Aurean lingered in the bath far longer than usual, the water cooling around him. He should have gotten out, dressed, and gone about his day. Instead, he found himself staring at the ripples in the tub, lost in the same question that had been circling his mind since dawn.
Should he go to Rythe?
Part of him wanted—no, needed—to see him again, to make sure he hadn't retreated into some dark, unreachable place. But another part urged restraint. Rythe's words had been raw, stripped to the bone. Pushing too soon might drive him further away.
He exhaled, raking a hand through his damp hair.
If I go… will it help him, or only hurt?
The argument in his head was still unresolved when a sharp knock echoed from the outer door. Aurean's steward appeared, bowing low.
"A message from the palace, my lord."
Aurean took the sealed scroll, the wax stamped with the royal crest.
"You have been summoned," the steward added, lowering his voice as though the walls themselves might listen.
Summoned.
The word carried weight—and for a moment, Aurean wasn't sure if he should be more concerned about Rythe, or about what awaited him in the palace halls.
Aurean followed the omega knight through a series of unfamiliar corridors, the air cooler here, quieter, as if this part of the palace was reserved for things not meant to be overheard. When the knight opened a set of double doors, Aurean stepped into a chamber he had never seen before.
The Emperor and Queen sat at the far end, their presence commanding even in repose. Arrayed beside them were the royal siblings and their spouses, each one rising slightly to greet him with warm smiles and courteous nods.
Aurean crossed the room, bowing first to the Emperor and Queen, then offering respectful greetings to the princes, princesses, and their consorts. Only then did he notice the others—seven members of the royal court, faces watchful, their attention fixed on the gathering.
Vaela caught his eye and gestured to the seat beside her. As he settled in, Elion leaned forward, voice pitched low.
"Did you get a summon?"
Aurean inclined his head in confirmation.
Vaela gave him a sympathetic glance, her smile tinged with unease.
"Whatever it is… I have a bad feeling."
He didn't ask. He didn't need to.
Somewhere deep in his chest, he already knew.
This was Rythe's doing—and Rythe was the one they were waiting for.
The heavy doors swung open, and Rythe stepped in with Lareth at his side. The latter closed the doors behind them with deliberate finality, the sound echoing through the chamber like a seal locking into place.
Rythe's gaze swept over everyone—royal family, court members, Aurean—and he inclined his head in greeting.
"We are gathered here," he began, voice steady but grave, "because Ardan is under attack. And this is no ordinary threat."
The air seemed to tighten.
"Despite my efforts to rid the Empire of its traitors, some escaped. What we face… is difficult to explain. The things my men and I fight against are not things the people in this room know—or can even imagine." His eyes briefly touched the faces of the royal siblings, the court, the Emperor and Queen.
"My knights have fought beside me in wars where the enemy was beyond human understanding. They've seen things they swore never to speak of. Only our newest omega knight has yet to face the battlefield."
He exhaled slowly, as if weighing the next words.
"I will do what I can to keep the casualties minimal. But I am unsure how best to act. That's why I've called you here—for counsel, and for any way you can help salvage the situation."
Turning to Aurean, Rythe's tone shifted slightly.
"Aurean is here because he wields the blade Verethian. He knows, at least in part, of the world beyond Ardan. And right now, Ardan needs every advantage she can get."
Maleus leaned forward, voice even but edged.
"Then tell us—what is this enemy we face?"
The question hung for only a heartbeat before the air rippled. Out of nothing, a figure materialized—Seris, veiled and cloaked as ever, radiating an ageless presence.
Gasps and startled movements broke the stillness. Even Lareth's eyes widened. The King and Queen, the court, the royal siblings, and their spouses all rose and instinctively stepped back. Vaela and Astrid clung to Aurean's arms in fear.
"Settle down," Rythe commanded, motioning with one hand. He gave Lareth a brief nod, and the knight visibly forced himself calm. Slowly, the others returned to their seats—though Maleus and Thalan's hands remained clasped, as did Rhalia and Serin's.
"Seris," Rythe addressed her evenly, "why are you here?"
Her voice carried easily to every corner of the chamber.
"I appear only when the line between life and death has been crossed."
Rythe's lips curved faintly.
"Then my life will soon be in danger?"
"At this point," she said, "you already belong to the underworld."
He stepped closer to her. Seris reached up and lowered her hood, and a collective murmur rose as her hair spilled free—long, lustrous, a dark waterfall gleaming in the candlelight. The veil remained, but her beauty was unmistakable.
Rythe leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper meant only for her.
"Keep my family—and Aurean—safe."
She met his gaze, then stepped back.
Maleus rose.
"Who are you? And what do you mean, Rythe's life is in danger?"
Seris turned toward them, her tone cool yet resonant.
"I am a keeper of the threshold between worlds. Rythe has been wrestling with powers none of you can dare imagine. Each time he does, he walks the blade's edge between life and death."
The blood drained from more than one face.
Dain's voice was low.
"And this new calamity—what is it?"
Seris' gaze swept over them.
"A primordial artifact has been brought into Ardan. With it comes a tide of destruction—storms that will blacken the skies, rivers that will bleed into the earth, and a blight that will strip life from the land. In a city this crowded, death will spread faster than any army."
A hush fell over the chamber.
Rythe straightened.
"Then we need to act—protect the citizens, fortify the strongholds, prepare for the worst."
The room erupted into tense voices, each offering opinions and strategies, but the unease remained—a pulse beneath every word, because they all understood now:
this was not a war Ardan had ever fought before.