CHAPTER 16 — ZEPHYRION'S POV
The throne room was silent, save for the occasional hiss of the torches and the distant clatter of guards patrolling the outer halls. Zephyrion sat tall in his throne, his hands steepled before him, eyes fixed on the moonlit courtyard. The night seemed unusually quiet, yet his thoughts were far from peaceful. His mind returned again and again to the girl his sister had brought into the fortress—Leona—and the memory of her capture, orchestrated by Seraphina with unnerving precision.
"Kyle," Zephyrion called, his voice sharp, cutting through the quiet like a blade.
Kyle appeared promptly, bowing. "My king."
Zephyrion did not immediately look at him. Instead, he let his gaze drift over the courtyard, where the shadows stretched long and cold. "Tell me everything we know about the girl my sister delivered. Every detail, every nuance. Do not omit anything, no matter how small."
Kyle's voice was measured, careful. "She is human, my king. Young, cautious, and unsettled. Seraphina oversaw her capture personally, ensuring that nothing went wrong. The girl is observant, alert to her surroundings, though she does not speak out or act rebelliously. Yet there is a sharpness to her that is unusual for someone in her position."
Zephyrion's jaw tightened. He remembered that night clearly. The shadows had been his allies as he watched, unseen, from a distance. The slave seller's transaction, the careful way Seraphina had guided the girl—Leona—through the chaos. Fear had flashed in her eyes, but beneath it, he had seen awareness, intelligence, a subtle defiance. And Seraphina… His sister, both vampire and witch, had planned everything. Every move, every timing, every small detail—calculated to perfection.
"She is more than a mere victim," Zephyrion muttered, almost to himself. "Seraphina planned this meticulously. That girl… she is not here by accident. She is meant to serve some purpose, and I will discover what that purpose is."
Kyle inclined his head, understanding the gravity in Zephyrion's tone. "I will place discreet observers on her immediately, my king. Every step, every glance, every conversation—recorded and reported. Nothing will escape our notice."
Zephyrion's eyes narrowed as he followed the moonlight spilling across the courtyard. Shadows moved like living things, reaching into every hidden corner. Seraphina's schemes were never simple. Her powers as both witch and vampire made her unpredictable and dangerous. This girl, placed here deliberately, observed carefully—was now a part of her design, and Zephyrion knew it.
"Watch her closely," he commanded, voice low and dangerous. "I want updates. Hourly if necessary. My sister is clever, but she is not invisible to me. And this girl… I will not allow her to be manipulated—or harmed—without knowing exactly why."
Kyle's expression remained calm, but Zephyrion detected the slight tension in his shoulders. "It will be done, my king. No movement will escape our notice."
Zephyrion leaned back in his throne, his eyes dark, calculating. I saw her in the shadows once. I will watch her again. And again if I must. Seraphina's cruelty, her magic, and her cunning were formidable, but he had survived her before. He would not be caught unprepared. Both Seraphina and the girl she delivered—Leona—were now variables he could not ignore.
He allowed himself a moment to recall the way Seraphina had moved during the capture, almost casually, her confidence unnerving. As both witch and vampire, she commanded fear without words. Every flick of her wrist, every spell she whispered under her breath, had been calculated. And now, that same power was being directed toward Leona, guiding her into the fortress like a pawn on a chessboard.
Zephyrion's fingers drummed lightly on the armrest of his throne. "Keep her contained, but do not restrict her too much," he said finally. "Observe. Learn. I need to understand exactly how my sister intends to use her."
Kyle inclined his head again. "It will be done, my king."
Zephyrion's gaze returned to the courtyard, his mind racing. He had watched in the shadows once before, unseen and silent, and he would do it again. Seraphina might be his sister, but her cunning and ambition were a threat to everyone in the fortress if left unchecked. And Leona… the human girl who had been brought here so carefully, so deliberately… she was now a piece in a dangerous game, one Zephyrion intended to control.