The trio reached the heart of the capital—the great house where Peri had grown up, and where her mother was now held prisoner.

Peri's heart thrashed inside her chest. Every step felt heavier than the last, each one echoing her fear. Her lips moved in silent prayer—that her mother was still alive, still breathing.

When they entered, Dolton stopped short. Two soldiers appeared, their spears glinting.

"Come with us," they ordered, leading the three deeper into the house.

Hades felt it—the dark stillness that seeped from behind the grand doors ahead. Something powerful, something rotten waited within. Still, he forced the dread down and stepped forward, his wives close behind.

Inside the hall, a cold voice greeted them.

"Finally," said the man on the throne. "You're here."

Hades had never seen him before, yet he knew. The sharpness in his gaze, the aura of darkness around him—this was no pretender.

"The King of Death," Hades said quietly. "Xelrath Halcrest."

Peri's eyes burned. "That seat doesn't belong to you!"

Xelrath's grin twisted. "Have you ever heard of conquering through dominance, girl? Your mother lost. This kingdom is mine now."

Hades crossed his arms. "Did you really win it all by force, by defeating every single soldier

The king's lips curled. "You and your little wife think you matter that much?"

Hades gave a faint shrug. "If not through power, then through trickery, perhaps."

Xelrath leaned forward, his smile fading into shadow. "Do you know what all weaklings share? They can't stop poking giants, hoping to make them angry." He leaned back again, casual and cruel. "Don't worry. I'll kill you soon enough."

He raised his hand.

From behind the throne, a fragile form floated out—blood-soaked, limp, broken.

Peri froze. Her breath shattered.

"M-Ma…" she whispered, tears spilling before she could stop them.

Beatrice hung in the air, her face bruised and drenched in blood. Luna's voice trembled. "She's dying…"

Peri lunged forward—but two soldiers crossed their spears before her.

"Wait," Xelrath said, smiling lazily. "I'll hand her over… in time."

Hades' eyes darkened. "What do you want, Xelrath? My life? Stop hiding behind a bleeding woman and fight me."

Xelrath chuckled. "You'll die, Chaos Heir, but not yet. What I want... is her."

His gaze landed on Peri.

"I can feel Samarella inside you," he said. "If I can't take them apart, I'll take them both."

Peri shook with fury. "You think I'd ever belong to you?"

He shrugged. "You will—"

Then Hades heard it.

[Hades.]

A voice echoed in his head.

[That woman won't live long enough for this to end.]

Hades grit his teeth. 'Then tell me what to do. Now.'

[You need to draw his attention away from that woman and your mate. Make him lose control—only then can you save her.]

Hades' eyes fixed on the dark-haired man. His thoughts turned sharp.

'Other than his name and reputation, I know nothing about him.'

[Then why do you think I'm here?]

A faint smirk tugged at the corner of Hades' lips before it faded.

Then Xelrath's voice sliced through the air like a blade.

"So, what will it be, Hades? Save your mother-in-law by sacrificing your wife—or save your pride and watch one of them die?"

Peri trembled. She couldn't breathe for a heartbeat. The thought of yielding, of joining the man who destroyed everything she loved, burned her from the inside out. Yet her chest ached for her mother—the one woman who never broke under pain, who had ruled and nurtured her with the same fierce heart.

Every eye turned toward Hades, waiting.

He lifted his head slowly, gaze finding Beatrice's broken form. His lips curled—not in defeat, but in provocation.

"Doesn't this remind you of something?" he murmured, voice cutting through the silence. "Someone precious to you… tortured the same way, while you stood there trying to make a deal with me?"

Xelrath's brows drew together. "What nonsense are you talking about?"

Hades stepped forward, a cruel grin twisting across his face. "Come now, you can't have forgotten her name so easily." He leaned in, each word heavy with intent. "Zarafina."

Ba Dum

The sound of Xelrath's heartbeat echoed in his own ears. His chest tightened, breath shallow. Rage, grief, and something raw began to boil under his skin.

"What did you just say?" he asked, his tone trembling ever so slightly.

