He leaned forward slightly, studying it more carefully.“That wasn’t me,” he said quietly.“No,” Malachar replied from within his mind. “It was not.”The silence that followed felt thick, like the tomb itself was listening to them.Then a new voice spoke.“You are observant.”Kane’s head snapped up.The voice did not come from behind him or from the entrance. It came from everywhere at once, echoing softly through the walls, like it had been waiting for this exact moment.Seraphine stirred behind him now fully awake.Kane stood slowly, his eyes scanning the chamber. “Who’s there?”“You already know the name,” the voice replied.Kane narrowed his eyes. “…Castor?”“Yes.” the voice replied quickly.Malachar went silent.That alone told Kane how serious this was.“What is this place?” Kane asked, gesturing toward the sarcophagus. “And what is that thing?”Castor did not answer immediately and when he did, his voice carried a weight that made the air feel heavier.“That is not a coffin,” h

Seraphine looked up at him. “We leave,” she said.“Right now, before he sends more people after us.”Kane nodded, but he did not move yet. The weight of the name sat heavy in his chest like a stone. It hurt in a terrible way, not just fear, but a burning sadness. He reached out and took Seraphine’s hand. Her fingers were cold, but she held on tight.Suddenly, a voice spoke from the shadows behind them.“You won’t need to go looking for him, Kane.”They both spun around fast.She stepped out of the dark at the back of the tomb. She looked plain and unremarkable with simple travelling clothes, no weapons, a face you could forget in seconds, but her eyes were sharp and patient, like she had been waiting for this exact moment.Kane’s grip on Seraphine’s hand tightened until it hurt. His heart slammed against his ribs. “Who are you, how did you get in here?”Vesper gave a small, calm smile. “I came through a side passage before you even reached the main gate. Seraphine stepped half in fro

Kane’s legs started to ache badly, and he couldn’t stay standing anymore, so he dropped to the ground.One moment he was standing with Seraphine’s hand on his arm and Vesper fighting beside them. The next moment the invisible force slammed into all three of them like a giant hand made of stone. Kane hit the ground hard and dirt filled his mouth. His new power, the Death Pulse, flickered once and went quiet inside his chest.Seraphine fell beside him. She tried to push herself up, but her arms shook and gave way. “Kane,” she whispered. Her voice sounded small and scared. “Get up. Please get up.”Vesper landed on her knees a few steps away. Blood ran from a cut on her forehead. She still held one blade, but her hand trembled. She looked at Voss with weak eyes.Voss walked toward them slowly. His black robes moved in the cold morning wind. His grey eyes looked at each of them like he was checking boxes on a list.“You fought well,” Voss said. His voice was quiet, almost kind. “Better th

Kane looked at her. He saw how hard she was trying to be strong for him. “We will,” he said. “We will find him. We will get out of here, together.”Seraphine was already awake in the cell to his left. She sat with her back straight, watching the door. Her dark hair was messy and her eyes looked tired, but she gave him a small nod when she saw him move. “You are still here,” she said softly. “That is good.”Vesper sat in the cell on the right. She had not slept much either. She looked at Kane and said nothing. Her face stayed calm, but her hands stayed tight on the bars.Voss walked into the room. He wore the same black robes. His grey eyes moved over each of them like he was checking if they had broken yet. Two guards followed him. They carried a small table and placed it in the middle of the room. Voss sat down on the only chair. He looked relaxed, like this was just another morning for him.“Well, well ,well, Good morning,” Voss said. His voice was quiet and polite. “Did you sleep w

That single second was all Kane needed.Inside the darkness, he reached out with the power inside him. Not physically, but through the system that now responded to him differently. He felt the structure of the cells, the locks, the metal, the energy binding them shut and he pushed with command.The system responded immediately.A sharp pulse spread through him, and the locks on Seraphine’s cell clicked open at once, then Vesper’s. The metal loosened so easily and both doors opened quietly in the darkness.Seraphine stepped out first, quietly, her shadows still bending the light so no one outside could see clearly what was happening.In that darkness, Vesper moved. She had already been waiting for this moment.The plan had been simple, once the light was gone, the guards would lose control of guarding the corridor for a few seconds. That was all she needed.She slipped out of her cell quietly, her movements were controlled and precise.The first guard barely had time to react. Vesper s