Chapter 62 Father of Lies
Kaelen's POV
"You're lying!" I roar at Lyra's father. "Seraphine was my fiancée! We were engaged for two years!"
"You were manipulated for two years." His voice is calm despite the hellhounds circling us. "Your father wanted to see if angel-vampire siblings could create a bond strong enough to open gates. So he arranged your 'engagement' to your own sister, hidden the truth from both of you, and waited to see what would happen."
The words hit like physical blows. Through our bond, I feel Lyra's shock matching my own.
"That's impossible," I whisper. "I would have known. I would have felt—"
"You did feel it. That's why the bond was killing you both." He steps closer, and the hellhounds part to let him through. "Siblings bonded in that way create unstable magic. It would have consumed you within months. So I killed her before it could."
"You murdered her!"
"I saved you!" For the first time, anger flashes across his face. "Your father was using you as an experiment. I stopped it the only way I could."
Stella suddenly collapses in my arms, her vampire transformation accelerating again. "Kaelen—I can't—the hunger—"
"Hold on!" I grip her tighter, but she's thrashing now, trying to bite me.
Lyra's father moves with inhuman speed, touching Stella's forehead. Silver light flows from his hand, and Stella goes still.
"What did you do?" Lyra screams.
"Slowed the transformation. Bought her maybe six hours." He looks at me. "But it won't last. The only way to save her is the convergence. And you can't do that if you're fighting me."
The hellhounds growl, moving closer.
"Call them off," I demand.
"They're not mine to call." He points behind us.
Through the trees, more figures emerge. Vampires. But ancient ones, wearing clothes from centuries past. Their eyes glow with recognition when they see me.
"Prince Kaelen," the lead vampire says, bowing slightly. "Your father requests your presence."
"My father can rot in whatever hell spawned him."
"Strong words from someone surrounded." The vampire smiles. "But the First is merciful. He offers a trade. Come willingly to the convergence site, bring the bridges, and he'll let your human companions live."
"Companions?" I pull Lyra close. "She's my mate. Marked and bonded. Not a companion."
"Ah." The vampire's smile widens. "Then the First's offer is even more generous. Complete the convergence as planned, and he'll make her immortal. She won't have to die when you sacrifice yourself."
Through the bond, I feel Lyra's fury.
"I'm not making deals with monsters," she says firmly.
"Then you'll die with them." The vampire gestures, and the hellhounds tense, ready to attack.
That's when Lyra's father does something impossible.
He speaks one word—ancient, powerful, wrong—and every hellhound drops dead. Just collapses like puppets with cut strings.
The ancient vampires stare in shock.
"What are you?" their leader breathes.
"Someone who's been playing a very long game." Lyra's father looks at me. "The First thinks he created the first vampires. He's wrong. I did. Three thousand years ago, I created him. Made him powerful enough to spread the curse. Then I faked my death and waited."
"Waited for what?" I demand.
"For this moment. When all the pieces would finally align." He smiles sadly. "I'm not human, Lyra. I never was. I'm something older. Something that exists to maintain balance between light and dark. And the convergence threatens to destroy that balance forever."
Lyra's hand finds mine, shaking. "You used us. Used Mom. Used everyone."
"Yes." He doesn't deny it. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. But some sacrifices are necessary to save worlds."
The ancient vampires attack.
Lyra's father moves like liquid shadow, killing them with casual ease. In seconds, they're all dead, their bodies turning to ash.
"We need to leave," he says. "Now. The First will send more."
"Why should we trust you?" I ask.
"Because I'm offering you something no one else can." He looks at Stella, still unconscious in my arms. "A way to complete the convergence without any of you dying. A way to save Stella, stop the First, and survive."
"How?"
"There's a fourth bridge. One the prophecy doesn't mention because it was supposed to stay hidden." He meets my eyes. "Your real sister. The one who survived. The one I've been protecting for four hundred years."
My world stops.
"Nyx died," I whisper.
"Nyx was never your full sister. Your real sister—Seraphine's twin—survived. And she's been waiting at the convergence site this whole time."
He gestures toward the deepest part of the forest.
"Her name is Aurora. And she's been preparing to meet you since the day you were born."
Through the trees, I see light. Pure, burning gold.
A figure steps out.
She has my eyes. My silver-white hair. My father's terrible beauty.
And when she speaks, her voice echoes with power that makes the earth shake.
"Hello, brother. Ready to save the world? Or would you prefer to let it burn?"
Behind her, the forest parts.
Revealing the convergence site.
A massive stone circle carved with symbols I recognize from the ritual chamber.
And at the center, chained to an altar, is Seraphine.
Still alive. Still conscious. Still screaming.
"Help me!" she cries. "Please! He's been torturing me for four hundred years!"
Aurora's smile is cold.
"Decide quickly, brother. The convergence starts in one hour. And only you can choose who lives and who dies."