Chapter Thirty Two.

Chapter Thirty Two.

“Did you miss me?” Kaidon’s asked again.

Taliya swallowed thickly, her throat suddenly dry. His gaze pinned her in place, expectant, unblinking.

“Y-yes…” she whispered, her voice barely more than breath.

A smile tugged at the corners of his lips—not triumphant, but something darker. Possessive. Pleased.

“Did you enjoy the tour?” he asked, tilting his head as he observed her reaction closely.

Taliya forced a smile, trying to seem at ease. “Yes… sure. It was… nice.”

Kaidon studied her for another second, then took a slow step back and extended his hand.

The gesture was soft, but there was something powerful about the way he did it—like the universe itself might stop if she didn’t accept.

“Let me continue to guard you,” he said.

Her heart pounded. She wanted to say no. She meant to say no.

“No thanks, I’d prefer Lenora,” echoed in her mind, but the words caught in her throat.

Instead, she nodded—small and reluctant—and placed her trembling hand into his.

His fingers wrapped around hers like chains made of fire and silk.

They walked together in silence, his pace steady, her steps cautious.

The castle grounds stretched around them like a graveyard frozen in time—beautiful, haunting, and filled with ancient secrets she didn’t want to uncover.

Kaidon glanced down after a while and noticed she hadn't looked up once. Her eyes were trained on the ground, her posture stiff, her breath shallow.

He halted.

Taliya blinked and looked up, only to find him watching her. Again. Like he was peeling her apart with his stare.

“You’re not comfortable,” he said bluntly.

Taliya barely held herself back from rolling her eyes or—better yet—smacking him.

She stared at him with a tight glare, her thoughts running wild.

You insane, smug, ridiculously gorgeous demon. If it weren’t for the fact that I’d probably be incinerated before my hand even touched your face, I’d slap you so hard your ancestors would feel it.

Kaidon saw the flicker of rage behind her eyes—and he chuckled.

It was quiet, a low amused sound, but it slipped out nonetheless.

“So you are uncomfortable,” he murmured like he’d confirmed a long-held suspicion.

Taliya immediately looked away, her jaw tight.

“You don’t have to be scared of me, Taliya.” Kaidon suddenly said, voice softer now. There was something vulnerable under the surface, like he meant it… like it almost hurt him to see her afraid.

She turned back to him slowly, her face blank but her thoughts anything but.

Sure. Why would I be scared? It’s not like I’ve seen you rip a beast in half like it was paper, or watched you torture my friend with a flick of your hand, or—oh yes—been kidnapped by you. Why on earth would I be scared of a bloodthirsty demon lord? Totally irrational of me.

Still, she just gave him another nervous smile.

Kaidon reached up, gently brushing a strand of hair away from her face. She flinched, just slightly. But he noticed. Of course he did.

“I won’t hurt you, Taliya.” he said, his thumb trailing softly along her cheek. “You’re my soulmate.”

The word still made her skin crawl. Not because it wasn’t beautiful—but because of how trapped it felt when it came from him.

“You are as equal as I am now,” he added.

Taliya blinked. “…What?”

“It means you have power. Authority. Even over the things in this realm,” he said.

She stared at him in confusion, her brows furrowing. “What are you talking about?”

Kaidon took a small breath and stepped closer, closing what little distance remained between them.

“Ask,” he urged, voice low again. “I know you have questions. Ask me anything.”

And Taliya stood there, heart racing, her mind a whirlpool of questions she wasn’t sure she wanted answers to.

But eventually, she gathered herself, turned back to him, and asked gently,

“The last time… you said something about inheriting your ancestors’ sins. That they were punished, and now you carry it. What… what happened, Kaidon?”

His gaze shifted toward her, lingering for a second before drifting far ahead.

Something dark flickered in his expression—like a shadow curling in his chest. His jaw tightened, and his hands slowly curled into fists.

There was pain there. Old pain. Buried deep but never gone.

“Brimhaven,” Kaidon began, his voice distant and gravel-edged, “is the home of power and magic. The heart of the North.”

His eyes stayed forward as he spoke, painting a picture older than time itself.

“There are four great lands in this world—Brimhaven in the North, Eldoria in the South, Ardynor to the East, and Nyrravell to the West. Each ruled by different strengths, bloodlines, and power. All connected by ancient seals that once kept the empires united.”

Taliya listened intently, the seriousness in his tone stealing her breath.

“But greed,” Kaidon said, his voice lowering, hardening, “poisoned the North. My ancestors, the royal line of Brimhaven, craved more. More strength, more magic. They weren’t the only ones—the South, Eldoria, played their part too. They conspired to seize the dominance of the Four Empires.”

He paused, his eyes darkening further, voice edged with bitterness.

“But the power they sought wasn’t meant to be wielded. It was cursed. The ritual backfired, and the wrath of the realm itself fell upon them.”

Taliya’s lips parted slightly, horrified. “So… all of you were cursed?”

“Yes,” Kaidon said, his voice sharp and heavy. “Every soul involved. The royal bloodline was turned into something monstrous. Demonic. The witches who helped cast the spells—cursed too, their blood forever stained by betrayal. Every generation born after… inherited the punishment.”

Taliya gasped, her hand lifting slightly to her mouth. “Oh my god…” she breathed. “You’re paying for something you didn’t even do…”

Kaidon said nothing, but the silence spoke louder than words. He had lived a thousand lifetimes under that weight.

“When the cursed power began to bleed into the land,” he continued, “it corrupted everything. The skies turned black. The soil dried. Creatures twisted into horrors. People fled—terrified of what Brimhaven had become.”

He looked down, his voice quieter now. “The East and West—Ardynor and Nyrravell—decided to break the seal that bound the empires together. They proclaimed new laws. New rulers. And left the North to rot in its curse.”

Taliya’s heart clenched. She looked at him not as the terrifying demon she once feared, but as a man—bound by fate, haunted by blood he never asked to inherit.

“I’m… I’m sorry,” she whispered, the words soft but sincere.

Kaidon finally looked at her again—really looked at her. And in his red eyes, for a moment, she didn’t see a monster.