Nystrix woke to soft purple light spilling into her room. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. The chamber was enormous—too enormous. It smelled faintly sweet, like flowers she didn't recognize. Fancy. Powerful. Just her luck.
A knock at the door made her jump.
"Nystrix?" a gentle voice asked. One of Luthien's sisters stood there, eyes bright and kind. "I thought I'd show you part of the palace."
Nystrix raised a brow. "Fine. Lead the way."
As they walked, she felt the whispers, the stares. Two men lingered on a balcony—Luthien's brothers. Their energy cut sharp and cold, like daggers aimed at her. Great. More people who hated her for existing.
The sister smiled. "Don't mind them. They test everyone. You'll learn to hold your ground."
"Yeah, sure. Easy for you to say," Nystrix muttered.
The palace was unreal. Towers that scraped the sky, gardens glowing faintly, statues so lifelike they almost seemed to breathe. She felt like she'd stepped into a storybook—one she didn't belong in.
At the end of the hall stood a man with dark hair and red eyes. He bowed slightly. "You must be the hybrid. I'm Koisar. I'll show you the rules, if you need."
Rules. Nystrix almost scoffed. I don't follow rules. But she stayed quiet.
The brothers' gazes never left her—cold, calculating. The sisters whispered encouragement behind her.
Then a pulse of magic swept through the hall. Nystrix flinched. The palace itself seemed alive.
The doors opened. Her heart stopped.
"Darius?" she whispered.
Her father stepped in. Older, sharper. But when his eyes met hers, they softened.
"Nystrix," he breathed.
Luthien appeared beside him, tall and unreadable. "He may enter," he said calmly. "But he is in my realm now."
Darius scanned the room—the brothers, the sisters, the glow of the palace. "I only came for her. She is my concern."
Luthien's lips curved faintly. "Good. Respect the rules, or there will be consequences."
Relief fluttered through Nystrix. Both strongest men in her life stood here—her father and Luthien. Both watching.
Zaelie, Luthien sister, brushed a silver-tipped strand of hair behind her ear. "Do not worry. You are safe… for now."
Safe? Sure, Nystrix thought.
One brother finally spoke, his tone sharp as ice. "Do you really belong here, hybrid? Or is this king's fancy?"
Nystrix's jaw clenched, but Koisar touched her arm. Not yet.
They moved toward the gardens. Darius caught up, his voice low. "Be careful. This place… it's beautiful, but dangerous. Your heritage makes you valuable. Never forget that."
Valuable. Nystrix almost laughed. More like marked.
The palace loomed, glowing trees casting shadows, statues watching with stone eyes. She wasn't just a hybrid anymore—she was inside a world that wanted to test her every breath. Vampires. Noctarii. Siblings with eyes sharp enough to cut.
But one thing was certain: she wasn't going to let them scare her.
Later, lying on her bed, her thoughts circled back to Darius. The way he'd arrived, calm despite the power pressing down on him. The way his eyes softened when they found hers. She made a mental note: she had to talk to him properly, hear what he'd seen, and make sure he was safe.
But her memory also replayed the brothers' sneers. Cold. Calculating. She would have to watch them carefully—and maybe, one day, make them regret underestimating her.
A knock broke her thoughts.
"Nystrix," Koisar said, bowing. "The King wishes for you to meet the Noctarii."
Perfect. More judgmental stares, more impossible creatures, more rules she didn't care to follow.
She followed him through twisting corridors. The palace seemed alive, shadows whispering across the walls. Every step made the air thicker.
They entered a hall larger than any she'd seen. Four figures stood there—beautiful, dangerous, each radiating a different kind of power.
A woman with silver-black hair and eyes like burning coals stepped forward. "You… the hybrid." Her gaze weighed Nystrix. "Welcome to the heart of the vampire realm."
Nystrix said nothing.
"You're brave to still be alive," said a blonde woman with sharp features. "Hybrids are endangered."
More like forbidden.
"I know," Nystrix replied flatly.
The blonde smiled, almost approving. "I like this one." She glanced at the others.
Another stepped forward, her beauty soft, earthy—brown eyes, brown hair, nature itself. "She carries two powerful bloodlines. She could disrupt the balance."
"Or strengthen it," a man countered, his voice melodic yet sharp. His presence was intoxicating, his eyes drawing trust—but Nystrix wasn't fooled.
Let them underestimate me, she thought. That's their mistake.
Luthien leaned close, his breath brushing her ear. "They watch everything. Every weakness."
Nystrix shivered—not from fear, but from him. Dangerous distraction.
Focus Nystrix.
Koisar stepped in. "I will stay with you. Observe, learn, remember. The Noctarii respect skill and intellect. Ignore their chatter, but note everything."
"Tell me, hybrid," the melodic man asked. "What makes you think you'll survive here?"
Nystrix met his gaze. "I was born of death."
A faint smile tugged at Luthien's lips. So stubborn, his eyes seemed to say.
The tension in the hall thickened. But Nystrix didn't flinch. This was more than strength—it was a test of wit, courage, presence.
The melodic man laughed softly. "Truly interesting. Perhaps she may yet prove herself."
One small victory. But Nystrix knew the real challenge was just beginning. The Noctarii's reach stretched across realms. She had stepped into a world where every move mattered—and every glance could tip the balance of power.
Luthien brushed her hand lightly as the Noctarii turned away. "Remember," he murmured, teasing, "the eyes of the Noctarii are everywhere. And they enjoy a show."
Nystrix rolled her eyes, heat rising to her cheeks. Dangerous. Infuriating. Magnetic. And the worst part? She hated that she wanted to impress him.
She needed something to distract her from Luthien haze and her mind went back to Darius.
Wonder what he's doing right now
Nystrix was sure that If he saw the Noctarii here he would surely attack or as her to leave this place and the Noctarii would surely kill him as he was a shadow warden.