The night had swallowed Drakonis’ realm as a whole.

Beyond the towering windows of Ashen’s private chambers, storm clouds dragged across the sky like bruised beasts, blotting out moon and stars alike.

Rain lashed the cliffs below, and every few moments lightning flashed over the sea, turning the black waters silver for the span of a breath.

Inside, the chamber was warm with firelight yet Ashen felt nothing but cold.

He sat alone in a carved chair near the hearth, one elbow resting against the armrest, a folded letter crushed in his hand.

The parchment had arrived by arrow through his balcony doors less than an hour ago.

With only three lines written in dark ink.

"Save your brother if you can. Refuse the throne if you wish to keep him breathing. The next corpse will wear royal blood."

The paper crumpled further in Ashen’s fist until his knuckles whitened.

He can’t help but snicker at the thought that an enemy bold enough to strike from shadows while his father bled in bed and Alex remained missing.

His jaw tightened as it felt like a road before him split into knives.

If he accepted authority, enemies would claim tyranny. If he refused, they would call it weakness.

If he pursued Alex, the realm risked collapse and if he stayed, his brother might die.

And beneath all of it, one ache remained untouched. His wife, he missed her so much. If only he could tell her to come back, but Lumina isn’t that easy to call back. If he really wanted her, he needed to find a cool way to call her back.

He rose abruptly and strode toward the window as rain hammered the roof. He braced one hand against the frame and lowered his head for a moment.

Just then, the room behind him creaked softly, making him turn toward the sound.

The chamber doors had opened without sound and then Breilla stood framed in torchlight.

She wore a gown of deep silk that clung to her body like poured wine, the neckline scandalously low, the fabric slit high along one thigh. Dark hair tumbled loose over bare shoulders, and perfume drifted into the room before she did.

She closed the doors behind herself.

"My lord," she called out gently and Ashen’s face hardened at once.

"I did not summon you."

"No." She smiled faintly and moved farther in. "But you looked troubled when last I saw you. I thought perhaps you should not be alone tonight." He turned back toward the storm.

"Then think again," he replied but Breilla did not retreat.

Instead, she crossed the room with slow steps, hips swaying with practiced elegance. She stopped beside the side table and poured dark liquid into a crystal cup.

"You have not slept," she murmured. "You barely eat as you carry the realm on your shoulders and speak to no one," Ashen said nothing.

She approached him from behind.

"The physicians prepared medicine for exhaustion," she said. "It will calm the nerves." She held the cup out near his shoulder but he did not even look at it before refusing it.

"No."

"My lord, at least..."

"I said no." Her smile thinned and for a heartbeat she stood still.

Then she sighed softly.

"As stubborn as ever." Ashen turned slightly, annoyance flashing and in that instant, she flicked her wrist.

A fine mist burst from the cup and struck his face. Ashen recoiled, but too late as his lungs seized on the first breath.

The room wobbled as he took one step toward her, fury igniting in his eyes, but strength drained from his limbs like water from broken stone.

"What... did you do?" he growled.

Breilla stepped back laughing.

The sound was bright, delighted, ugly.

Ashen reached for the chair to steady himself. His fingers missed once before catching the carved armrest. He collapsed heavily into it, chest heaving, muscles refusing command.

His vision blurred at the edges, of course this isn’t the first time she has done this so he understood instantly.

Breilla placed the cup aside and slowly circled him.

"Finally," she breathed. "Finally I have you still."

Ashen tried to rise but his body answered only with trembling.

"You foolish woman," he said through gritted teeth.

She crouched before him, smiling up like a lover and a snake all at once.

"No, Ashen. Foolish was I... at first."

Her hand lifted, tracing the line of his jaw as he jerked his head away.

"I came here believing I could charm a prince," she said. "I saw you once and fell in love before you even knew my name. I thought if I became your concubine, if I stayed near you, if I pleased the right people... one day you would look at me." Her smile broke into bitterness.

