CHAPTER 244: _PROTECTION ISN’T ENOUGH

Kyren’s POV

*****

"A black bird?" He frowned, walking toward the spot Elian and Lucian pointed after coming to him with a grave report.

The palace at night was almost dead silent, the golden spires catching the moonlight. Gigantic shadows covered the courtyard and beyond, making the air eerier than it already was.

"Yeah. Almost crimson." Lucian had that suspicious edge in his voice that the Rogue king had already seen coming.

The Alpha Prince flanked Kyren’s left while Elian struggled to keep up with their walking pace at his right.

"Don’t tell me you dragged me out here because you suspect it was me." Kyren sniggered, arching a brow when Lucian walked ahead.

His cousin—half cousin—stopped at a large empty spot with nothing but the tarred ground. "Here." Lucian pointed, craning his neck to stare at the palace. "This spot is just below my room’s balcony. It’s where Elian spotted the cloaked woman."

Kyren’s brows knitted but he didn’t say anything. He strutted closer, brushing past Lucian who stepped aside.

Lowering himself to the ground, he didn’t take long to spot something. A single black feather.

"You said this woman..." Kyren whipped his head to Elian.

His little flame had his arms folded across his chest, his eyes distant. Instant red flag.

"... You said she wore a black cloak. And got swallowed by red smoke when transforming?" Kyren continued the question, squinting as he picked the feather.

It was light to the touch but felt... Lifeless. Yes, obviously it was a feather that fell off a shape-shifting witch—but it should’ve at least had some residue.

Whether a trace of life force or magic.

But it didn’t. Almost as if the witch made sure to erase any trace before disappearing into the night.

Clever? Not exactly. Instead, it screamed someone experienced.

"Yes." Elian finally answered after some hesitation, eyes flicking to Lucian before landing on Kyren. "Her eyes glowed red as well. And she... She was staring at me."

Elian looked shaken... But even this shouldn’t be enough to shake him. The lad has had more brushes with death than an average warfront soldier.

An Umbra beast. Two assassins. Even a titan witch.

Whatever Elian was afraid of... He was hiding it.

"There’s something more," Kyren slowly rose to his feet, the once still night suddenly rushing with a cool breeze. "Isn’t there? Something you’re not telling me."

He noticed the confused frown on Lucian’s face. Looks like the Alpha Prince wasn’t aware as well.

"Kyren, let’s not do this again." Elian looked away, rubbing his forehead. "Can you just tell us if we’re safe tonight. Or should we start packing alongside Aurora?"

The Rogue king’s right fists clenched. He didn’t say anything for a few seconds, staring at Elian who looked away awkwardly.

Eventually, Kyren tore his eyes away from him, raising the feather to his face. "I can’t track her with this. Neither can I use one of my psychic spells to divine who it is."

He said that, but deep down, he already had a feeling. His instincts screamed who it was to him.

Amara.

"So it’s yet another mystery." Lucian placed his hands on his waist with a disappointed grunt. "Where are those guards? If a witch can just sneak in every other night what’s the point?"

He turned away from Elian and Kyren, stretching out his communication ring. A holographic screen blinked in front of him, keeping him occupied.

Kyren took the opportunity without wasting a second.

His hand shot forward, grabbing Elian’s wrist and forcing him to look into his eyes.

The latter gasped but before he could make a sound, Kyren placed his other hand over his mouth. ’I know you don’t want to say anything because it involves your secrets somehow. Like the system.’ he said through the mind link.

Elian blinked, glancing back at Lucian. The Alpha Prince was already talking with someone, whispering orders and cursing a few times.

’Elian...’ Kyren echoed in his mind again, this time more seriously. ’I didn’t want to say anything at first because I don’t want you to get scared. But you deserve to know—to be prepared for what’s coming.’

They stood silently for a while, the air brimming with something soft. Elian’s shoulders finally relaxed as he nodded for him to go on.

’My mother is back.’ Kyren went straight to the point, watching Elian’s eyes widen with shock. ’She visited this morning. While I was at the garden maze.’

Elian’s chest heaved, his eyes still glinting with confusion. ’Is... Is that why you were in a mood when you met me to talk? Or—’

’I wasn’t in any mood.’ Kyren interrupted. ’I was... I was agitated. Because for once I felt like my protection wasn’t enough.’

Yet another silence, except this time it was charged with concern flashing past Elian’s violet eyes.

’Protect me from what? What did your mother do?’

’She hasn’t done anything.’ Kyren drew in a breath. ’At least, not yet. What I’m worried about is what she said she’ll do to you. And what she’s already done.’

He saw the moment Elian’s concern twisted into terror. ’You’re... You’re scaring me now, Kyren.’

Gods below, he should just tell him.

But if he was so scared now what if—

’Why can’t you trust me with this?’ Elian asked, his mental voice losing its warmth. ’Is it that bad? Is she the witch who visited? What aren’t you—’

’You are the product of the Ascension Protocol.’ Kyren finally let it out, his expression plain. ’Yes, Elian. You’re the being they experimented on to one day control the divine crystal buried in the Dark Lands.’

Elian froze, both mentally and physically. But the Rogue king wasn’t done.

He took a step forward. ’My mother promised to take you away when the time’s right. But what I don’t understand is how. How can you be the result of an experiment that took place centuries ago?’

For some reason, he could imagine his mother smirking at his confusion from whatever crystal ball she’s been using. Watching. Waiting. Tearing away at any trace of vulnerability...

"So, update." Lucian turned to them again before the tension became unbearable. "I spoke to one of the heads of palace security. Apparently, we have a system of wards that should block space-time magic and portals."

Kyren glanced at Elian one last time before swerving his head to Lucian. "Well? What happened to it then?"

The Alpha Prince’s silver eyes glinted with something sour at first.

But then he responded. "My father asked for its deactivation years ago. Exactly around the same period Garrick showed up in Axel’s body."

Kyren’s jaw tightened.

Even in death Arian Stormborn was still finding ways to fuck things up.

"Is that all?" Elian asked softly just then, his voice low like he’d lost strength.

Kyren’s eyes flitted to him, but the lad had his gaze on the floor. Gods, maybe he shouldn’t have told him...

"No." Lucian closed his eyes briefly, letting out a heavy breath. "The wards aren’t just deactivated."

His gaze flicked up, silver eyes hardening.

"Someone rewrote them from the inside."