Chapter 23 — "The Queen's Interrogation"
X & Zak — The Race Back to Hollowfen
The forest below blurred into streaks of green and black as X sprinted south with Zak close behind. The last werewolf lackey's dying words echoed in their heads:
"Ronan… and the Alpha… East Woods…"
X's jaw clenched.
Zak pushed harder to keep pace, breath ragged.
"X—" he growled, "I don't know if we'll make it in time. We're five days into the north. Hollowfen is—"
"Five slow, searching days," X snapped. "We weren't moving fast. We were hunting."
He stopped abruptly.
"We aren't far from home now… not if we fly."
Zak stumbled to a halt.
"You know I'm not pure, X. Only pure hybrids have those wings."
X's expression hardened with resolve.
"Which is why," he said, wings erupting from his back in a flare of black-silver light,
"I'll see you when you get there."
Zak stared, stunned.
"X—don't you dare leave me behind—"
"Do not keep me waiting."
And with a single beat of his wings—
FWOOOM—!!
X shot into the sky, tearing through the clouds, angling straight toward the east woods.
Zak watched the shrinking figure, awe and worry twisting inside him.
"…Damn it, X," he muttered, running again.
"Don't die before I get there."
Selene — The True Vampire Queen Awakens
In the stone cell beneath the estate, Selene stood silently before the captured spy vampire.
She twirled the stolen earring—the communication charm—in her fingers.
"Still waiting for your queen to answer," Selene said softly. "But she won't. She knows I'm close."
The spy forced a smirk.
"You won't kill me. You need me alive."
Selene tilted her head.
"Do I?"
The spy's smirk faltered.
Selene took one slow step forward, her presence suddenly suffocating, ancient, regal—
the presence of a true vampire queen.
"Tell me everything," she said.
"Or die."
The spy laughed shakily.
"You wouldn't—"
Selene began chanting.
Ancient. Cold. Deadly.
The spy's skin cracked like dry stone.
Her veins glowed a furious crimson.
She gasped, collapsing as her insides felt like molten metal.
"W-Wait—STOP—!!" she shrieked, screaming as fire tore through her limbs.
Selene's voice remained calm.
"What's worse?" she asked.
"Dying… or becoming a human for me to feed on for the rest of your short, pitiful life?"
The spy's eyes widened with horror.
"H-Human…? No—no—no—please—!"
Selene resumed chanting.
Blood burst from the spy's mouth as her fangs retracted halfway.
Her immortality trembled—cracking.
She began to sob.
"STOP! PLEASE! ANYTHING BUT THAT! PLEASE!"
Selene stopped chanting.
She crouched beside the trembling vampire, cupping her chin.
"Then tell me everything. I want names, ranks, plans… every secret you carry."
The spy nodded frantically.
"I—I'll talk—I'll talk—I'll tell you everything—just don't strip me—don't make me—human—please—"
"Good."
Selene's tone was cold as winter steel.
"Start with your name."
The spy swallowed hard.
"M-Mira… my name is Mira."
"And now," Selene whispered, eyes glowing crimson,
"Tell me what my sister is planning."
Mira trembled…
And she began to speak.
Everything.