The Midnight Key

The air outside was colder than before.

Too cold.

Rene barely noticed. She kept Rena wrapped securely in her cloak, her grip firm as she moved through the forest. Nyra was close behind, while Adrian and Adriel walked ahead, their silver eyes scanning the darkness for anything wrong.

Lucien?

He was walking at an easy pace, hands in his pockets, completely unbothered.

"This is a terrible idea," he mused, kicking a loose rock as he walked.

Nyra shot him a glare. "Then leave."

Lucien smirked. "Tempting, but no."

Rene ignored their exchange. Her focus was on Rena.

The baby hadn't spoken again since that chilling moment.

But she wasn't asleep.

Her silver eyes were open, staring blankly ahead.

She wasn't humming.

She wasn't crying.

She was just… watching.

It made Rene's skin crawl.

Adrian suddenly stopped.

Adriel did too.

Rene's pulse quickened. "What?"

The twins didn't answer.

Instead, Adrian exhaled, his breath visible in the air. "We're not alone."

Nyra tensed. "The hunter?"

Lucien shook his head. "No. Something else."

Rene's grip on Rena tightened. "Where?"

Adriel tilted his head, listening.

Then—

A whisper.

Not from the trees.

Not from the wind.

From Rena.

"They're here."

Rene barely had time to react—

Because the forest shifted.

Shadows twisted unnaturally. The moonlight above disappeared, swallowed whole by the darkness.

Then, a voice.

Soft. Cold.

Not human.

"You should not exist."

A figure stepped forward from the trees.

Not a hunter.

Not a messenger.

But something worse.

It had no face. No distinct form. Only a shifting, writhing silhouette, like a void wrapped in a cloak.

It didn't move toward Rene.

It moved toward Rena.

Rene's heart slammed against her ribs.

No.

She wouldn't let them take her.

Not now. Not ever.

Adrian and Adriel reacted instantly, their silver light flaring.

Lucien's golden eyes glowed.

Nyra drew her blade.

But it was Rena who spoke first.

"You cannot take me."

Her voice was not her own.

It was older. Colder.

It did not belong to a child.

The faceless being stopped.

Then—

It bowed.

Rene's blood ran cold.

Because that wasn't obedience.

It was recognition.

Lucien's smirk faded. "Well. That's not good."

The figure straightened. Then, in a voice that echoed through the very air—

"You are awakening, My Lady."

Rena's silver eyes flashed.

And for a split second—

They turned black again.

To Be Continued…

---

The air outside was colder than before.

Too cold.

Rene barely noticed. She kept Rena wrapped securely in her cloak, her grip firm as she moved through the forest. Nyra was close behind, while Adrian and Adriel walked ahead, their silver eyes scanning the darkness for anything wrong.

Lucien?

He was walking at an easy pace, hands in his pockets, completely unbothered.

"This is a terrible idea," he mused, kicking a loose rock as he walked.

Nyra shot him a glare. "Then leave."

Lucien smirked. "Tempting, but no."

Rene ignored their exchange. Her focus was on Rena.

The baby hadn't spoken again since that chilling moment.

But she wasn't asleep.

Her silver eyes were open, staring blankly ahead.

She wasn't humming.

She wasn't crying.

She was just… watching.

It made Rene's skin crawl.

Adrian suddenly stopped.

Adriel did too.

Rene's pulse quickened. "What?"

The twins didn't answer.

Instead, Adrian exhaled, his breath visible in the air. "We're not alone."

Nyra tensed. "The hunter?"

Lucien shook his head. "No. Something else."

Rene's grip on Rena tightened. "Where?"

Adriel tilted his head, listening.

Then—

A whisper.

Not from the trees.

Not from the wind.

From Rena.

"They're here."

Rene barely had time to react—

Because the forest shifted.

Shadows twisted unnaturally. The moonlight above disappeared, swallowed whole by the darkness.

Then, a voice.

Soft. Cold.

Not human.

"You should not exist."

A figure stepped forward from the trees.

Not a hunter.

Not a messenger.

But something worse.

It had no face. No distinct form. Only a shifting, writhing silhouette, like a void wrapped in a cloak.

It didn't move toward Rene.

It moved toward Rena.

Rene's heart slammed against her ribs.

No.

She wouldn't let them take her.

Not now. Not ever.

Adrian and Adriel reacted instantly, their silver light flaring.

Lucien's golden eyes glowed.

Nyra drew her blade.

But it was Rena who spoke first.

"You cannot take me."

Her voice was not her own.

It was older. Colder.

It did not belong to a child.

The faceless being stopped.

Then—

It bowed.

Rene's blood ran cold.

Because that wasn't obedience.

It was recognition.

Lucien's smirk faded. "Well. That's not good."

The figure straightened. Then, in a voice that echoed through the very air—

"You are awakening, My Lady."

Rena's silver eyes flashed.

And for a split second—

They turned black again.

To Be Continued…

---