"But you are blind." She rose and began pacing.

"Lumina. Lumina. Lumina." Each repetition dripped hatred.

"She leaves and you mourn. She breathes and you worship. I whispered lies to make her think you desired others. I pushed your father’s court to favor me." She spun toward him.

"Still you wanted nothing from me." Ashen’s golden gaze burned despite the poison.

"You were never worth wanting." The slap cracked across the chamber.

Breilla stood over him breathing hard, her palm reddened. Then she laughed again.

"Good. Keep that pride." She straddled the arm of the chair and leaned close.

"You want the truth? I am no princess of Shadowver."Ashen’s eyes narrowed.

"I am from Abyssland." Lightning flashed outside at once as her face gleamed white for an instant.

"Yes," she whispered. "Shadowver and Abyssland work together. Deals in dark waters. Well, it’s simply shared enemies and shared ambitions." She trailed fingers down his chest.

"I was sent as an ornament. Yeah, a spy wrapped in silk." He fought to move again, but his muscles were straining.

"Who sent you?"

"My master serves power greater than names." She smiled. "But I learned something once I came here." She leaned close to his ear.

"Only Drakonis fails to understand how valuable you are." Ashen went still at once.

"You command dragons," she said. "Not merely ride them. They answer your blood. The seas stir for you. Even the Kraken beasts beneath the trenches bow to your lineage." Her nails pressed into his shoulder.

"With Lumina beside you, the two of you would become unstoppable. Celestial enchantress and Drakonis flame." Her eyes glittered.

"So they cannot allow that." Rain battered the windows harder as she slid down into his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"All I wanted," she whispered, lips near his throat, "was one night before duty ended you."

Ashen’s entire body shook with effort as he forced one arm upward inch by inch. His hand caught her wrist weakly.

Still, it made her blink.

"Get... off." She looked at his hand, then smiled sadly.

"Even this, you fight." He dragged breath through clenched teeth.

"Who are you... Really?" he finally asked, making her tilt her head.

"A woman who loved the wrong man." Then her expression emptied.

"And a blade."

She drew a slender dagger from beneath her gown, and its edge shimmered black.

She raised it above his heart.

"Well I was sent here to kill you," she said softly, "and gift my masters a realm in chaos."

Ashen surged once, roaring through the paralysis.

The chair splintered beneath him.

But his body failed before reaching her. The dagger plunged downward.

Just then a silver spear burst through Breilla’s chest from behind.

The blade erupted from her sternum in a spray of blood and she froze.

The dagger slipped from numb fingers and clattered across the stone.

Her mouth opened soundlessly. Blood spilled down her chin.

Ashen stared at her in shock and when he glanced behind her there stood Lumina.

She had appeared so suddenly it was as if moonlight itself had taken form.

Her hair flowed wild around her shoulders. Her eyes blazed in pure Hazel and one hand still gripped the spear embedded through Breilla’s body.

"No... Lumina!" Ashen rasped as Breilla turned weakly, choking blood.

"You..." Lumina’s head tilted slowly to one side, so cold leaving even Ashen shocked.

"She isn’t needed anymore," Lumina said. Her voice echoed strangely through the room, layered with power.

Then with one brutal twist, she snapped Breilla’s neck.

The crack rang clear, splashing blood across Ashen’s face and chest.

Breilla’s body slid lifelessly to the floor. Ashen sagged back, strength nearly gone.

Lumina stepped over the corpse and knelt before him.

The fury vanished from her face the moment she touched him.

"Ashen." His name from her lips sounded like salvation.

He tried to lift a hand to her cheek but managed only a weak motion.

"You came..." Her eyes shimmered.

"Of course I came... Did you miss me?" Ashen could only nod weakly.

"Missed you too." Lumina let out a shaky laugh, then gathered him carefully into her arms as thunder rolled over Drakonis Realm.

And for the first time in many nights, Ashen let darkness take him without fear.