(Amaia)

"She is a free woman from my side. I will never hold anyone back against their will," King Orion declares to Hathial.

The vampire king pats his shoulder. "I appreciate this step from you and will be fully prepared whenever you are."

King Hathial turns and takes Queen Adrnia in his arms and places such tender kisses on her forehead that I melt only watching them.

He then turns towards Rigel. "I will be looking forward to meeting you again, young man." Adoration flashes in his eyes for Rigel and it dawns on me that he knows Rigel is his son.

Rigel affirms with his head.

Hathial Kane returns to Fudaria after these assurances. The bond between Queen Adrnia and King Orion has been nullified. She didn’t reveal Rigel’s parentage to Orion or my mate. I understand that it’s her decision and she might be waiting for the right opportunity.

Thus begins our preparation for the upcoming ritual.

The royal library became my home for the next few days. The scent of ancient tomes and scented candles kept me relaxed.

Queen Adrnia and King Orion gave me maximum company with my mates visiting often. We studied every book, every manuscript, every scroll and every text we could find on resurrection, black magic, dark creatures and the soul realm.

A book on dark mythical creatures captures my attention. While skimming through it I halt at a creature which is too familiar.

King Orion observes me pondering over it and speaks.

"Agfamarian! The mythical creature you meet when being sorted. It has been Orion’s Guardian creature but no one has seen it for centuries. Some believe that only his consciousness remains. But I think it helps when there is a great need."

Yes, when I touched his statue I was transported to a place where I had met the creature.

His wisdom-filled words remind me of what that creature had said during my sorting.

"The one you will come to find when all will seem lost..." That’s what it had said to me and I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

I lift my eyes and face the king and the queen.

"He had said a few things to me when I met him. None of it made sense to me but it’s becoming clear now."

"What did it say?" Queen Adrnia asks, intrigued.

"Amaia, what a destiny you hold, child." When I asked who he was he answered, "The one you will come to find when all will seem lost. The upcoming war, you will be crucial to it...when the blood moon rises," I reveal.

"Hmmm, that’s very interesting. I don’t think the creature has spoken in such words with anyone. That feels like he predicted the upcoming war." King Orion rubs his chin, deep in thought.

"That’s because you are the Omnifae. Irrespective of what we have been taught and how history was twisted. Omnifae brings peace and balance to the world, especially the light Omnifaes. And that’s what you are destined to do along with your mates," Queen Adrnia reassuringly smiles at me, making me nod.

They also know that Omnifae before me didn’t cause the apocalypse, it was the greed of the witch clan of Istrale that did it.

"With your guidance and help, we can achieve world peace. Is there a blood moon coming?" The creature had spoken about a blood moon when the war would be waged.

"According to my readings, there is no blood moon in the near future. Only Spring Vernal Equinox as a celestial event for the next few months," Queen Adrnia adds, spreading a chart of celestial bodies in front of her and going through it again in case she had missed something.

King Orion and Queen Adrnia spend some time studying it but they are unable to predict a blood moon.

Aziel, Alnitak and Rigel join us in the library to help us prepare for the final ritual. Mintaka has stayed behind with Saiph while Alnilam is busy with state affairs. Queen Adrnia tasks them to arrange the stuff we will be needing.

We go through the ritual several times. Both the king and the queen, my mates and my brother will be there during the ritual. But they will act as our guardians; mine and Saiph’s and power pillars as Queen Adrnia has called them.

The ritual will require people close to Saiph and me with immense powers to hold the boundary while I harness the power and return it into Saiph’s body along with his soul. It will be done, exactly when the evening will start to fall and has to be completed before complete darkness.

"Here, eat this. You will need your maximum strength." Rigel brings me food and feeds me. Without a complaint I accept, knowing he is right. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

"Rigel, can we speak before the ritual?" King Orion quietly asks. For a few moments Rigel doesn’t speak, keeping his gaze on me.

"Please!" The king requests—his tone pleading.

"My crimes are unforgivable, I understand. I apologised to your mum and would like to have a private word with you as well."

Queen Adrnia appears a bit unsettled.

"Rigel, talk to him. For my sake," she gently requests. Rigel hardly leaves her side after being separated from her for 19 years and he listens to her too.

Finally, he lifts his gaze and nods. "Let’s take a walk." Gently pushing the plate towards me he instructs. "Finish your food by the time I return."

Both of them leave the library. Queen Adrnia returns to the celestial charts she is observing. "I know that King Orion is not Rigel’s father. She told me and TJ did the DNA test."

Her shoulders slouch at my words and her grieved eyes deflect towards me. Her hands curling on the paper, knuckles whitening.

"I should have come clean but I just got him back. He is so vulnerable and my other son is gone. Give me some time and I will tell him," she requests.

I reach forward and place my hands on hers. "It’s not my secret to reveal, that’s why I never said a word. TJ won’t either. Whenever you are ready."

Queen Adrnia slowly smiles at me. "Thank you, Amaia. You are extremely kind just like your mother."

"You knew her, right? And my father too?" I ask, trying not to sound too excited about my father.

"Yes, we were friends. She got mated to your father and married him. Your father loved her." She continues to smile while saying. "He loves you too. When all this is over, speak to him."

My heart is so heavy when it comes to him that I don’t even want to see him. But Queen Adrnia is someone I don’t wish to say no to so I half-heartedly agree.