POV: RAVION BLACKCOURT
Timeline: Immediately after
Location: Nocterra → War Room
---
I am going to kill everyone involved in this.
With maximum suffering.
---
"Your Majesty."
General Marcus stands at attention.
"The guards report Prince Kieran left through the portal chamber approximately two hours ago."
"And no one stopped him?!"
"He's the prince consort, Your Majesty. He has free access to all portals."
I want to rage.
To lash out.
To tear this castle apart stone by stone.
But that won't get him back.
---
"Seal all portals," I command. "No one in or out without my express permission. Double the guards on everything. I want every inch of this castle searched. If there are any Shadow Court agents hiding here, I want them found. Now."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Marcus leaves.
I turn to the map spread across the war table.
Where would they take him?
The Shadow Court doesn't have a permanent base.
They move constantly.
Hidden locations.
Pocket dimensions.
Places that shift and change.
Finding them should be impossible.
But I've never let impossible stop me before.
---
The mirror flares.
Nyx appears with Kaelis.
"Anything?" I demand.
"The bond is still blocked," Kaelis says. He looks wrecked. "I've been trying for an hour."
"They're using suppression magic," Nyx says. "Strong suppression. We need to break through it—"
"Or find another way to track him," I interrupt.
"What other way?"
I pull out a small vial.
Inside, a single drop of blood.
"From when he was injured in the battle," I explain. "I kept it. For emergencies."
"Blood magic," Nyx says slowly.
"I can track him through his blood. It's dark magic. Illegal in most realms. But—"
"Do it," Kaelis says immediately. "I don't care if it's illegal. Find him."
"It's also dangerous," I warn. "Blood magic can be traced back. Whoever's holding him will know we're looking. They might move him. Or hurt him to prevent tracking."
"Then we move fast," Nyx says. "Track him. Get his location. Portal in before they can react."
"That's the plan."
---
I set up the blood magic ritual.
"This magic is powerful. Volatile. One person can't control it alone."
"I'll help," Nyx says immediately.
"You're water-based. This is blood and shadows—"
"I don't care. Tell me what to do."
We work quickly.
The ritual is complex—
runes drawn in shadow-ink,
candles placed at precise points,
the blood drop at the center.
Kaelis watches, practically vibrating with anxiety.
"How long?" he asks.
"Minutes. Maybe less if we're lucky."
I light the final candle.
The ritual activates.
---
The blood drop rises.
Hovers.
Begins to glow.
"It's working," Nyx breathes.
The drop elongates.
Forms into an arrow.
Points—
North.
"He's north of here," I say. "Far north. Beyond the borders."
"How far?"
"At least five hundred miles. Maybe more."
"That's—that's the Shadowlands," Nyx says slowly.
Kaelis looks between us. "What's the Shadowlands?"
"Cursed territory," I explain. "Where reality breaks down. Where dark magic runs wild. It's—"
"Perfect hiding place for the Shadow Court," Nyx finishes grimly.
---
"Can we portal there?" Kaelis asks.
"Not directly. The Shadowlands reject direct portals. We'd have to travel by conventional means." I study the blood arrow. "At least three days' journey."
"Three DAYS?!" Kaelis looks stricken. "We don't have three days! They could hurt him! They could—"
"There's one other option," Nyx says quietly.
I already know.
I don't like it.
---
"The Storm Paths," I say flatly.
"The what?" Kaelis asks.
"Ancient routes through the sky," Nyx explains. "Created by the first gods. They bypass normal geography. Can get you anywhere in hours instead of days."
"So let's use them!"
"They're unstable," I say. "Dangerous. One wrong step and you fall through reality into void space. And—"
"And they require immense power to access," Nyx finishes. "The kind of power that would drain both of us completely."
"But we'd get there fast," Kaelis says. "To Kieran. Before they can hurt him."
Nyx and I exchange looks.
---
"We'd be going in weakened," I point out.
"Against the Shadow Court at full strength," Nyx adds.
"In their territory."
"With no backup."
"Probable death."
"Almost certain death."
We look at Kaelis.
He's crying.
But his expression is steel.
"He's my brother," Kaelis says. "My twin. My—" His voice breaks. "He jumped in front of death magic for me. I'm not leaving him in a cursed realm for three days while they do gods-know-what to him."
"Even if it means probable death?" I ask.
"Especially if it means that." He wipes his tears. "Are you with me or not?"
---
I think about Kieran.
My husband.
My consort.
The boy who fell through time and somehow became the center of my entire world.
The person I would burn kingdoms for.
Die for.
"I'm with you," I say.
"So am I," Nyx agrees.
"Then we take the Storm Paths," Kaelis says.
---
"We'll need supplies. Weapons. Protection spells—"
"We have one hour," I interrupt. "After that, we go. With or without preparation."
"Agreed."
We scatter.
Gathering what we need.
Preparing for what might be a suicide mission.
---
But as I'm strapping on my armor,
checking my weapons,
layering shadow magic protections—
I feel nothing but determination.
They took Kieran.
They made the mistake of thinking I wouldn't come for him.
That I wouldn't tear apart reality itself to get him back.
They're about to learn why I'm called the Dark King.
And why you never, ever take what's mine.