Part II : Chapter Forty-Seven

***Keiran ***

Two Essences of Peal leap from the box in my hand.

* Two Pearls. *

The whole thing catches me so off guard that both of them slip through my grip.

One goes left, disappearing into the castle, and the other goes right.

“Fuck,” I shout, “go after them!”

The one on my right shoots off like a star, knocking over several liquor bottles. They hit the ground far too close to the Offering and I throw up a shield around her.
The twins go left. Xaden and I go right.

I follow the magic, my magic because I would know it anywhere.

Twilight House, with its sprawling, labyrinthine hallways and towering spires, rushes past in a blur of shadow and starlight. The essence of the Pearl is a beacon, glowing faintly as it darts through the corridors. The castle itself seems to respond, the wards shimmering as the Pearl breaches them, its power too potent to be contained.

“It's slipping through the wards,” Xaden growls beside me, his eyes glowing with fierce determination. “We can’t let it escape.”

“We won’t,” I say, my voice cold and certain.

The Pearl's essence slips through a high window, and without hesitation, I launch myself after it, my magic propelling me through the air. Xaden follows his own power a dark, swirling mass around him. The night air is crisp and cool, filled with the scent of pine and earth. Below us, the forest stretches out like a vast, living tapestry, bioluminescent plants glowing faintly in the dark.

The Pearl darts through the trees, its light illuminating the path ahead. The forest responds to its presence, the leaves rustling and the flowers blooming in its wake. The land itself seems to awaken, sensing the return of my magic. The Forest Dwellers, hidden in their groves and hollows, look up in awe and wonder, their ancient eyes reflecting the Pearl's glow.

We chase it deeper into the forest, the trees closing in around us. The bioluminescent flora casts an eerie, beautiful light, painting the world in shades of blue and green. The Pearl weaves through the underbrush, evading us with maddening ease.

“We’re close,” Xaden says, his breath coming in short, sharp bursts. “We can corner it.”

The Pearl pauses for a moment, trapped between two towering oaks. I reach out with my magic, trying to pull it towards me. But it slips through my grasp again, darting deeper into the forest.

“Damn it,” I curse, flying after it.

The forest opens up into a wide clearing, the moonlight casting long shadows on the ground. The Pearl hovers in the center, its light pulsating with a life of its own. I can feel my power resonating with it, a deep, thrumming connection that calls to me.

“You can’t escape,” I say, my voice low and commanding. “You belong to me.”

The Pearl seems to hesitate, its light flickering. For a moment, I think I’ve won. But then it shoots off again, faster than before, heading towards the river that marks the boundary of my lands.

“Keiran!” Xaden shouts. “It’s heading for the river!”

The river, a dark ribbon of water that flows between the two mountain ranges, is a place of immense power. Its currents are swift and deadly, and touching it is forbidden. The Pearl skims over the surface, its light reflecting off the water in dazzling patterns.

“We can’t let it reach Moon Court’s lands,” I say, pushing myself to fly faster. The closer I get to the Pearl, the more of my power I feel returning. It’s intoxicating, but it’s nothing compared to what I will have when I possess it fully.

The Pearl reaches the river’s edge and pauses as if considering its next move. I can feel the land responding to its presence, the forest humming with magic. The Forest Dwellers watch from the shadows, their eyes wide with reverence and fear.

“It’s going to cross,” Xaden says, his voice tight with urgency.

“We can’t touch the river,” I remind him. “But we can’t let it escape, either.”

We watch helplessly as the Pearl darts into the river, its light swallowed by the dark, swirling currents. It moves with purpose, heading straight towards Moon Court’s lands.

“Damn it,” I curse again, my hands clenching into fists. “We can’t follow it.”

Xaden’s eyes are hard and determined. “We have to find another way.”

As we stand there, staring at the river that now holds the key to our victory, I feel the weight of our predicament settling over me. The Pearl is out of reach, but I won’t stop until it’s back in my hands. My kingdom depends on it, and I’ll do whatever it takes to reclaim what is mine.
The Midnight King
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