The four kings stepped back to give Raziel and Nyx a moment of privacy. Even Umbra walked back to his throne, watching them but saying nothing.
Raziel pulled Nyx to the far side of the room, making sure they were far away from Umbra.
"Why?" He whispered with his hand resting on her arm gently. "Why are you doing this?"
"Because I need to know the truth."
"What truth? What could possibly be worth this?" He gestured at the ruins of the throne room.
"About the Beastworld, about the kings and about you. Nyx replied.
"Me?"
"Umbra says your ancestors betrayed him, that human genocide was planned by your ancestors. If I've to live here. I need to know why this world is worth surviving."
"You'll really come back here to him after you pass all the trails?" Razeil asked.
"Yes. But Raziel…" She stepped closer. "I'm coming back to get answers. I'm not leaving you."
"What if the answers Umbra gives you make you hate us? Make you hate me?"
"Then we deal with that when it happens but hiding from the truth doesn't make it go away. It just makes it more dangerous when it's finally revealed."
Raziel closed his eyes in frustration.
"You're right. But my every instinct is screaming to grab you and never let you out of my sight again."
"But you can't cage me, Raziel. Even to protect me." Nyx smiled.
"Because caging you means losing you?"
"Yes."
He opened his eyes, and Nyx saw acceptance in them.
"But when you're in the Pride Lands, you won't leave my sight. Not even for a moment."
"Deal."
"And when you go to face Sylthis, I'll be following you. The other kings can call it whatever they want. I don't care."
"That's against the rules."
"I don't care." Razeil said. "They can execute me for it later but I'm not letting you face the Serpent King alone."
Under normal circumstances, Nyx would've argued and told him it was foolish, unnecessary, and dangerous. But seeing the worry on his face, she couldn't.
"Okay." She replied.
Raziel pulled her close, careful of her injuries but unable to hold back anymore. He held her like she was the only thing keeping him alive. He buried his face in her hair, breathing her in, reassuring himself that she was alive and with him.
The sudden hug took Nyx by surprise. A hug from the Lion King was the last thing Nyx expected, but she didn't fight it. She hugged him back because it felt right.
Behind them, Darius cleared his throat loudly.
"As touching as this is, we should leave before this place collapses on us."
Reluctantly, Raziel released Nyx. But he held her hand immediately. They walked toward the portal together. Darius, Korran, Sylthis, and Zephyr had already stepped through. Raziel paused at the exit point and looked back at Umbra for one last time.
"If you try to kidnap her again or hurt her…"
"Yes, yes, you'll destroy me, end my existence, burn the shadow realm to ash." Umbra waved dismissively. "Go. Protect your human. Prepare her for the serpent's poison and the hawk's tests."
Raziel's jaw clenched, but he said nothing. He pulled Nyx through the portal, and then it closed behind them.
Umbra sat alone in the throne room, surrounded by cracked pillars and shadows.
"She's perfect. She's strong enough to stand between two alpha predators, smart enough to want truth and brave enough to face what's coming." Umbra muttered.
He stood up and walked towards one of the walls covered in ancient text.
When human and beast unite in true bond…when trust replaces fear… when love breaks the chains of hate…the stolen kingdoms will fall… and the world will be reborn.
"Soon, little catalyst." Umbra smiled. "Complete your trials, earn their trust and make the Lion King love you so desperately that he'll choose you over everything."
DEEP SHADOWS BORDER
All six of them came out from the portal into absolute chaos. There were hundreds of lions, wolves, snakes, hawks and bears who'd been waiting for their kings to return. The moment they came out, the crowd erupted.
"The kings are back!"
"They found the human!"
"What happened in there?"
Raziel raised his hand, and everyone went silent.
"The human is safe. That's all that matters." He announced. "Return to your posts. Everything is under our control."
"But my king…" One of the lion warriors said.
"I said everything is under our control." Raziel cut him off. "Unless someone wants to challenge my judgment?"
They all dispersed immediately. Kira pushed through the crowd and walked toward Raziel. She looked at him and noticed him covered in blood, and holding Nyx's hand like it was the only thing that mattered.
"What happened in there?" She asked him.
"I'll tell you later in private." Raziel's grip on Nyx's hand tightened. "She needs food, rest and medical attention. No one is allowed to go near her without my permission."
"My king, that's…"
"It's non-negotiable." Raziel's tone left no room for argument. "She was taken once. I can't let it happen again."
"Can you walk?" Kira asked as she looked at Nyx.
"I've walked on worse." Nyx replied as she took a step but immediately stumbled.
Without a word, Razeil carried her into his arms.
"I can walk."
"I know but you don't have to." Raziel started walking toward the Pride Lands. "Let me do this. Please."
