4

The monsters' blazing, hungry eyes continued to watch me. They had stopped moving and were waiting in a spooky silence. I could feel their attention bearing down on me like a big burden. Breath came in short gasps as my chest heaved, and the vestiges of whatever power that had raced through me crackled just under my skin.

I had lost control. Not entirely. Not quite yet.

From above, Kael'vok stared at me as though I were a bizarre experiment under his supervision. It felt oppressive to be around him, even at a distance. Our relationship pulled at me, tying me to him in ways I wasn't yet able to comprehend.

Even I was surprised when I said, quietly but firmly, "I don't want this." "I didn't ask for anything that you did to me."

A dark, sardonic smirk curved Kael'vok's lips. What you want is irrelevant. You are now what you are. What you were destined to be all along.

I stumbled back and shook my head. "You can't control me."

His grin grew larger. "Don't you already sense it? The authority. It permeates you, altering you and tying you to this earth. To me.

I detested how his words penetrated my skin and how their reality came through. None of it should have been possible—not the animals, not their loyalty, not the flame that had surged within me at receiving my word. But I had to admit it. Something primal and raw had awoken within of me thanks to him. something over which I had no control.

You may believe that you can flee, but you can't. His tone was gentle, bordering on mockery. You'll realize what I've provided for you. You'll understand then that it's the only thing that can save you.

My heart was thumping in my chest as I balled my fists. The animals remained calm, as though they were in a trance of some kind. Now, there was a stronger tug between Kael'vok and me, like an unseen thread bringing me back to him. My skin tingled and my body began to hum with restless energy. I wanted to rush away from him and into the furthest regions of the earth, but I knew there was no way out. I couldn't really understand how tied I was to him in the past, but he had claimed and marked me.

The recollection of his touch still throbbed in my hand, and in spite of my dread, I couldn't help but feel a strong longing that I didn't want to confess.

"Enough with the games," I said as I turned away from the animals and fixed Kael'vok in my gaze. "What can I do to help you? How come you marked me?

Tension swelled in the air around us as Kael'vok's visage grew menacing. "Are you still not understanding, then?" There was something more profound in his voice now, something that turned my stomach. You weren't my choice, Alyssa. It was the mark. It came upon you and beckoned you.

Fear crept into my chest like ice and my body tightened. "What are you discussing?"

Reaching the edge of the abyss, Kael'vok's figure towered above me like a black shadow. In the faint light, his eyes sparkled with something ancient and frightening. "The mark outlives both of us." It is the secret to all things. Life, Death, Power. It was meant for you, which is why it found you. You were intended for me.

I stepped back and shook my head. Not at all. That is untrue. I'm merely—

"You are more than that." His dominating, cutting voice sliced through the atmosphere. You were never merely a person. You changed into someone different the instant you stepped foot on this earth. Something extra.

I could feel my world spiraling out of control as the earth shook beneath me. "You're not telling the truth."

Kael'vok's eyes did not stray. "You've experienced it. The way animals obey you, the way your body reacts. You're right, Alyssa. It is now inside of you, growing stronger and feeding off of you.

The air was too heavy for me to breathe, so I pushed my palms to my chest. My heart raced, reminding me with each beat of the strength I now possessed. It wasn't what I wanted. I never requested any of this.

However, he was correct. It was palpable to me.

"What is it that you want?" With a trembling voice, I whispered.

For a brief period, Kael'vok's eyes softened before returning to its hardened state. "I require you. The mark links us together. However, there's more. This world—my world—is fading. It was ripped apart by the invaders who were here long before you poisoned it. We can be saved, the balance can be restored by the mark.

With a steady and deliberate gait, he lowered himself into the hole. He moved toward me, and the beasts parted for him, bending their hideous heads in surrender. But you have to accept it for it to be possible. If you allow it to engulf you.

I retreated, shaking my head. Not at all. I refuse to participate.

He came to a stop a short distance from me, his presence overpowering me, our tension sizzling like a live wire. "You'll succeed. You are without option.

A part of me broke. Fury replaced the fear that had been strangling me and bearing down on me. I didn't give a damn if he was a monarch. Even if this planet was ending, I didn't care. I declined to be merely a piece in his devious scheme.

I stepped forward, balling my fists. "You are powerless over me."

His lips curled into a wicked smile. "Am I not able to?"

His hand flew out and grabbed the back of my neck before I could even blink. The heat between us came to life again, even more fierce than before, but his touch was frigid and sent shivers down my spine. His thumb brushed against my throat's pulse, causing my body to shake and my breath to catch in my throat.

"You believe you're still in charge?" His voice low and menacing, he whispered. "You are mine, Alyssa. You will eventually give in, no matter how much you fight it.

I tightened my jaw, defying the burning sensation beneath my skin. "I refuse to budge."

His gaze grew gloomy, and he gently tightened his grip. "We'll see."

Then he released me.

Gasping for breath, my heart thumping in my chest, I staggered back. His cold, calculating gaze followed me, but there was also something more there that I wasn't quite able to figure out. Was it hesitancy?

The animals moved, roaring in unison, and the tension increased as the air thickened again.

But before Kael'vok could say anything, a loud, piercing screech resonated around the tunnel. The beasts snapped their heads in the direction of the sound and froze instantly. My heart felt icy.

"What was that?" Whispering, my heart was pounding.

Kael'vok's eyes narrowed and his demeanor darkened as he glanced toward the tube that extended more into the ground. "They have located us."

"Whom?" With dread twiddling my gut, I asked.

Turning to face me, Kael'vok's expression hardened. "The encroachers. the people who demolished my realm. those who contaminated this planet. With a step closer, he lowered his voice to a foreboding whisper. "And now they are pursuing you."

Another shriek tore through the air, closer this time, before I could reply. The beasts moved, their growls becoming snarls as the ground shook beneath us.

With a tight grip, Kael'vok's hand gripped my wrist. "We must leave. Right now.

With my head spinning, I resisted. "Why? What is their desire for me?

Instead of responding, he only drew me closer while his frightening-looking eyes flashed. "Alyssa, they are aware of who you are. They understand the meaning of the mark. And everything we've battled for will be lost if they take you.

Once more, the earth shook, and this time, I sensed something large and old shifting in the darkness beyond the hole.

There was nothing for me to do.