Chapter 63 Hunted
ARIA'S POV
"They're already here," the messenger gasped, pointing at the shattered throne room windows. "The shadow creatures—they came through before the portal sealed. They're in the palace!"
As if summoned by his words, something crashed through the stained glass above us.
It looked like Nyx's children—made of darkness and teeth and too many eyes. Three of them, crawling across the ceiling like spiders made of nightmares.
"Aria Thornwell," they hissed in unison. "Our mother wants you dead."
I stumbled backward. Without my healing power, without the bond to Sebastian, I was just a human facing monsters.
Sebastian moved in front of me instantly, his fangs extending. "You'll have to go through me first."
"Gladly."
The creatures attacked as one.
What happened next was chaos. Sebastian fought with eight hundred years of skill and rage. Dante joined him, then Kieran. Other vampire warriors rallied, defending the court against these invaders from the void.
But more creatures kept coming through the windows, the cracks in the walls, anywhere shadow could seep through.
"There's too many!" Kieran shouted, cutting through one only to have two more take its place.
"Aria!" Elena grabbed my arm, pulling me toward a side exit. "We need to get you out of here!"
"I can't just run—"
"You have to!" She yanked me harder. "You're the one they want. If you stay, everyone dies protecting you!"
She was right, and I hated it.
We ran through corridors filled with screaming vampires and servants. The shadow creatures pursued, their horrible voices calling my name.
"This way!" A young vampire boy appeared, gesturing frantically. "I know the secret passages!"
We followed him, Elena and I and two other freed brides who'd been caught in the chaos. The boy led us through hidden doors and down spiral stairs that seemed to go on forever.
"What's your name?" I asked, breathless.
"Thomas, miss. I'm a servant in the east wing." He glanced back, his young face frightened. "My mum always said if there's trouble, get to the catacombs. Nothing evil can follow there."
"Why not?" Elena demanded.
"They're blessed ground. From before the vampires, when this place was—" He stopped suddenly, holding up a hand. "Someone's coming."
We pressed against the wall, holding our breath.
Footsteps echoed. Then voices.
"—told you this would work." A woman's voice, cold and satisfied. "With Morgana gone, there's finally opportunity for those of us who've waited."
"The shadow creatures will kill the Sanguine girl," another voice replied. Male, older. "Then we can claim Sebastian was too weak to protect even one human. The court will demand new leadership."
My blood ran cold. These were vampires. Noble vampires, based on their accents.
"And Prince Dante?" the woman asked.
"Will conveniently die in the attack. Along with Kieran and any other loyalists." Cruel laughter. "By dawn, we'll control the Crimson Vale."
They passed, oblivious to us hiding in the shadows.
Elena's hand found mine, squeezing tight. She'd heard it too. This wasn't just about Nyx's creatures hunting me. There was a coup happening.
"We have to warn them," I whispered.
"How?" one of the other brides—a girl named Mary—asked. "We're trapped down here with monsters above and traitors everywhere."
Thomas tugged my sleeve. "The catacombs have tunnels that lead back to the palace. Different entrance. If we're quick—"
A shriek cut him off.
Shadow creatures poured down the stairs behind us, moving impossibly fast.
"Run!" Elena screamed.
We fled into darkness, Thomas leading the way by memory. Behind us, the creatures' voices echoed: "Aria Thornwell. Aria Thornwell. Our mother's revenge."
My lungs burned. My legs ached. I wasn't a healer anymore, wasn't special or powerful. Just a human girl running from monsters I couldn't fight.
We burst through a door into the catacombs Thomas had mentioned. He was right—it felt different here. Older. The air itself seemed to resist the shadow creatures, slowing them down.
"Blessed ground," Thomas panted. "They can come in, but it hurts them. Gives us time."
"Time for what?" Mary sobbed. "We're trapped!"
"No." I forced myself to think past the terror. "Thomas, you said there are tunnels back to the palace. Can you get us to Sebastian's chambers? His private ones, not the tower?"
The boy nodded. "I think so. Why?"
"Because he keeps weapons there. Ancient ones." I'd seen them during our brief time together, before everything fell apart. "If we're going to warn everyone about the coup and survive these creatures, we need to be able to fight back."
"You can't even hold a sword," Elena pointed out gently.
"Then I'll learn fast."
We moved through the catacombs, Thomas navigating by instinct. The shadow creatures followed, but slower, pained by whatever magic protected this place.
Finally, we reached a hidden door.
"Sebastian's chambers are through here," Thomas whispered. "But miss—there might be guards."
"Then we sneak past them."
The door opened silently. We crept into a familiar corridor. I recognized it—we were close to Sebastian's private rooms.
Two guards stood outside his door.
But they weren't Sebastian's guards.
They wore the colors of House Vex. Morgana's house.
"The coup's already started," Elena breathed.
Before we could retreat, one guard's head snapped toward us. His eyes widened. "The human! She's here!"
He lunged.
Thomas threw himself forward with surprising bravery, tackling the guard's legs. "Run! Get to the lord's chambers!"
We ran. Behind us, fighting. Shouting. Thomas screaming.
I crashed through Sebastian's door, the others right behind me. Slammed it shut and locked it.
"Thomas—" Elena sobbed. "He's just a boy—"
"I know." Grief and rage warred inside me. "I know."
I ran to the weapons wall, grabbing a sword that was probably worth more than my entire village. It was heavy, awkward in my unpracticed hands.
But it was sharp.
"Aria." Mary's voice was strange. Flat.
I turned.
She stood in the center of the room, and her eyes—her eyes were wrong. Black. Void-like.
"You should have run farther," she said in a voice that wasn't hers. Nyx's voice, speaking through her like a puppet. "You can sever bonds. You can destroy my physical form. But I am eternal. And I have so many ways into your world now."
Mary's body twisted, bones cracking as something else took control.
"Did you really think," Nyx laughed through this stolen form, "that breaking your bond would save you? All you did was make yourself vulnerable."
She raised her hands, and shadows poured from Mary's skin.
"Now you die, Aria Thornwell. And when you do, I'll wear your corpse like a coat and destroy everyone you love from the inside."
The door behind us exploded inward.
But it wasn't the guards.
It was Sebastian, covered in blood and shadow-ichor, his eyes blazing with ancient fury.
"Get away from her," he snarled at the Nyx-possessed Mary.
His power filled the room—centuries of rage finally unleashed.
But Nyx just smiled with Mary's stolen face.
"Perfect timing, Lord Thorne. I wanted you to watch."
She lunged at me faster than I could track.
Sebastian threw himself between us.
Nyx's shadow-claws pierced straight through his chest.