Raziel never said please. Nyx smiled and allowed herself to relax in his arms. Behind them, Darius and Korran exchanged glances.
"He's in deep." Darius murmured.
"Drowning." Korran agreed. "Question is whether she pulls him out or drags him under."
"Both." Sylthis replied. "She'll destroy him and rebuild him. That's what catalysts do."
"You think Umbra is right about her being a catalyst?" Zephyr's analytical mind was already thinking about probabilities.
"I think since Umbra is three hundred years old, he had a lot of time to plan." Sylthis smiled. "And I think the Lion King just became a weakness we'll all have to deal with."
They reached the Pride Lands during the sunset. Raziel carried Nyx directly to his den, ignoring the stares and whispers of his clan members. Inside, he put her down gently on the furs. Healers rushed in immediately, but Raziel sent most of them away.
"Just the senior healer. Everyone else out."
The healers left, except for an elderly female, the same one who'd warned Raziel that Nyx would die if she continued the trials.
"Let me see." She said as she walked toward Nyx to check her injuries.
"The shadow magic healed most of her injuries from the trials. Her ribs are still fractured but better than they were. Her ankle needs rest but should be working in a few days." She said.
"Shadow magic?" Raziel asked.
"Yes. This…" She gestured at Nyx's almost healed injuries. "…isn't natural healing. Someone used very powerful and old magic to heal her."
"Umbra." Nyx replied.
The healer's eyes widened.
"The First King? That Umbra?"
"Yes."
"He is real?" The healer looked at Nyx and Raziel. "The legends are real?"
"Apparently." Raziel's jaw clenched. "And apparently they're interested in my human."
"I'm not your…"
"We're not having this argument again." Raziel cut her off. "Healer, what does she need?"
"Food, water and sleep. She needs complete rest for three days, before any physical activity." The healer stood up. "And someone to make sure she actually rests instead of trying to escape or train or whatever foolish things she's planning."
"I'll handle it." Raziel replied.
"I'm sure you will. Try not to hover so much, my king. Humans don't like feeling caged."
She left before Raziel could respond. Finally, Nyx and Raziel were alone. They looked at each other. The den felt smaller and more intimate somehow.
"You should eat." Raziel said.
"So should you. When was the last time you ate?"
"I don't remember."
"I knew that." Nyx tried to stand up but failed. "We both need food."
Raziel ran immediately to hold her.
"I'll have the food brought here."
"No. I want to go to the main hall, see the Pride and show them I'm alive and not some fragile thing that needs to be hidden away."
"Nyx, you can barely walk…"
"Then help me walk. But I'm not hiding in here like I'm ashamed or broken." She cut him off. "I'm not spending the next three days locked in a room."
"Fine but I'm not leaving your side."
"I wouldn't expect anything else."
They walked to the main hall together. Raziel helped Nyx walk. They were walking slowly, and pausing whenever she needed to rest. The walk should've taken two minutes, but it took twenty.
When they entered the main hall, every conversation stopped. Hundreds of lions turned to stare at the human who'd survived two trials, been kidnapped by a shadow creature, and was still alive.
"Is there any food? I'm starving." Nyx said as she stared back at them.
The tension broke. Some laughed, some rushed to bring food. Within minutes, Nyx was seated at a table with a feast in front of her. Others had gone to their usual routines but the whispers continued.
"She looks half-dead."
"But she's still alive."
"How many times can one human survive the impossible?"
Kira took a seat opposite Nyx and Raziel.
"The other kings want to have a meeting tomorrow to discuss everything."
"Tell them I'll be there." Raziel said.
"They want her there too." Kira looked at Nyx.
"Absolutely not. She needs rest…"
"I'll be there." Nyx cut him off. "If they're discussing me, I should be present."
"You can barely walk."
"Then you carry me if you have to." Nyx took a bite of meat. "What time?"
"At dawn." Kira looked at Nyx with respect. "You really are crazy, aren't you?"
"Probably. But it has kept me alive so far."
"Fair point. I'll arrange the meeting." Kira said as she stood up and left them sitting there.
When they finished eating, Raziel helped Nyx walk back to his den. She was exhausted.
"Sleep." Raziel said as he put her onto the furs. "I'll keep watch."
"You need sleep too."
"I'll sleep when I know you're safe."
"I am safe. I'm here with you."
Raziel sat near her.
"Really or are you just waiting for the next trial, the next time someone tries to kill you?"
"Both probably." Nyx closed her eyes. "But right now, in this moment, I'm the safest."
Raziel watched her fall asleep, her face finally relaxing after so much exhaustion.
And in that moment, he made himself a promise: Whatever came next, he would keep her alive. Even if it cost him everything. Even if it meant losing his crown, his kingdom, his life. Because Nyx Keller had become more important than any of those things.