[The Black River of Zahryssar — Midnight]

The storm devoured everything.

Rain crashed violently across the cliffs while the black river beneath Zahryssar roared like a living beast awakened from ancient depths.

And somewhere within that endless darkness a massive silver body crashed violently through the raging waters.

SPLAAAAAAAAASHHHHH!!!

Lyresaph fought against the current furiously, his massive claws scraping against underwater rocks and his blue eyes glowing sharply beneath the storm.

Because upon his back Levin still clung desperately to his scales, one hand wrapped tightly around the dragon and the other protecting his stomach instinctively.

The freezing river water soaked through Levin’s robes entirely. His breathing had already become unstable, and every violent movement of the river sent pain twisting through his exhausted body.

Because upon the back of Lyresaph, Levin still clung desperately to his silver scales.

One trembling hand wrapped tightly around the dragon’s neck.

The other protected his stomach instinctively. Asha remained carefully held between Lyresaph’s massive jaws protectively and high above the storm. Iru flew desperately through the rain, his wings cutting violently across thunder-filled skies.

Then suddenly Lyresaph balanced himself against the rocky riverbank. Massive claws digging into wet stone and the exact moment his body stabilized, Levin gasped sharply.

"GASP—!"

His fingers tightened painfully against the silver scales beneath him because the pain inside his body had begun worsening, but there was no time, no moment to stop and no place to rest.

Because behind them Zahryssar was still hunting and then—

ROOOOOOOOARRRRR!!!

Lyresaph lunged forward violently, his massive body racing through the storm-covered wilderness with terrifying speed; mud exploded beneath his claws. Rain crashed endlessly against his silver scales.

And through darkness the dragon ran, and behind them, far behind them, Red Knights in gigantic serpent forms slithered furiously across the soaked lands, hissing violently.

Their glowing eyes were searching endlessly through the rainstorm, but they could not match Lyresaph’s speed because he was not merely escaping; he was protecting.

And creatures born from imperial mate bonds became monstrous when protecting their masters. And upon Lyresaph’s back Levin struggled to remain conscious.

The storm blurred his vision endlessly; his wet hair clung against his face, and still he forced himself to hold tighter.

One trembling hand moved protectively toward his stomach again. As though desperately reassuring himself, the child remained alive.

Above them Iru’s voice suddenly echoed through the storm.

"Malika—!" The eagle flew lower desperately, rainwater streaming heavily from his wings. "We cannot continue toward the western cliffs!"

Lightning exploded violently across the black skies.

BOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!

"Red Knights are spreading throughout the borders!"

But Levin did not answer immediately because, truthfully, he no longer knew where they were going, not toward Thalryn, not toward safety and not toward certainty.

Only one away.

Away from Silthara, Slyvarakh, the throne, and the empire trying to consume him alive. Anywhere but Zahryssar.

Lyresaph continued sprinting through the merciless storm. Silver scales glowing faintly beneath flashes of lightning, blue eyes sharp, focused, and determined.

And strangely the storm itself almost seemed to protect them. Heavy rain blinded the Red Knights; thunder drowned distant sounds. Flooded desert paths erased tracks instantly.

And the serpent soldiers behind them struggled furiously. Some slid through mud violently; others crashed against flooded rocks. Their massive serpent bodies were slowed by the brutal weather.

And somewhere within the endless storm Levin slowly lifted his exhausted blue eyes toward the black heavens above, breathing unevenly and painfully.

Then quietly, almost like a prayer whispered toward the storm itself, he murmured as his voice broke weakly afterward.

"...Zer...if you are alive..." A trembling breath escaped him. "...then find me before I completely break."

The storm answered with thunder, and beneath the endless black skies of Zahryssar, a grieving consort, an unborn heir, and the creatures loyal to them vanished deeper into the unknown.

While behind them an empire continued hunting through the rain.

***

[Same Time — Far Beyond the Black River]

The storm still raged mercilessly across Zahryssar.

Rain crashed endlessly against the dark cliffs while the furious black river roared behind them like a monster still trying to drag them back toward the empire.

Meanwhile, Raviel and Zyvera finally pulled themselves onto solid land after fighting against the deadly river currents, both completely drenched, both breathing heavily and both looking one step away from collapse.

For several moments neither sibling moved. They simply lay against the muddy ground beneath the storm trying to breathe again.

Then suddenly Zyvera pushed her soaking wet hair away from her face aggressively before glaring toward the black skies.

"...once I meet the Malika again..." She breathed heavily afterward. "...I am demanding triple payment."

Despite the exhaustion, despite the danger, and despite nearly drowning, Raviel laughed, breathless, wild, and completely shameless.

"You are alive enough to complain."

"That does not mean I am happy."

"You survived a death river beneath Zahryssar." Raviel pushed himself upward slowly. "You should feel honored."

Zyvera stared at him with absolute disbelief.

"...honored?" She pointed toward the raging river behind them furiously. "We almost died because you suddenly decided helping tragic royal couples sounded romantic!"

Raviel gasped dramatically afterward, hand over chest, as he smirked lazily. "How cruel. I helped because I possess a beautiful heart."

"You helped because you have emotional problems. That’s the reason why you hadn’t moved on yet."

That immediately made Raviel pause, and for one dangerous second even the storm felt quieter.

