Chapter 7: The Blood Moon Prophecy

No one slept that night.

The attack on the estate had changed everything.

For the first time in over a century, Thaddeus looked uncertain.

Evelyn sat quietly in the mansion's enormous library, surrounded by books older than entire civilizations.

She stared absentmindedly at the fireplace while replaying Malachar's words.

"The Last Blood Heir..."

"The Blood Moon..."

"The Shadow Realm..."

None of it felt real.

Yet she had witnessed enough in the last forty-eight hours to know reality was far stranger than she had ever imagined.

"Couldn't sleep either?" Orion asked softly as he entered carrying two mugs.

"Hot chocolate."

Evelyn accepted the mug with a grateful smile.

"Thank you."

"You're handling this better than most people would."

She laughed bitterly.

"I'm barely holding myself together."

"That's called courage."

"No..." she whispered.

"It's called shock."

Orion sat beside her.

"Ask me anything."

"Anything?"

"Anything."

She hesitated before asking the question that had been haunting her.

"Why do all of you keep looking at me like I'm... important?"

Orion remained silent for several moments.

"Because we believe fate brought you to us."

"I don't believe in fate."

"Neither did Thaddeus."

"Until he met you."

Upstairs...

Thaddeus stood alone on the balcony overlooking the frozen forest.

Ryland joined him moments later.

"You're worried," Ryland observed.

"I'm planning."

"Same thing."

Thaddeus sighed.

"Malachar shouldn't be alive."

"Neither should half the enemies we've made over the last hundred years," Ryland replied.

"Yet here we are."

"The Blood Moon is only seven days away."

"Then we'll protect her for seven days."

"And after that?"

Ryland didn't have an answer.

Inside the library...

Orion pulled an ancient scroll from a hidden shelf.

"There's something you deserve to see."

He carefully unrolled the brittle parchment.

An old drawing appeared.

It showed four figures standing beneath a crimson moon.

Three shadows surrounded a woman glowing with silver light.

Evelyn's breath caught.

"That's..."

"You," Orion finished.

"Or someone who looks exactly like you."

"How old is this?"

"Nearly twelve hundred years."

She stared at the illustration.

The woman looked almost identical to her.

Same hair.

Same eyes.

Even the small birthmark beneath her collarbone had been drawn perfectly.

"That's impossible..."

"Perhaps," Orion admitted.

"Yet here it is."

Before either of them could continue...

A loud crash echoed through the mansion.

"Thaddeus!" Ryland shouted from upstairs.

Everyone rushed toward the throne room.

They found Thaddeus kneeling on the floor.

Dark energy surrounded him violently.

Black veins spread across his neck.

"What's happening?" Evelyn cried.

"His darkness..." Orion answered.

"It's becoming unstable."

"Why?"

"Because your magic is awakening."

"The closer you become to your true power..."

"...the more his darkness reacts."

Thaddeus suddenly looked up.

His completely black eyes locked onto Evelyn.

For one terrifying second...

She thought he was going to attack.

Instead...

He forced himself to stand.

"Leave."

"What?"

"Now."

"I'm not leaving you."

"Evelyn!"

His voice shook the entire room.

"Leave before I lose control."

Without warning, darkness exploded from his body.

Windows shattered.

Walls cracked.

Furniture was thrown across the hall.

Ryland and Orion struggled to restrain him.

"Go!" Ryland shouted.

"We'll handle this!"

Tears filled Evelyn's eyes as she reluctantly backed toward the doorway.

She didn't understand why...

But seeing Thaddeus in pain hurt her more than it should.

The moment she left the room...

The darkness calmed almost instantly.

Thaddeus collapsed to one knee.

Heavy breaths escaped him.

"Did you see it?" Orion whispered.

Ryland nodded slowly.

"His darkness wasn't trying to kill her..."

"It was trying to protect her."

Outside the mansion...

Hidden deep within the forest...

Malachar watched everything through a magical mirror.

A cruel smile spread across his face.

"Excellent..."

"The bond has already begun."

"Soon neither fate... nor the Dark King... will be able to stop what is coming."

He extinguished the mirror with a wave of his hand.

"Prepare the ritual," he ordered his followers.

"When the Blood Moon rises..."

"The Last Blood Heir will belong to us."