It should've been a peaceful night.
Bond sealed. Soul stabilized. Yeonjun being… Yeonjun.
But peace and Nightshade Academy went together like vampires and garlic toast.
So naturally, chaos knocked at our door.
Well—actually, he did.
1. The Demon Prince Arrives
It was around 3 a.m. when a blast of crimson fire erupted at the school gates.
The alarms didn't even go off.
Because everyone already knew who it was.
Prince Kael of the Infernal House of Cindervale.
Half-demon. Full drama. Looks like a sin you'd swipe right on and regret later.
Yeonjun was not amused.
"Why is he here?" he asked, fangs already itching.
Kael didn't even glance at Yeonjun. His glowing crimson eyes locked straight on me.
"Amelia Nightshade," he purred, bowing dramatically. "Or should I say... Princess Nightshade."
Cue dramatic gasp from the school statue. (It actually gasped. The janitor's still trying to fix its jaw.)
2. Blood, Birthright & Bombshells
Apparently, the curse mark wasn't just a random evil souvenir.
It was an ancestral crest — the royal sigil of the original vampire monarchs.
"You are the last living heir," Kael said. "Your mother gave you up to protect you. But the throne has found you again."
Yeonjun scoffed. "She's not a pawn. She's Amelia. She can barely pick an outfit, let alone a crown."
"Hey!" I elbowed him. "Rude. Also, accurate."
But Kael wasn't joking.
There was a Summoning Ball in three days.
All Nightshade royalty would be there — and if I didn't attend, the throne would fall into infernal hands.
"Yours, I'm guessing?" I muttered.
Kael smiled, fang-to-fang. "Guilty."
3. Soul-Splitting Decision
Later that night, Yeonjun and I sat on the rooftop, our legs dangling over the edge of the world.
"I don't want a throne," I whispered. "I just want a nap. And maybe tacos."
He smiled faintly. "You've got a choice to make. Fight for it. Or run."
I glanced at him. "If I run… would you come with me?"
He didn't answer right away.
Then: "I would burn the world down for you."
My heart stuttered.
And somewhere beneath the moonlight, the curse mark flickered.
The throne had chosen me.
But my heart… had already made its choice.
4. The Offer
The next day, Kael handed me an ancient scroll.
If I signed it, I'd become the official heir.
Power. Prestige. Immortality.
Even Yeonjun couldn't match it.
But the catch?
I'd have to sever all non-royal bonds.
Including mine with him.
"You'd survive," Kael said, voice like silk. "But he wouldn't. His soul would splinter. Die in pieces."
I didn't even need to think.
I tore the scroll in half and tossed it into the Fire Fountain.
Kael watched it burn.
"You'll regret this," he said, voice suddenly sharp.
Yeonjun stepped out of the shadows.
"I think you will," he said, eyes glowing, canines bared.
5. The Crown Awakens
As the shredded scroll turned to ash, something inside me awoke.
A deep, ancient magic.
The air rippled. My veins lit up.
Every vampire in a mile radius felt it.
Even Kael stumbled back.
"You've... accepted your bloodline without binding the throne," he whispered. "That shouldn't be possible."
Yeonjun looked at me like I'd turned into a nuclear bomb in lip gloss.
"You okay?" he asked.
"I'm fine," I said. "Just casually glowing. Totally normal."
Then, from deep within the earth, something shifted.
A whisper.
A roar.
A call.
And I knew, with terrifying certainty:
The throne was rising.
6. What's Next?
Now? We have three days to prepare for a ball that may decide the fate of the underworld.
I need to master ancient blood-magic.
Yeonjun needs to stop threatening Kael every 6 minutes.
And we both need a plan for surviving royalty without getting possessed, eaten, or sparkled to death by demon nobles.
So yeah.
Just a normal week at Nightshade.