Zyvera instantly realized what she had said, and her eyes widened slightly. "...brother..."

But Raviel suddenly laughed again, softly this time and tiredly. "...perhaps."

The answer only worsened the heaviness inside Zyvera’s chest because she knew exactly who he remembered whenever he looked at Levin.

And that memory had never truly left him. Then Raviel pushed wet hair away from his face before finally standing completely, stretching one arm lazily afterward, and his eyes narrowed toward the storm-covered desert ahead.

"Come, we still need to reach the Duke before the Red Knights discover him."

Immediately Zyvera groaned loudly, long and dramatically, as she forced herself upward afterward.

"UGHHHHHH...this is too much."

Rainwater dripped endlessly from her soaked robes while she glared toward her brother accusingly.

"I am warning you right now..." She pointed at him angrily. "...if we die helping royal people, I will haunt you after death."

Raviel chuckled shamelessly. "If you become a ghost, at least haunt me beautifully."

Zyvera looked genuinely offended afterward. "Why am I your sister?"

"Because Lord Urzan enjoys testing your patience."

"That is not funny."

"It was slightly funny."

And despite all the complaining, Zyvera still followed beside him anyway because no matter how irritating Raviel became, she would never leave him alone inside danger.

And together the two siblings disappeared deeper into the storm-covered wilderness.

Still hunted, still exhausted, and still alive. While somewhere far ahead, the fate of Zahryssar continued running through darkness upon the back of a silver dragon.

***

[Silthara Palace — Malika’s Private Residency — Same Night]

The storm above Zahryssar had become violent and merciless, like the heavens themselves were trembling beneath the fury of the empire.

Inside the Malika’s private residence, everything had already descended into horror. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

CRAAAAAAAASSSSSHHHHHHH!!!

A massive marble table shattered violently against the chamber walls; wine spilled across the floors like blood.

Broken glass scattered everywhere and nearby terrified attendants collapsed to their knees trembling violently because Slyvarakh had completely lost control.

"You let him ESCAPE?!"

BOOOOOOOOMMMMM!!!

Rotten silver pheromones exploded across the residency violently enough to crack the chamber pillars themselves. Several attendants cried out painfully. Others struggled to breathe, and some collapsed entirely beneath the pressure.

And Slyvarakh stood at the center of Levin’s destroyed chamber, silver robes soaked from rain, hair disheveled. Sword dripping with blood from the guards who failed him earlier.

His silver eyes looked monstrous now, no longer beautiful, no longer calm, only obsessed.

Then suddenly—

SLASHHHHH!!!

His sword tore directly through the silk curtains surrounding Levin’s bed. The entire canopy collapsed violently afterward; candles crashed onto the floor, flowers scattered everywhere, and the ceremonial chamber prepared for Levin had become nothing but ruins.

The terrified attendants remained kneeling against the floor. Foreheads pressed desperately downward, no one dared speak, and no one dared breathe loudly because everyone understood:

The Malik had gone mad with fury.

Then slowly Slyvarakh stepped toward Levin’s abandoned chair near the balcony, and there upon the floor he noticed something, one broken silver earring. The shattered marriage symbol Levin had still worn despite everything.

Silence filled the chamber afterward.

Slowly, Slyvarakh bent down, picking it up carefully between his fingers, and for one horrifying moment, his expression softened.

"...you still wore this."

The whisper sounded almost intimate and almost broken, but then his silver eyes darkened again violently because Levin escaped while still carrying another man’s symbol.

Another man’s child and another man’s love, he didn’t even get a chance to claim him.

CRAAAAAASSSSHHHHH!!!

Suddenly Slyvarakh hurled the earring across the chamber violently. It struck the mirror directly. The bronze glass exploded instantly.

And outside the chamber, more attendants were dragged forcefully into the residency by Red Knights, crying, begging, and terrified.

"M-Malik, please—!"

"We truly knew nothing—!"

"We swear upon Lord Urzan—!"

But Slyvarakh no longer listened because reason had already drowned beneath obsession. Then finally he turned slowly toward the kneeling servants, silver eyes glowing monstrously beneath flashes of lightning.

"All attendants assigned to the Malika’s residency..." A dangerous silence followed. "...shall be executed before sunrise."

Everything froze. Lady servants immediately burst into tears; some collapsed completely, and others begged desperately for mercy.

"MALIK PLEASE—!"

"We only served the Malika—!"

"We never betrayed the throne—!"

But Slyvarakh’s expression never changed because, to him, Levin’s escape itself was betrayal, and betrayal demanded blood.

Meanwhile, near the shattered chamber entrance, even the Red Knights hesitated faintly because this punishment was madness.

Then slowly Slyvarakh walked toward the window afterward. Storm winds crashing violently through the destroyed chamber. Far beyond the palace, dark deserts stretched endlessly beneath thunder-filled skies, and somewhere within that darkness, Levin was still running.

Slyvarakh stared into the storm silently. One hand gripping his sword tightly and the other trembling faintly with fury and obsession.

Then softly and dangerously he smiled.

"No matter where you run, my dear..."

Lightning exploded across the heavens.

BOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!!!

"...you are my consort now." His silver eyes darkened completely. "...and that...will never change until I am alive."

And beneath the raging storm of Zahryssar, the emperor’s obsession finally transformed into something far more terrifying than desire.

Possession.