Chapter Seven
POV: Kade Winter
"Kade, the Queen has sent for you," a guard informed him.
Kade frowned slightly.
Why would the Queen summon me?
Without delay, he made his way to the royal chamber.
"My Queen, I am here," he said respectfully, bowing his head.
"My son," Queen Valeria began softly, "what I am about to ask of you… you must do it for me."
Kade immediately knelt.
"My Queen, you must never beg. Your command is my duty."
The Queen inhaled slowly.
"I want you… to marry Seraphina."
Silence.
Kade froze.
For a moment, he thought he had misheard.
"My Queen… what did you say?" he asked, his voice unsteady.
Her expression hardened.
"Are you refusing me?"
"No!" he replied quickly. "But… does the princess know?"
"She does not," the Queen said calmly. "And she does not need to."
Kade's heart pounded.
"You will become a prince," she continued. "This will change your life."
For two days—
Kade could not rest.
His thoughts were a battlefield.
Duty… desire… fear.
And then—
He made his choice.
"I accept."
POV: Seraphina Vale
"MOTHER!"
Sera's voice echoed through the chamber.
"Why are you trying to marry me off without my permission?!"
Her chest rose and fell rapidly, anger blazing in her eyes.
"I will never agree to this!"
"Seraphina," Queen Valeria said coldly, "you have no choice."
Sera froze.
That tone—
She had never heard it before.
"I said NO!" she snapped. "I would rather die than marry someone I do not love!"
Without waiting for a response, she stormed out.
Moments later…
"Kade!" she shouted.
He turned.
"Why did you accept this?"
Kade stepped closer, nervous but determined.
"My princess… it is not my fault."
Then—
He took her hands.
"I have loved you for a long time," he confessed. "We can be happy together. We can fight the demons side by side."
SMACK.
The sound echoed.
Sera's hand dropped slowly.
"Are you insane?" she said coldly.
"Do not ever touch me again."
Her voice shook with anger.
"What part of NO do you not understand?"
She stepped closer, her presence suddenly… overwhelming.
A strange power pulsed from her.
"I, Seraphina Vale, will never marry you."
Her eyes burned.
"Over my dead body."
Kade stepped back, shaken.
Something about her—
felt different.
POV: Lucien Draegor
"Kieran," Lucien said quietly, "I have been thinking."
"About what, my king?"
"My mate."
Lucien leaned back, his expression unreadable.
"The woman destined to be my queen."
Kieran thought for a moment.
"Then we should visit Ayla Frost."
Lucien stood immediately.
"Take me to her."
The cottage stood deep within the forest.
Small.
Almost laughable.
"This is her home?" Lucien asked.
Kieran nodded. "Yes… just trust me."
He knocked.
The door creaked open on its own.
"Hello?" Kieran called.
Silence.
Then—
A hand touched him.
"AH!"
Kieran jumped.
A girl stood behind him.
Calm.
Unbothered.
"I apologize," she said softly. "I did not mean to scare you."
Her gaze shifted to Lucien.
"Lucien Draegor."
Lucien frowned. "Do I know you?"
"No," she said. "But I know you."
Her voice grew distant.
"You have been appearing in my visions."
Lucien stepped forward.
"Then tell me what you see."
Ayla's eyes darkened.
"You do not need to search for your mate."
She paused.
"You have already found her."
Lucien's chest tightened.
"Who is she?"
"Seraphina Vale."
Silence.
"That is impossible," Lucien said.
Ayla shook her head.
"You are bound to her… by an ancient pact."
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"In another life… before you became the Devil."
Lucien's expression darkened.
"And your child…"
She hesitated.
"…will bring the destruction of this world."
The air turned heavy.
"You must claim her," Ayla continued. "Before another man does."
Outside…
"This is bad," Kieran muttered.
Lucien said nothing.
But his mind was already made.
Suddenly—
A spy rushed toward them.
"My king!"
Lucien turned sharply.
"What is it?"
"The princess… Seraphina Vale…"
Lucien's eyes narrowed.
"She is to be married."
"To Kade Winter."
Everything stopped.
Then—
Rage exploded.
"That is impossible."
His voice dropped.
Deadly.
"She is my mate."
Dark energy pulsed around him.
"They think they can take her from me?"
His eyes burned like fire.
"Never."
"Kieran," he ordered coldly, "find out when the wedding is."
"And summon the Sable Nocturnes."
Kieran stiffened.
"My king… what are you planning?"
Lucien stepped closer.
A dangerous smile formed on his lips.
"We are going to take her."
Kieran's eyes widened.
"My king, that will start a war—"
"I do not care."
Lucien's voice was absolute.
"She is mine."
A pause.
"My Queen."