Hades' gaze sharpened. "I said—how could you forget? The woman who waited for you with a smile, day after day. And then, one day, that smile was torn away—covered in blood because of your own pride."

The air grew thick. Xelrath's hands trembled, dark energy rippling around him as an old wound was torn open.

Hades took another step closer. "You couldn't save her then, and you won't save anyone now if you let your temper blind you again."

"Stop it!" Xelrath roared, his voice cracking under the weight of anger. "No more… just shut up!"

Hades let out a cold laugh. "Looking away from the truth again because it burns too much?" He leaned closer, eyes flashing. "You disappoint me, Zar."

The air shattered.

Something deep inside Xelrath snapped—his calm vanishing like smoke in a storm.

"Zerathos!" he screamed. His power burst outward, and Beatrice fell limp to the ground as he slammed his hands into Hades' chest, sending him crashing through the wall and out into the courtyard.

Dust and broken stone rained down around them.

Inside, Luna lunged toward Beatrice, but two soldiers blocked her path, spears crossing once again.

Luna hissed, voice low and sharp. "Your master's gone. Let's see if you can still stand without him."

Silver scales spread down her arms like a living armor, glinting beneath the dim light.

Peri's claws slid out, ruby-red against her trembling fists. Her breath came in furious bursts.

If she couldn't protect her mother now—then everything she'd ever trained for, every scar, every pain—would mean nothing.

The soldiers lunged first, steel flashing under the dull light.

Luna met them head-on—power, raw and wild. Her fist crashed against a spear shaft, shattering it like brittle wood. She twisted, swinging her knee into the soldier's chest with a deep thud that knocked the air out of him.

Peri moved in right beside her, quick and sharp like lightning. When one soldier swung a blade toward Luna's back, Peri slipped between them, her red claws cutting through the air and slicing the man's armor clean across the chest. She spun low, slashing behind his knees, and the soldier dropped with a groan.

Luna roared and slammed her palm into the ground, the stone cracking under her touch. The shockwave threw two men off balance. Peri didn't waste a second—she darted forward, claws flashing, carving narrow slits through their weapons before landing silent, deadly strikes across their arms.

The soldiers regrouped fast, circling the women like wolves. One came in high, another low. Luna caught the first blow with her arm and grinned, her silver scales gleaming as sparks flew. She turned the block into a punch that sent the attacker sprawling into a wall.

At the same time, Peri ducked the second swing, twisting around to slice his belt and leg armor, stepping just aside before striking the pressure point at his neck. He went down hard.

They locked eyes for a brief moment—one glance, one breath—then moved together.

Peri dashed in close, fast as wind, forcing a soldier to raise his shield. That single opening was all Luna needed—her kick broke through his guard. The sound echoed like thunder.

Another soldier tried to tackle Peri from behind, but she spun backward, using his arm as a pivot, flipping him over her shoulder and into Luna's waiting fist. One hit, and he didn't get up again.

The last two men hesitated now, panting, blades trembling.

Luna smirked. "Ready?"

Peri nodded once. "Always."

They blurred into motion. Luna grabbed one soldier's spear, snapping it in half and driving the broken shaft into the ground. Peri used it as a springboard, leaping high and slashing down in a crimson arc that cracked the soldier's helmet.

Luna finished the last one with a crushing elbow to his chest.

Within moments, the hall fell silent—only the hiss of their breath and the clatter of fallen weapons filling the air.

Peri turned to her mother's still form, her claws dripping faintly with blood and fury. "Hang in there, Ma… you are safe now."

Luna instantly knelt beside the lady before dropping the potion she made with her own blood.

As the droplets of potion slid down her throat, her complex improved, her breathing became more vivid.

Peri heaved a long sigh of relief seeing her mother now out of danger.

Just then,

**BOOOOM**

A huge explosion erupted outside.

Peri and Luna exchanged a look before they said at the same time,

"Hades."

However, before Peri could get up, Luna said, "Stay with your mother. I will go check on him."

°°°°°°

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