The Nameless Heir-Chapter 42: Preparation time

"Should I come back later?"

A familiar voice cut through the silent room.

Kael didn’t even have to look. He knew that voice—it was Caius.

His shoulders slumped. "Does no one understand what a restricted area is anymore?"

He turned around with an annoyed glance.

Of all the times...

Caius walked toward them, hands in his pockets.

"Then what are you two doing here if it’s restricted?" he asked casually.

He looked at Liz and smirked. "Ahhh, sleepwalking?"

She didn’t reply instead She punched him in the arm.

"Fine, fine," Kael sighed. "I was training, alright?"

Caius raised an eyebrow. A devilish grin spread across his face.

"Didn’t know kissing took training."

Liz’s head dropped, cheeks red. She turned slightly, letting her hair fall over her face—too flustered to even look up.

Caius just shrugged. "No judgment. Just... next time, maybe lock the door?"

Kael waved a hand. "Well, didn’t think anyone would just walk right into a restricted private area.

Plus, what are you even doing here?"

Caius tilted his head. "Well, I’ve been watching you."

Kael blinked, deadpan. "Dude, I’m sorry, but we can’t be together. My heart belongs to Liz."

Another punch. "Ow. So violent, so attractive," he muttered.

"Shut up," Liz grumbled.

Caius let out a breath, the grin still tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Jokes aside... I was just wondering why you’ve been sneaking out lately."

Kael narrowed his eyes. "Yeah... still sounds creepy."

"Oh, shut up," Caius replied, rolling his eyes.

"I mean, I kinda knew someone was watching," he added. "But I thought it was Headmaster Nyx.

Guess it’s just a son of Zeus. Disappointing."

"Sorry to disappoint you," Caius replied dryly. "But you two better move. Chiron is coming this way."

Kael frowned. "Why?"

"Something made the whole building shake. Have you two not heard anything?"

Liz turned toward Kael, concerned.

"I didn’t do anything," Kael said quickly. But even as the words left his mouth,

hoofsteps echoed down the hall.

They knew that sound.

Kael reacted fast. He scooped Liz into his arms with a grin.

"Not this again," she muttered, eyes wide.

"Put me down."

"Caius, hold on to my shoulder," Kael said under his breath.

Caius grabbed him.

In an instant, they vanished.

They reappeared in the main hall.

It was chaos.

Students rushed past him, some screaming, some just confused.

Teachers tried to shout over the panic—but no one was listening.

Kael stood frozen. Not out of fear. Just...

processing what was happening.

Something about all this felt wrong. Familiar.

Students started rushing to the windows. Dozens of faces were pressed against the glass, breath fogging the surface.

Gasps rippled through the corridor—quiet at first, then louder.

"Wow... that’s gorgeous," someone whispered.

Kael set Liz down gently, his arms lingering for a second.

Then he moved—shoulder brushing past students, pushing through the crowd until he could see.

He reached the window—and stopped.

The sky wasn’t dark anymore.

It was red. Deep and heavy. As if the moon had bled.

But it wasn’t just the color.

Something was tearing through the sky.

A jagged, silver-blue rip—glistening like metal, shifting like water.

Kael stared.

Somewhere in the back of his mind... it felt familiar.

Like a dream he couldn’t fully remember.

He turned to Liz. Her face had gone pale.

Without a word, he stepped in front of her—quiet, deliberate.

His body blocked the window, shielding her from what was outside.

He reached up, slow and steady, and placed a hand on her head.

Then gently guided her against his shoulder.

"Don’t worry, sunshine," he whispered.

His voice was low. Calm. Like he needed to believe it too.

Behind him, Caius stood still. Eyes fixed. Unblinking.

"It just appeared out of nowhere," one student muttered.

"Yeah, I felt the school shake," another added.

Kael wanted a closer look.

But the teachers started shouting again, forcing everyone back to their rooms.

No one resisted.

They moved slowly, still staring over their shoulders.

That night, Kael couldn’t sleep.

He lay on his bed, eyes fixed on the ceiling—unblinking.

The image wouldn’t leave him.

The sky.

The tear.

The bleeding moon.

It looped in his head... over and over.

Each time, it felt a little more real.

Over and over.

That thing... he’d seen it before. He was sure of it.

But not being able to remember it is what bothered him the most.

He could only remember glimpses of it.

He thought of Liz. Of the dreams she’d been having.

That had to be connected.

Priority number one.

"Hypnos, come here," he called out quietly.

Smoke curled in the corner of the room—then solidified.

Hypnos appeared beside him.

Kael blinked. "Didn’t think that would actually work."

"Why do you call me, Kael?" Hypnos asked, confused but curious.

"Do you know what’s happening outside?"

"Sorry, I don’t."

Kael’s expression darkened. "Interesting. Okay, I’ll save your brother. But I need a favor first."

Hypnos’s eyes widened. "You promise?" There was relief in his voice—pure and honest.

"Yes," Kael said. "Unless I die. Then no."

"Okay!" Hypnos beamed. "What is it you need?"

His fingers flexed against his leg, tension building.

"Liz. That nightmare. Make it stop. Please."

Hypnos gave him a wide smile and a thumbs-up, then vanished into smoke.

"Now, step two," Kael muttered.

He hopped off the bed and vanished—straight to the Underworld.

Persephone pulled him into a hug the moment he arrived.

"Kael, why are you here all of a sudden?"

"You seem to feel better."

"A little. But why are you here?" she asked again, watching him closely.

Kael sat beside her and explained everything. The tear in the sky.

Liz’s dream.

That strange, aching familiarity he couldn’t shake.

Her smile held... but the sadness behind it—

it was getting harder to hide.

"Who is Liz?" she asked with a teasing glint in her eyes. freēwēbηovel.c૦m

Kael shifted awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Probably your son’s future wife. Maybe. I don’t know."

He tried to play it cool—but his face had turned red.

"Aww, so adorable." She reached out and pinched his cheeks.

"Since Father has a lot of relics," he asked, "do you have anything that’ll help me know if she’s in danger?"

She didn’t answer.

Instead, she removed the ring from her finger.

Then walked over to Hades’s throne and picked up another.

She placed them both in Kael’s hands.

He froze.

His fingers trembled slightly.

He knew what they were.

"Mother... I can’t take these," he said.

"They’re his. And yours. I can’t."

He stepped back.

But Persephone stepped forward.

Gently, she pressed the rings into his palms.

"It’s okay, Kael."

Her smile cracked at the edges.

"It’s time to pass them on."

He looked down at the relics.

One pulsed faintly—dark and cold. Still carrying his father’s shadow.

The other felt warm... like it remembered her.

He hugged her tight.

"Just make sure you both have love for each other," she whispered.

"If not... the rings won’t work."

He gave a weak smile, pulling away.

"Well, let’s hope she doesn’t dump me.

Then it’ll be a weird conversation to get the ring back."

Persephone laughed. "I don’t know... that kiss looked really passionate."

Kael groaned, cheeks turning red. "Seriously, it’s impossible to get any privacy nowadays."

He took a step back.

"Well, Mother... I have to go now. I need to prepare for something."

And just like that, he vanished into smoke.

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