Valeria's POV
The world felt different after Nyx's visit. A shift in the air had settled over me, as though the earth itself was holding its breath. Even now, as I stood in my penthouse office, watching the city sprawled below me like a glittering, lifeless toy, I couldn't shake the unease gnawing at my insides. Nyx's power lingered, a dark presence that whispered in the back of my mind. He had broken Adrian—broken him with a single act of manipulation—but that was only the beginning. There was more to this, something more sinister that I couldn't yet see.
I had brushed aside Nyx's theatrics, convinced that there was nothing left to lose. But one question continued to gnaw at me: why was he so determined to break Adrian? What was it about him that Nyx wanted to strip away so badly?
The weight of these thoughts pressed down on me as I reached for my glass of whiskey. But as my fingers brushed the cool glass, I felt it—an unmistakable shift in the air. A presence, ancient and undeniable, filled the room.
I turned sharply, my heart skipping a beat as I found myself facing a woman bathed in the ethereal glow of the moonlight streaming through the windows. She stood in the doorway, her robes of midnight blue shimmering with silver runes that pulsed with an energy beyond my understanding.
"Oracle," I whispered, the name slipping from my lips like a prayer.
Her eyes met mine—ageless, deep, filled with the weight of countless lifetimes. I knew instantly that nothing she had come to say would be easy.
"You know why I've come," the Oracle's voice was low, calm, yet carrying an undeniable weight. "There is something you must know—something that will change everything."
I nodded, my pulse quickening. I had not expected to see her again.
"What is it?" My voice steadied, though the anxiety that had plagued me for days was now rising, coiling tight in my chest.
The Oracle stepped forward, her movements graceful and fluid, like she moved between worlds with ease. I could feel the power she carried—an ancient knowledge that thrummed through the air, pressing against my skin like a tangible force.
"The truth," she said, her voice heavy with an edge of sorrow, "is far darker than you can imagine."
I stiffened. A knot twisted in my stomach. "What are you talking about?"
"The spell that broke your bond with Adrian wasn't an accident," the Oracle continued, her gaze unwavering. "It was orchestrated—manipulated by forces beyond your control."
"Callista," I breathed, the name bitter on my tongue. The image of her, with her siren allure, lured Adrian into that kiss, severing the bond we had fought so hard to build. Betrayal was too weak a word for it.
The Oracle nodded, her eyes filled with the depth of ancient knowledge. "Yes. Callista was used as a pawn. Nyx instructed her to place a lust spell on Adrian, to lure him with its intoxicating magic. She used the spell to ensure that the bond you shared would snap. It was no accident. It was deliberate."
The air in the room seemed to go still as I processed the revelation. Callista had always been a complication, but this? This was far beyond a mere obstacle. This was a calculated attack on everything I had built.
"But why?" I demanded, my voice harsh and strained. "Why did Nyx want this? Why destroy what we had?"
The Oracle's expression darkened, her eyes clouding with sorrow. "Nyx's plans are far-reaching, Valeria. The breaking of your bond with Adrian was but a small part of something much larger—a ritual, the culmination of which will consume everything."
I felt my breath catch in my throat. "What do you mean?"
The Oracle's gaze sharpened. "Nyx is preparing something—a ritual. It will bind you to him in a way no one can escape."
A cold chill ran through me. "What kind of ritual?"
"A marriage," she said, each word heavy with significance. "But not just any marriage. It is a supernatural union, a joining of power. You will become his equal—his counterpart in the most literal sense. It will elevate him beyond anything you can comprehend—make him more powerful, more dangerous than you've ever feared."
The words hit me like a physical blow. A marriage? Nyx wanted to marry me? The thought of it twisted my stomach, but there was more. I could feel it in the air, the Oracle's silence heavy with unspoken truths.
"Why?" I asked, my voice thick with disbelief. "What does he gain from that? Why me?"
The Oracle's gaze softened, but there was no kindness in it. "Nyx has never been one to act without purpose. By binding himself to you, by merging your powers, he believes he will gain dominion over the supernatural realm. He will ascend, and you, Valeria, will be his queen. Together, you will rule—whether you wish it or not."
My blood ran cold. The thought of being bound to Nyx, of becoming his queen in such a twisted, forced union, was more repulsive than anything I had imagined. But there was still more, I could see it in her eyes.
"What else?" I whispered, almost afraid to ask.
The Oracle hesitated, her voice lowering. "Nyx's desire to bind you is not just for power. He seeks your heart, your loyalty. He wants to erase your will, make you his in every possible way. He will use this ritual to claim you, to break you, and to bend you to his desires. He believes that through you, he can conquer everything."
The weight of her words hit me like a blow. To be reduced to a pawn, a tool for Nyx's dark ambitions... I felt the rage bubble within me, but it was mixed with a crushing sense of helplessness.
"What about Adrian?" I asked before I could stop myself, the pain of his absence still fresh in my chest. "What happens to him?"
The Oracle's expression softened with a glimmer of sympathy. "Adrian is not the focus now. You are."
The ache in my chest deepened, a dull, throbbing pain. "What do I do?" I whispered.
The Oracle's gaze remained unwavering. "You must stop the ritual before it begins. If Nyx completes it—if he binds you to him—there will be no escape. You will be trapped in a world of his making, forced to serve him, to be his queen."
The gravity of her words threatened to crush me, but there was no time for fear. I had to act. I couldn't let Nyx win.
"You are not alone in this," the Oracle continued, her voice tinged with a flicker of hope. "There are others who know of Nyx's plan. Others who will help you—if you trust them."
"Who?" I demanded, my voice sharp. "Who else is out there?"
"The Elders," the Oracle replied, her tone hesitant. "They know more than you think. But they are divided. Some wish to see Nyx's rule succeed. Others would see him stopped. It will be up to you to choose where you stand."
The mention of the Elders made my stomach twist. Ancient beings, their power rivaling even Nyx's, but I didn't have time to question alliances. I had to stop this, and I had to do it quickly.
"How much time do I have?" I asked urgently, panic clawing at my throat.
The Oracle's expression darkened. "Not much. The ritual is close to completion. You must act before the bond is sealed."
I nodded, my resolve hardening. I wouldn't let Nyx win. Not after everything I had sacrificed.
Before she vanished, the Oracle spoke one last time, her voice carrying a final warning.
"Remember, Valeria, the truth is not always what it seems. Trust your instincts. And beware of those who offer their loyalty. They may have their own agendas. "Also Do not blame Adrian," she said softly, the wisdom in her voice laced with compassion. "No mortal could stand against the lust spell.
Nyx commanded through Callista. It was designed to overpower him, to break the bond between you. He was but a vessel"
And then, as silently as she had appeared, she was gone—leaving me with nothing but her words, the weight of my choices, and the darkness ahead.
Adrian's POV
I woke to darkness. My body ached as though it had been torn apart, but the pain couldn't keep me from thinking.
I could still feel Valeria's absence—a cold ache in my chest. I had failed her. I had failed us.
But the truth? It wasn't over.
Nyx had tried to break me. And in many ways, he had succeeded. But not completely. Not yet.
I didn't know what the future held, but one thing was certain: I wasn't done fighting.