The throne room of the Ling Clan was carved from shadow and silence. Dark stone rose into towering spires, etched with symbols so old that even time had forgotten their meaning. At the center of it all, upon a throne of obsidian and bone, sat King Alaric Ling — his gaze sharp as steel, his presence suffocating.
Before him, torches flickered against the high walls, their flames a strange green, casting light upon the council that had gathered. Lords and ladies of the vampire clans stood restless, their whispers rising and falling like the hiss of serpents. They were waiting for one thing—the heir.
"He cannot remain among mortals forever," a councilor spat, his fangs glinting. "The prince hides as though ashamed of his blood. Is this what will become of the Ling throne? A coward king?"
The air grew heavy, the torches dimming as Alaric rose. His voice was calm, yet it struck through the chamber like a blade.
"My son is no coward. He is… patient."
At his side, Queen Nerissa Ling stirred. Her beauty was otherworldly, her silver hair spilling like liquid moonlight, her pale eyes endless as the sea she had once called home. She spoke softly, but her words chilled the room.
"Patience can rot into weakness. The boy was born to rule, not to play at being human. It is time, Alaric. Bring him home."
A silence fell, deeper than any shadow. For centuries, the council had waited for Adrian Kael Ling—the prince who was neither fully vampire nor fully mermaid, but something far more dangerous. His absence had kept the kingdom in uneasy balance. But with rivals gathering strength and whispers of rebellion spreading, patience was no longer enough.
Alaric's hand tightened on the throne's armrest. His crimson eyes glowed like fire through smoke.
"Send word," he commanded, his voice echoing like a decree from the abyss. "The prince cannot hide in the human world any longer. If he resists…" A thin smile curved his lips, cold and cruel.
"…then we will remind him where he belongs."
Far above the vampire kingdom, in the quiet pulse of the mortal world, Adrian Ling stood at the top of a glass tower—a CEO, untouchable, flawless. To mortals, he was power incarnate. To his kingdom, he was an heir in denial.
And soon, whether he wished it or not, the dusk would call him home.