uined chamber pulsed

leeves, the iron scent mingling with the fire curling at her fingertips. The creature that stepped from the void was n

lackened skin. Its mouth held no teeth, only a spiral of shadow. And its eyes-its gods-

voice like a memory of thu

, trying to rise, but she

down," she

e floor. Chains trailed from its limbs, ancient and rusted, glow

t here t

here to

ered, its voice reverberating in her bones. "The bon

ou?" Seraph

romise. The last punishment. I a

rtbeat

in to stand. "You

slowly. "You are the flame, broken. Th

ring to his feet, but S

the creature, voice l

hey seek to claim what was meant to sle

lenched. "And me? Why

ent. It was a bargain. The bride bears the

pendant surged-ho

is what they were afraid of. Not just us bei

finger pointing to the obsidian pendant.

feet. Screams echoed from the prison ha

ure didn'

d the flame... or w

with fury. "I'll do ne

pa

nned-lips splitting t

oul burn brighte

lun

sphere of white fire. Killian shielded his eyes as lig

the smoke

ature w

thing ha

ung lifeless. It had cracked...

lian met her eyes-and the fe

s for

the seal,"

said softl

outside... f

open like a weeping wound. Rain poured down in sheets, washing a

weakness, but from the sheer force of the power now coursing through her veins. Fire

r seeping blood through his shirt, but

d," he murmure

in her eyes, the flames burne

ian black, but glowing with a heartbeat of its own. Its cracked surfac

instinctively to tou

them like a serpent, stopp

"I... I di

It's what they placed inside you. The prophecy. The

ghtened. "No. They ma

underfoot as the ancient fortress-the prison that had held the

n said, glancing at the gr

the darkened archway, the one the creature had emerg

rew thick, metallic. The scent of b

ee long strides. "Seraphina, we

what they say I am... the

lenched. "Then

, though Seraphina felt the words vibrating inside her mind. The deeper they went, the more

he wall-women cloaked in flame, men kneeling before a burning

e chamber below, t

in half, still bleeding m

, was a book-its cover sealed in

eath caught.

Seraphina finished. "T

red tow

d the binding, and the f

the walls flared to life. The earth shook with a low groan. Words

ond is forge

hall awaken

reak the se

orth the E

That's the ancient vow of destructio

opped. "It was also.

er mind-brides torn from their lovers, sacrifices to keep the cu

ad fa

ept

rembled in

owly filling with fresh ink. A new

ll bleed, the B

he moon tu

nt one sh

d flame may st

ll behind them, and the very air twisted as s

aphina behind him.

t open in a b

ure neither of them had seen be

hed obsidian. Eyes bleeding starlight. Behind hi

wed d

phina, voice silky and stra

laws erupting from his fi

lian flew across the chamber, slammed

flooding from her chest

. He stepped through the f

. but not the memory.

ook between them

I am the Eclipse. And you, my lov

art po

reaking down his temple. "Serap

hand closed ar

vanished in a swirl of

h shadows, its breath drawing the heat from the chamber. A low, inhuman growl reverberated

oice coiling like a ser

e was still weakened. His skin bore deep lacerations, b

ame, her palm raised, obsidi

ure did n

d, it

n the other.

of tongues and time. "The bloodline calls to the Old Flam

re wavered. "B

o me. I am the Keeper of the Eclipse Pact. You ar

ures torn in fire, wolves falling, a throne of

gh," he growled, voice breaking under the wei

d. "I do not take. I awak

kwave that cracked the stone beneath the

ouncil had sent guards-mages, beasts, and creatures t

hadow-link. "Seraphina. You must leave. The

r stepped forward, sp

But you must return when the sky ble

r. Darkness erupted-pure, living, ravenous. Screams echoed as the black t

ached down a

you," she

her eyes. "I kn

as they crossed the burning threshold, the Eclip

war ha

Eclipse moon loomed overhead-no longer just a celestial phenomenon, but a harbinger. The red light pain

lingered in the air. Something had

ver Seraphina's shoulder. "We're

wed her gaze. "

hielding them from incoming arrows that turned to ash mid-air. From the trees emerged figures cloaked in midnight blue-Cou

