Rex swept Nova into his arms with a fluid, instinctive motion, her unconscious form curling against his chest. Before any of them could speak, Redmoon straightened to his full height, authority rolling off him like a tidal wave.
"With me. Now."
The command was kingly enough to silence the entire library.
Rex met his father's gaze and gave a single sharp nod, already understanding where they were being led. The Royal Family's private wing—the one sealed off by bloodline and oath.
Redmoon moved quickly but with purpose, leading them past towering shelves and down a secluded alcove. He reached for an ornate portrait—a centuries-old painting of a Redmoon King—and pressed his palm flat against the frame.
The portrait swung inward like a door.
A hidden passage stretched into darkness, lit only by faint red runes that flared to life at the king's presence.
"Stay close," he ordered without looking back.
They followed without hesitation. Rex carried Nova. Jax and Fin flanked them like shadows. Aeron and Elle moved behind, guarding the rear. Every footstep echoed with urgency.
The tunnel opened into a set of massive double doors, carved with dragons coiled in eternal battle. Redmoon pushed them open.
Inside lay chambers befitting a dynasty—vast, quiet, sheltered from the world. A domed ceiling glowed faintly with starlight sigils. A marble fountain whispered in one corner. A private hearth burned low. A sitting area draped in deep crimson and gold awaited them. It was the kind of suite reserved only for heirs, kings, and their mates—equal in grandeur to Cael's and Jax's rooms in Shadowclaw.
Someone must have mindlinked ahead, because Alejandro was already waiting, sleeves rolled up, satchels open, eyes sharp.
The moment Alejandro saw Nova limp and blood-streaked in Rex's arms, his expression shifted—grave, controlled, and deadly serious.
"Lay her down," he ordered. He eyed the hole in her and his eyes darkened.
Rex obeyed instantly, lowering Nova onto the bed with a gentleness that contrasted the raw fury still burning behind his eyes.
Alejandro moved to her side, already assessing the rise and fall of her chest, the pallor of her skin, the blood still staining her nose.
"Where is Hyran?" Alejandro asked without looking up.
"He's on his way," Redmoon answered, voice clipped with restrained urgency.
A beat of silence hung heavy.
Then Aeron spoke, his tone low and precise. "Did any of you see something before she collapsed?"
Rex didn't hesitate. "I saw an item. Golden. Covered in runes. He had a vial of her blood. It lit when the blood touched it. The room looked like a study—chaotic, old stone, shelves overturned." His jaw flexed. "Wherever he was, it was well warded."
Fin nodded once, stepping closer. "I saw the same."
"So did I," Jax added, voice taut with restrained rage.
Aeron exhaled slowly, every piece falling into place behind his calculating gaze. "Was it clear?"
"Yes," Fin, Rex, and Jax answered at the same time.
Aeron's mouth curved—not into a smile, but something edged and knowing. "Then it would appear the opportunity to defeat our enemy has been provided by the enemy himself."
Redmoon let out a slow breath. Rex's grip tightened on Nova's hand. Jax crossed his arms, jaw locked.
Aeron raised his voice just slightly, directing it to the room. "I need every volume you possess on Moonveil. Any record of relics, heirlooms, coronation rites, or family artifacts. An item that lights from her blood would not be a simple charm—it would be intimate. Personal. Something tied to the royal line or to her mother. Something like Lycura's Kiss. This is not merely a curse." He paused. "This is possession."