the café without giving herself a chance to rest. Life had never been easy. At twenty-one years old, she lived alone in a small apartment near her college campus while her mother worked as a cleaner in another city. Money was always tight. What her mother earned barely covered necessities. Amara hated watching her struggle. So she worked. Every evening after classes, she put on her café uniform and spent hours serving customers before returning home late at night to complete assignments. It was exhausting. But she never complained. Because her mother had sacrificed too much for her to give up now. A customer thanked her as she handed over a cup of coffee. Amara smiled politely. Kindness came naturally to her. Many people noticed her beauty before they noticed anything else. Long blonde hair flowed down her back in soft waves. Fair skin glowed beneath the warm café lights. Bright blue eyes framed by thick lashes gave her an almost angelic appearance. Combined with her naturally curvy figure, she attracted attention without even trying. But Amara rarely cared about such things. She was too busy worrying about tuition fees, rent, assignments, and making sure her mother wasn’t carrying every burden alone. Her phone vibrated. A smile instantly appeared on her face. Daniel. Her boyfriend. They had been together for almost two years. Whenever life became overwhelming, Daniel was the person she turned to. The person who made difficult days easier. Today was his birthday. And unfortunately, work had kept her away most of the day. She felt guilty about it. Which was why, after finishing her shift, she stopped by a bakery and bought his favorite cake. The rain had already begun falling when she stepped outside. Carefully holding the cake box against her chest, she hurried through the wet streets toward his apartment. Despite her exhaustion, she couldn’t stop smiling. She couldn’t wait to surprise him. She had no idea her entire world was about to fall apart. ⸻ The lights inside Daniel’s apartment were still on. Good. Maybe he was awake. Rainwater dripped from her hair as she climbed the stairs. Balancing the cake carefully, she reached the door. Unlocked. Strange. Slowly, she pushed it open. Then froze. The cake slipped from her fingers. The box hit the floor. Daniel jerked away from the woman sitting on his lap. A woman Amara recognized immediately. Lena. Her best friend. The room spun. For a moment, nobody moved. Nobody spoke. Then Daniel stood abruptly. “Amara—” She stepped backward. Her breathing became uneven. “No.” The word barely escaped her lips. “Amara, wait—” “No.” Tears blurred her vision. Lena looked guilty. Daniel looked panicked. Neither mattered. Because all Amara could see was the image burned into her mind. Daniel kissing her best friend. The birthday cake she had bought for him lay crushed on the floor. Along with her heart. Without another word, she turned and ran. “Amara!” Daniel’s voice echoed behind her. She didn’t stop. Couldn’t stop. Tears blurred her vision as she stumbled down the apartment stairs and into the rain. The storm had grown stronger. Cold droplets soaked through her clothes almost instantly, but she barely noticed. All she could see was Daniel. Daniel and Lena. Her boyfriend. Her best friend. The two people she trusted most. The birthday cake she had carefully picked out for him. The smile she had worn on the way there. The excitement she had felt. All of it had been destroyed in seconds. A sob escaped her lips. She kept running. Past strangers. Past glowing streetlights. Past parked cars. Anywhere but there. Anywhere but back to them. ⸻ Azrael had spent the entire day searching. Earth was nothing like he had imagined. The air felt thinner. The cities were loud. Humans rushed through their lives completely unaware that entire realms existed beyond their own. He had searched crowded streets, hospitals, parks, and train stations, following nothing but the faint thread of a bond he could barely feel. By nightfall, frustration burned through him. Perhaps Nyxara had been wrong. Perhaps the bond had broken long ago. Perhaps this human didn’t even exist. He was seconds away from returning to the Underworld when it happened. A sudden surge exploded through his chest. Azrael froze. The bond. For the first time since arriving on Earth, he felt it clearly. Strong. Alive. Close. His dark brown eyes narrowed. Without hesitation, he followed it. Rain poured from the sky in sheets as thunder rumbled overhead. Then he saw her. A young woman stumbling through the storm. She looked broken. One hand pressed against her chest while tears mixed with rain on her cheeks. Azrael slowed. Something twisted unexpectedly inside him. The bond pulled harder. The woman took another step. Then another. Her movements became unsteady. Her knees buckled. She fell. His instincts moved before his mind could. Shadows curled around him. In less than a second, he crossed the distance and caught her before she hit the pavement completely. The moment his hand touched her shoulder, heat shot through his body. A mark hidden beneath damp strands of blonde hair flared softly against her neck. Azrael’s breath caught. For several seconds, he simply stared. No. His jaw tightened. This couldn’t be right. This fragile human was supposed to be his mate? The future Queen of the Underworld? The woman destiny had chosen for him? Thunder cracked overhead. She remained unconscious in his arms. Completely unaware that she had just turned his entire world upside down. Azrael studied her face. Rain dripped from her long lashes. Strands of blonde hair clung to her cheeks. Her lips trembled slightly from the cold. She looked nothing like the women he had imagined. Nothing like the powerful demonesses who had spent centuries trying to gain his attention. Nothing like the future Queen of the Underworld should look. And yet… The bond refused to lie. A sudden vibration pulled him from his thoughts. Azrael frowned. The sound had come from her pocket. Carefully adjusting her weight in his arms, he reached inside and retrieved a small human device. A phone. The glowing screen illuminated the rain between them. One name appeared. Daniel. A message followed. Amara, please answer me. Please let me explain. Azrael’s gaze lingered on the screen. Something tightened unexpectedly inside his chest. Annoyance. Nothing more. At least that was what he told himself. Then his attention shifted to the image displayed behind the message. A wallpaper. The unconscious woman in his arms stood beside a smiling human male. Daniel. The man’s arm rested comfortably around her shoulders. Both of them looked happy. Comfortable. Close. Azrael stared for a moment longer than necessary. The bond stirred restlessly within him. Possessiveness wasn’t what he felt. Not yet. But something about the image bothered him. Enough that he found himself looking away. Annoyed. Confused. And far more affected than he wanted to admit. With a sharp exhale, he locked the screen and slipped the phone back into her pocket. Questions could wait. For now, she needed shelter. And whether he liked it or not… She was his responsibility. Adjusting her carefully in his arms, Azrael stepped backward. Shadows immediately gathered around them. Darkness rose from the ground like living smoke. The storm disappeared. The city vanished. And moments later, both of them were gone. The last thing left behind was the rain.