hirt was torn, blood soaking through the bandages hastily

fierce whisper. "Not we. I'll h

, rang with finality. "You're n

t, but enough. He raised his palm. The mark of the Eclipse had branded its

hey raised

Killian's lunar pulse-

ue-silver essence of Killian's bloodline. The two magics combined mid-air, forming a new power-a burning

il had not se

igure stepped forward. Tall. Silent. The en

y-an aura cold and vast, l

ick," Killia

ke stone, eyes hollow with ancient knowledge. His g

is voice flat. "You awaken

a little defianc

s hand-and t

led. The moon

pau

You've forged the Eclipse Pact. You've bound the Fl

. But her heart th

ave become the key. And both sides of the prophecy wil

he va

apped f

g up in hellish crimson. A summoning circle, carved

was to

. She gasped as her flame sputtered, caught between planes. Killian roared a

circle... c

Malr

ouncil

t

stared i

ose from the cir

er. And crowned

self that had give

de of t

" the double whis

world s

memory. Seraphina's breath caught as the dark figure stepped closer, the eclipsed light casting a shimmering aura arou

otectively, but Seraphina was already stepping f

ut unwavering. "You were in my dream

t mistaken, Bride of the Flame. I am Erevan, last sentinel of the E

t pact you speak of. If you mean her har

ld interest, as though sizing up the Alpha not as an oppon

ely your mate. She is the Conduit. The convergence of bloodlines long t

with magic building beneath h

you thought was over never truly ended. And now, with your awak

ferent world shimmered into view-towering mountains veined with light, skies woven w

gasped.

ing her thought. "And they will come. For

ped hers tightly. "

t it-that there w

e asked soft

rling around her as if drawn to her very soul. "Because you carry not one prop

echoed in the distance-unfamiliar, otherworldly. The torches on the walls

sharply. "We're

They found her faster than I an

eartbeat skyr

re was

ed figures cloaked in twilight energy surged forward, weapons glinting like

e black beast cloaked in blue flame. Seraphina's hands ignited wi

mbrac

by a tidal wave of magic as Killian leapt into the

power, and a ring of glowing sigils formed beneath her

epping into the battle with blades

s-a symphony of powe

of the shattered ce

ke and wings of ash stretching to the edges of the

and lovely. "You bear the Eclipse. S

r, heart thundering.

en the pact must be f

e spun through the air-honing in on Kill

screamed, but

d in violet flames. His wolf form writhed

cracked. The sky above the manor opened with a roar of thund

he Queen's defenses with magic she ha

esponded

shouted, tears burn

ed. "Then make

No, not yet. Sh

ina made h

instead,"

ifted instantly, r

, his body l

Sera

wrapping her in the Queen's veil, pulling her

wl tore thro

t like

was

red to life-an intricate web of flame-gold etchings swirling with starlight. She stood within the circle now fully awak

room, and then... shadows bl

ed like smoke, slithering in serpentine patterns. The flame in Killian's palm puls

narrowed, her spi

was comi

orgotten tongues, their woven cloaks shimmering as if drench

spered, tightening her g

d from the mist. Low

darkness, a f

his skin pale like moon-bleached bone. But it was his eyes-ancient pools of

like fractured obsidian scraping steel. "And

shielding Seraphina ins

ce of the under sky. The one sealed beneath the Eclipse

's heart

pered. "You were in the old t

ou are more dangerous than they realized. You've

e force. Her markings glowed brighter than ever-her eyes blazing with silver and

said, her voice two-toned-hers a

d with light and

issed, shielding himself with wings formed of pitch-black fog. Still, the energy sc

widened-not wit

na was

omi

una... not j

ent of the Ecli

losion of energy. "This isn't your world anymore," s

growled. "Then you'd b

leaving behind nothing but black petals

artbeat before the Fates s

tion," one rasped. "The p

mean?" Kill

ate murmured. "The curse is shifting. So is time. Othe

Seraphi

lied. "The rulers before the curses

olet wind, Seraphina turned to Killian, the bond

or me," she said

ead to hers. "Let them come. I'll bu

, the eclipse seal at the chamber's far end began

tning, revealing a glimpse of a

ispering, trembling, impossibly

n't heard since

the

al sha