Devotion

Chapter 43

Aurora

It felt strange, almost surreal, sitting with King Xenos and Queen Katrina, even though their kingdom had vanished from the world over a thousand years ago. The dining room, dimly lit by flickering candles, was draped in shadows. The thick velvet curtains blocked out the moonlight, making the room feel like a relic from a bygone age. Time itself seemed to bend around them, making me acutely aware of every breath I took.

We sat around the long oak dining table, the wood creaking under the weight of the silence, each of us too anxious to speak first. There was so much unsaid, and yet, none of us knew how to begin. I focused on the silver knife in my hand, cutting into a perfectly seared piece of steak. 

The sharp clink of metal against porcelain broke the quiet, but even that sound felt small in the presence of ancient royalty.

My great-grandmother's voice sliced through the tension, gentle but commanding. "You're probably wondering how we're still alive, little lotus." Her voice was soft, yet it echoed with the weight of centuries. She delicately cut her steak, her movements regal, each motion steeped in a lifetime of practice.

I hesitated before speaking, my voice barely above a whisper. "H-how should I address you?" My cheeks flushed, and I could feel my eyes shift to a deeper shade of pink—a telltale sign of my discomfort. I had never known my grandparents. They died before I was born, and here I was, sitting across from ancestors so ancient their very existence felt like a myth.

The ancient couple exchanged a glance, their eyes communicating something beyond my understanding. After a pause, they smiled warmly, a smile that softened the sharpness of their features. Queen Katrina handed me a piece of bread, as if it were the simplest of gestures, but it felt like an offering of peace. "Mama and Pop-pop," she said, her voice carrying the warmth of a grandmother's embrace.

A knot I hadn't realized was in my stomach began to loosen. Despite the absurdity of it all, there was comfort in their kindness. For a moment, it felt like we were just family.

But the questions gnawed at me. "Why did you disappear?" I asked, my voice hushed, as if the question itself could summon danger. I wasn't just asking why they vanished; I wanted to know how they could have done it. The world had believed them dead for ten centuries. No trace, no sign. Just...gone.

Pop-pop's fork paused halfway to his mouth. His once relaxed face grew somber, and for a moment, I could see the weight of the past in his eyes. He took a slow breath, like someone dredging up memories long buried. "As you know," he began, "during the Great Domain War, Peavia, Moon, Whisperwood, and Winter united to fight against Luminar and their allies. Luminar craved absolute power—to rule over vampires and humans alike, forcing them into servitude."

He paused, his eyes darkening as though the memories of the war clawed at his soul. "At the height of the war, the most powerful vampires were on the front lines. We fought with our kindred spirits at our side. But near the war's end, King Tarick of Luminar cast a dark magic spell on me. It shattered my control over my own powers. I lost myself." He closed his eyes for a moment, as though reliving the chaos.

"When I regained control, I had a vision. I saw the future." His gaze lifted to meet mine, and the intensity of his stare made me shiver. "I saw you...with your kingdom and your armor. You have the power to make everyone bow before you, but your heart...your heart will guide you to something greater." His voice faltered. "After we won the war, Katrina and I performed a disappearing spell, a sleep under the lake. We waited... for you."

The room felt colder as he finished, and I struggled to process everything he had said. I was destined for a kingdom? Armor? A war? My head spun, trying to reconcile this prophecy with the life I knew. Erix, sitting beside me, had more presence of mind.

"But... how?" Erix's voice broke through my swirling thoughts. "She's second in line to the throne. How can she be queen?" His voice tightened as he turned his focus toward Xenos. "You called me Prince Erix. But I am neither royal nor noble. You must know that."

The look that passed between Xenos and Katrina was filled with worry, though they tried to conceal it. Pop-pop sighed, placing his fork down as he regarded Erix with grave seriousness. "Aurora can look through memories," he said, extending his hand toward me, the veins on his knuckles standing out as if the centuries weighed heavily on his skin. "If she looks into mine, she will understand."

I hesitated, my hand hovering above his. A part of me wanted to know the truth, but another part—deep down—was afraid of what I might see. Queen Katrina placed a firm yet gentle hand on Pop-pop's, stopping him. "Some things are meant to be kept in the past," she said, her voice gentle but resolute. The air around us thickened with unspoken secrets, filling the room with a tension so thick I could almost feel it in my bones.

The glowing Lotus key in my palm pulsed with light, its warmth seeping into my skin, but I barely noticed. My thoughts were consumed with the implications of everything they had said. A kingdom? My kingdom? What power could I possibly possess to fulfill this prophecy?

I shifted uncomfortably, pushing my chair away from the table. My eyes drifted to Erix, my fiancé, who remained tense beside me, his jaw clenched in contemplation. He looked at me as if searching for answers that I didn't have.

"If we're done here," Erix said, his voice laced with frustration as he stood abruptly, "I'd like to take my fiancée away for some air."

We both stood, bowing briefly before leaving the room. The weight of their revelations still clung to me like a shadow, but as soon as we stepped outside the manor, the cool night air provided a temporary reprieve. Erix held my hand as we walked in silence, neither of us daring to bring up the conversation that had just transpired.But the silence didn't last long. From the darkness, a pair of unfamiliar pink eyes flickered into view, watching us from the shadows.