Chapter– The Kingmaker’s Shadow

The smoke hadn’t cleared, and already the threat returned.

That voice—metallic, ancient, laced with power—slithered into my bones. The Kingmaker.

Lucien’s arm locked around my waist protectively as if he could shield me from echoes. Beside us, Nico stood silently, his golden eyes wide with questions. And Lilith—she didn’t flinch. She stared toward the remains of the estate, her flame-kissed hair catching the wind.

She didn’t look like a child.

She looked like a reckoning.

"Who was that?" Nico asked, gripping my hand tightly.

I bent down to meet his gaze. "The one behind Wallace. The one who’s been controlling things from the shadows. The Kingmaker."...