Chapter 127

Chapter 127


She let out a heavy sigh.
“You take care of Brixton. He’s difficult to deal with, often hard to understand—but when he loves... he surpasses even the impossible. He doesn’t need to be loved. All he wants is to be accepted for who he is. For him… that’s enough.”

“I know…”

She turned to me.
“I love my brother, Brixton, more than that dumb asshole even realizes. And right at this moment… I’m passing this duty on to you. I’m not asking you, Astra. I’m giving you this role.”

“That’s what I swore. Always.”

Lady Nath smiled.
“You can claim victory as long as he’s with you.”

“Lady Nathalia! Astra!”

We both turned to Erikson. From the look on his face, I knew he brought bad news. Anxiety pressed hard against my chest.

“The Phoenix Clan is here!” he announced.

“What?” Lady Nath asked. “How did this happen?”

“They swore to help us.”

“W-where’s my mother?”

Erikson swallowed. “The Phoenix Clan is now being led by Lord Morales.”

Nathalia hurried off.

I approached Erikson.
“What do you mean? Lord Morales took the Phoenix Clan from Lady Grenda?”

“Seems like it, Astra.”

“What happened to Lady Grenda?”

“They said… she vanished. Come on!”

I was utterly confused. How could Lady Grenda just disappear?

We reached the gates where the Phoenix Clan was assembled. At the front was a tall, commanding man on a black horse. From his stance, I could tell he was Christy’s father, Lord Morales. He was speaking with Lord Oscar and Lord Bardos.

“What do you mean she just disappeared?” Lady Nath confronted him. “Please enlighten us, Milord.”

“She refused to help you. I pleaded with her, but she chose to give up her title rather than side with you. That’s all that happened. We haven’t seen her since.”

“We should let them in,” Lord Oscar said.

Lady Nath turned to him.
“You heard him. Our mother is missing.”

“We don’t control her decisions, Nathalia. We have a much bigger problem to focus on.”
He looked directly at Lord Morales.
“We are honored to fight with you, Lord Morales.”

I quickly turned around and ran off. It was impossible for Lady Grenda to just vanish. I knew something had happened. I knew she wouldn’t give up that easily.

“I need to speak with Elder Entiango again,” I told the guard outside his room. “Just for a moment. I need to ask him something.”

The guard agreed. When I entered, I found Elder Entiango lying on the bed—blood was pouring onto the floor.

Shit!

I gasped, seeing him soaked in his own blood. From the gash on his neck, it was clear his throat had been slit to keep him silent. The knife was still there.

My whole body trembled in terror as I looked at the open window. Behind the swaying curtain, a shadow vanished after noticing me.

My shoulders dropped. Someone had been watching us. They knew Elder Entiango could still say something, so they silenced him.

“Is it done?” the guard asked when I came out.

“H-he’s dead…”

He peeked inside. “Elder Entiango!”

I flinched hearing the soldiers rush in. I was brought back to my senses when someone pulled me away—it was Lady Celeste holding a food tray. She set it down and turned to me.

“Are you okay, Astra?”

I forced a bitter smile.
“H-he had all the answers to my questions. What now?”

“Don’t cry,” she told me.

“I-I’m scared—”

“It’s a feeling to be felt, not spoken,” said Lady Vienzara, who had also arrived. “Once you say it aloud, it becomes a weapon they can use against you.”

“She’s right, Astra. You still have us… and Brixton.”

Brixton. That name should bring me peace.

Lady Vienzara’s hand touched my cheek.
“Make up your mind, Lady Astra. Many have already sacrificed their lives for this battle. Will you falter now?”

I was stunned in that moment.

I stared out the window. Heavy rain poured. Darkness fell. Yet not one soldier at their post sought shelter. They stood tall, unmoved.

“We’re not fighting just for you or Brixton’s cause. We fight for ourselves. I’ve staked the honor of my clan on this, Lady Astra. I won’t allow us to lose.”

“All slaves will be freed when we win,” said Lady Celeste. “I came here to fight for my freedom.”

Lightning flashed, briefly lighting the world around us—followed by deafening thunder.

“If you become an obstacle to our victory, forgive me, but I will fight you myself,” said Lady Vienzara. Then she turned and walked into the rain, vanishing into the darkness.

I looked down at Celeste’s hand when she held mine.

“My dream will come true, Astra. I will be free.”

Only now did I truly understand how vast this fight is. It’s not just for me or my child. This battle is also for those who are fighting it.

We stepped aside as Elder Entiango’s body was carried past.

It dawned on me again why I was here. For Lady Grenda. With Elder Entiango gone, I could rely on no one but myself.

“Get some rest, Celeste. There’s still time,” I said.

She nodded. “You too, Astra. You look exhausted.”

I just smiled.

She picked up the food tray—apparently she had been assigned to bring food to Elder Entiango, but like me, she was too late.

I stepped outside and held out my hands to feel the rain.

I walked into it. At first, I felt the cold drops, then slowly my body went numb. The sky began to brighten. The images around me blurred—then everything changed.

“Mama!” I turned to see a child running under the bright sun. A woman I instantly recognized met him.

“You promised to take me outside, remember?”

The mother laughed.
“Not yet. It’s still dangerous out there. You need to learn the hand gestures first.”

The child frowned.
“Uncle Rold said there are lots of handsome men outside.”

“That uncle of yours!”

The child laughed. “And vampires too, he said!”

“Come here! You’re always stuck to him, no wonder you’re full of nonsense!”

The child giggled as his grandma lifted him up.

I smiled—but it quickly faded. In a blink, I was in a different scene. Grandma was on her knees, hugging her blood-soaked child.

I stepped back as I saw everyone running.

“Evacuate!”

“Everyone inside the castle!”

At first, I was confused, but when I saw the man walking forward, tears welled up in my eyes. I almost didn’t recognize him—his body covered in blood, his eyes burning red.

“Stop…” I begged. My heart ached seeing this scene. I knew it was an illusion. I knew it was showing me what happened that day.

I shut my eyes as he approached a healer. The healer screamed in fear… spinning… her scream echoing in my mind.

“W-why are you doing this? Please get me out of this place…” I sat down and covered my ears. “I don’t want this. I don’t want to see this.”

The cries for mercy slowly faded.

“Enough, please…” I pleaded.

The chaos continued. I was too scared to open my eyes.

“Enough now, Brixton!”

That thunderous voice caught my attention.

A man was now in front of me. I was behind him, so I couldn’t see his face—but I knew. It was my father.

“Give me the power I need,” Brix said.

“We will curse you before you even get it.”

My eyes widened as Brix attacked. Wanting to stop him, I stepped in the way—but he passed right through me.

I gasped.

My body shook.

When I opened my eyes, it was dark again. I was stunned to see the man standing in the rain. He was staring right at me. We were both soaked.

“B-Brix…”

He slowly walked toward me. He gripped my arms tightly.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

I looked past him. A cloaked figure was walking away.

“Astra. What’s happening?” His voice was filled with worry.

I stepped back. My vision of him started to change—flashing back to the blood, the attack.

“A-Astra…”

It felt like lightning struck me.

“T-they’ll do it too,” I realized. “They’re going to bring back that day… to you.”

“What?”

“We’ve been infiltrated by the healers, Brix.”

“What about it?”

I didn’t even know what came over me—but I grabbed him by the neck.

He didn’t fight back. He just looked at me, confused.

“A-Astra…”

I saw pain in his eyes.

I stepped away.

“Tell your troops we’re under attack,” I said as I turned away.

I walked off with a heavy heart.