CHAPTER 75: A POSSESSED CHICKEN

Lilith held her breath, heart pounding as Hades’ finger trailed from her lip to her chin. She quickly regained her composure, breaking free from his intoxicating presence and stepping back, out of his reach.

"G–good night, Your Highness," she stammered, her voice shaky. Offering a quick curtsy, she turned and rushed out of his chamber. Once in her own room, she slammed the door shut and locked it, pressing her back against the wooden frame as she panted for breath.

The lingering sensation of his touch still burned on her lip. Lilith lifted her fingers to trace the spot he had touched, her thoughts spiraling. Why would the prince say such inappropriate things? His voice, his eyes—he had sounded almost like he wanted her.

She shook her head. No, that can’t be. He must be toying with me... right? But deep down, she knew he hadn’t been joking. She had seen it the hunger, the darkness, the sincerity in his eyes.

Letting out a sigh, she ran her fingers through her hair and moved to her bed. She collapsed onto it, pulling the blanket around her and curling up beneath it. Still, Hades’ words echoed through her mind, over and over again.

After several minutes of staring into nothingness, Lilith finally forced herself to let go of the thoughts and focus on sleep. Soon, her eyes closed, and she drifted into a deep slumber.

Her nights were no longer plagued by the horrible dreams that once haunted her—and she couldn’t be more relieved. Yet a small part of her, buried deep within, couldn’t help but fear that something was wrong. That maybe, just maybe, the silence in her dreams meant something darker. But she pushed the thought far to the back of her mind.

~~~

The snow had worsened, its white flakes covering the landscape as the cold deepened, forcing everyone to wear layers and remain indoors. Lilith struggled every morning to rise from her warm bed, but this morning was different—she had barely slept all night.

It had been two weeks, and her training had progressed surprisingly well. She had learned so much, and just yesterday, Lucian had informed her that she was now strong enough to wield the Book of Darkness. She had been looking forward to this moment for so long.

More than anything, she couldn’t wait to begin the healing process on the prince—though his words from that night still echoed in her mind. After their encounter, she had successfully avoided him for several days until he eventually requested her presence at breakfast.

Lilith could hardly stay calm that morning, her nerves on edge as she waited for the meal. Fortunately, Viktor, Lucian, and Charlotte had also joined the prince, making things less awkward. The moment breakfast ended, Lilith rushed away before she could be left alone with him.

Since then, they hadn’t seen each other again. Kathryn hadn’t summoned her either—a relief, as Lilith still had no answer for the woman. It was clear the prince didn’t want to speak of her, and Lilith couldn’t imagine how she was supposed to help rekindle something that didn’t seem mutual. Deep down, she didn’t want them to end up together either.

Bundled in thick clothing, gloves, and a scarf, Lilith made her way to the crypt to meet with Lucian and Viktor. The cave had grown on her—she now understood why the Queen had loved the place. It offered a rare sense of calm and serenity, with the gentle sound of falling water echoing off its walls.

She pushed the door open and found Lucian and Viktor speaking in hushed tones. Their attention shifted to her the moment she entered.

"Good morning, Lord Lucian. Good morning, Viktor," she greeted.

"Good morning, Lilith," Lucian replied with a smile.

"Lilith, you’re quite early," Viktor said, smiling as he walked toward her.

"I woke up early with nothing to do, so I decided to come here," she replied, adjusting her scarf so it sat more comfortably around her neck.

"Did you have trouble sleeping?" Concern laced Viktor’s voice.

"No! Not at all. I was just excited, that’s all," Lilith replied quickly.

Viktor arched a brow. "Excited? For what?"

"She will be wielding the Book of Darkness today. I believe she is ready," Lucian answered in her place.

Viktor turned to him, surprise lighting his features. "Oh, that’s wonderful. Isn’t the prince supposed to be here for this?"

"Not today. She will be practicing on something else for now, but tomorrow, we shall begin with the prince," Lucian replied calmly.

"Very well. I’ll leave you both to begin your work," Viktor said as he walked past Lilith, giving her a nod. "Take care, Lilith." And with that, he exited the room.

"Shall we begin, Lilith?" Lucian asked, motioning her forward. He guided her to the center of the space and gestured for her to sit down with her legs crossed. "Stretch out your hands."

Lilith did as instructed, holding her hands out. She watched closely as Lucian placed the book in her palms. The whispers it emitted grew louder, but unlike the last time she encountered it, they had little effect on her now.

"You must open it," Lucian said.

Lilith unhooked the vine-like clasps and slowly opened the cover, revealing a magical blood-lock at its center.

Lucian pulled out a small dagger. "You’ll need to offer a drop of blood to unlock it."

Lilith extended her hand, and Lucian gently pricked her finger, letting a few drops of blood fall onto the lock. The book let out a searing hiss, then clicked open with a rush of wind that swept over them both. As the pages fluttered, thick block letters in black ink slowly appeared.

"What do you see?" Lucian asked, scanning the pages.

"There are so many words... You can look at them," Lilith said, lifting the book toward his face.

But Lucian frowned, squinting at the pages. "That’s strange. I can’t see anything. The pages are blank."

Lilith’s brows knitted together. "That can’t be. The words are right there. Why can’t you see them?"

Lucian straightened, still staring at the book with puzzlement. "It appears the book has chosen its reader. I assumed I would need to guide you through the spells, but it seems you’ll be learning them on your own."

Lilith looked back down at the pages. The letters were now clear—beautiful cursive writing, well-spaced.

"What’s written on the first page?" Lucian asked.

Lilith’s eyes scanned the lines as she read aloud, "It explains the rules for performing magic and reading the spells."

"And what are the rules?" Lucian asked.

"You must have a clear mind and focused thoughts in order to read the spells," she began. "One must be in physical contact with the object of possession. The process must not last more than five minutes, or the caster risks getting trapped in the world of darkness. Once the vortex is opened, it must be sealed afterward. And most importantly, the spells can be used for both good and evil—depending on the hands they fall into."

Lucian gave a brief nod. "All of that aligns with what we already know." He then pulled out a small cage holding a squealing chicken and held it in front of her. "This animal is possessed by a demon. You’re going to try and shrink the demon’s presence. It’s a young, low-level one, so you shouldn’t have too much difficulty removing the black magic."

Lilith stared at the chicken, her heart racing as she met its dark, soulless eyes. With trembling hands, she reached out and placed her left hand on its head. A shiver ran down her spine, followed by a chilling rush of air—not from the demon, but from the magic itself awakening inside her.

She flipped through the pages of the book. The whispers grew louder, circling around her like a storm. When she landed on a certain page, the whispers stopped abruptly. Her eyes widened as the words on the parchment dissolved into black smoke, seeping into her eyes and mouth. She gasped.

Her eyes turned pitch black, and her lips began to move on their own, whispering in a haunting murmur as golden vines burst from her body, wrapping around the chicken, which let out a piercing shriek.

Lucian felt the surge of energy immediately. The pressure in the air spiked, making it hard to stay steady beside her. The words spilling from Lilith’s mouth no longer sounded like her voice—it was layered, as if five women were speaking at once, all reciting the same incantation in overlapping tones.

He closed his eyes, and suddenly everything stopped—completely stilled. When he opened them again, Lilith was glowing, her eyes fixed on the chicken, which had gone calm. Its eyes, once dark and soulless, were now back to normal.

The glow around Lilith gradually faded until it vanished entirely, and her eyes returned to their natural color. She withdrew her hand from the chicken and looked up at Lucian.

"Did it work?" she asked softly.

"I suppose it did," Lucian replied, a curious smile tugging at his lips.