THE LIVING SEAL
1062 Words
“LUCIEN!”
Elara lunged toward the opening.
Kael caught her around the waist just before the floor sealed shut.
“Let me go!”
“Elara, wait!”
“He’s down there!”
Golden power exploded from her body.
Kael flew backward.
Elara dropped to her knees and slammed both hands against the stone.
“LUCIEN!”
Nothing.
Then pain tore through her chest.
Elara screamed.
It wasn’t hers.
She knew that instantly.
Lucien.
The connection between them burned like a wire beneath her skin.
She could feel him falling.
Then impact.
Pain shot through her spine.
Cold.
Darkness.
And fear.
Not panic.
Lucien was too controlled for panic.
But beneath three centuries of discipline, Elara felt something he would probably rather die than admit.
He was terrified.
“I can feel him.”
Amara stared at her.
“What?”
“Elara?” Kael moved toward her more carefully this time.
She pressed her hand against her chest.
“I can feel Lucien.”
Amara’s expression changed.
“The living seal.”
Selene laughed behind the cracked barrier.
“Go get him, little Eclipse.”
Elara looked up.
Selene smiled.
“He needs you.”
“Shut up.”
“Does that frighten you?”
“What frightens me is how badly I want to punch an ancient woman.”
Seraphina made a strangled sound that might have been a laugh.
Selene’s smile disappeared.
Good.
Elara turned to Alaric.
“How do I get down there?”
“You don’t.”
She stood.
“Wrong answer.”
“Elara, those tunnels existed before the Midnight Court. I don’t know where they lead.”
“But you knew those chains could take him.”
Alaric hesitated.
Elara stepped closer.
“You knew.”
“I knew it was possible.”
Lucien’s pain hit her again.
She doubled over.
This time came an image.
Dark stone.
Black chains.
Blood.
Then Lucien’s voice inside her mind.
Elara?
She froze.
“Lucien?”
Everyone stared at her.
Kael moved closer. “What?”
Elara ignored him.
“Lucien, can you hear me?”
Silence.
Then—
Unfortunately.
Relief nearly dropped her.
A laugh escaped through her tears.
“Smart-ass.”
Seraphina’s eyes widened.
“You’re talking to him?”
“I think so.”
Amara whispered, “That shouldn’t happen yet.”
Elara glared at her.
“I’m starting to hate that sentence.”
She closed her eyes.
“Where are you?”
Lucien’s response was weaker.
Below you. Chained. There’s a door.
“What kind?”
A pause.
Large. Ancient. Extremely unpleasant.
“Helpful.”
Then she felt his fear spike.
Elara, don’t come down here.
“Too bad.”
Listen to me.
“No.”
For once in your life—
“You’ve known me for two days.”
Even Kael looked confused now.
Elara pressed both hands to her temples.
“Show me.”
What?
“Where you are. I saw through your eyes before. Do it again.”
I don’t know how.
“Neither do I. Try.”
She focused on the connection.
Not the attraction.
Not the strange warmth.
Lucien.
For one second, nothing happened.
Then the chamber vanished.
Elara saw through his eyes.
Lucien was kneeling in a circular room.
Black chains wrapped around his wrists, throat, and chest.
Symbols covered the floor.
And directly ahead stood an enormous stone door.
A symbol was carved into it.
A crescent moon.
A drop of blood.
A six-pointed star.
The Vale symbol.
But something else stood beside the door.
A man.
Silver eyes.
Long dark hair.
Bare feet.
His body looked almost transparent.
Elara’s breath stopped.
The man turned toward Lucien.
Then somehow looked directly at her.
He smiled.
Finally.
The connection broke.
Elara stumbled backward.
Adrian caught her.
“What did you see?”
She looked at him.
“A man.”
“What man?”
“Silver eyes.”
Adrian went pale.
“Describe him.”
She did.
Every bit of color left his face.
“No.”
Amara began shaking.
Elara looked between them.
“You know him.”
Adrian stared at the sealed floor.
“That was Malachi.”
Silence.
Selene’s expression changed.
For the first time since Elara had seen her, the ancient woman looked genuinely frightened.
“My son.”
Amara pulled desperately against her remaining chain.
“Elara, you cannot go down there.”
“Why?”
“Because if Malachi has reached Lucien, he knows what Alaric did.”
Lucien’s father stepped forward.
“What exactly did you see?”
Elara rounded on him.
“Maybe now would be a great time to tell me everything about what you did to your son.”
Alaric looked toward the floor.
“The ritual attached Lucien’s life force to your seal.”
“I know that part.”
“No.”
His voice lowered.
“You know half.”
Of course she did.
Elara crossed her arms.
“Then give me the other half.”
Alaric looked at Amara.
She closed her eyes.
“He used Malachi’s blood.”
Elara froze.
Adrian cursed.
Lucien’s voice suddenly entered her mind.
Elara.
Weak.
Too weak.
She grabbed her chest.
“Lucien?”
Something is happening.
Then pain exploded through the bond.
Elara dropped to her knees.
Seraphina screamed her brother’s name.
Below them, the entire castle shook.
Black cracks raced across the floor.
Selene began shouting something Elara couldn’t understand.
Then Lucien screamed inside her mind.
Elara’s eyes flew open.
One was glowing gold.
The other crimson.
Amara stared at her in horror.
“Elara, break the connection!”
“I don’t know how!”
“You have to!”
“Why?”
The floor beneath Elara’s hands began glowing.
A heartbeat thundered through the chamber.
Not hers.
Not Lucien’s.
Something else.
Something ancient.
Then a man’s voice filled Elara’s mind.
Granddaughter.
She stopped breathing.
Malachi.
Do not trust Selene.
Elara looked toward the barrier.
Selene’s face twisted with rage.
Malachi continued.
Do not trust Alaric.
The vampire king went pale.
Elara whispered, “What do you want?”
A long silence followed.
Then—
I want you to do what I failed to do.
“What?”
The floor cracked open beneath her.
Kael lunged.
“Elara!”
Too late.
Elara fell into darkness.
The last thing she heard was Malachi’s voice.
Kill my mother.
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