Chapter 54 — The Sovereign’s Test

The Sovereign’s veil rippled like liquid night. Her voice was soft, almost tender, but it made the girl’s blood run cold.

“Then prove it.”

Her hand rose. The cathedral’s shattered bells floated into the air, twisting into blades of obsidian silence. With a flick of her wrist, they screamed forward—an orchestra of death.

The girl cried out. “Kael!”

But Kael didn’t move.

The first blade struck. A chain slid across his skin, intercepting it with a metallic clang. Sparks burst, then faded into shadow. Another blade followed, then three, then ten. Every strike was met by chains moving of their own accord, curling, deflecting, snapping like predators guarding their prey.

The Sovereign tilted her head. “How curious. The chains do not bind you—they obey.”

Her eyes narrowed, glimmering with cruel delight. “But how long before they devour you instead?”

For the first time since his return, Kael stepped forward. His voice was steady, though each word carried a weight that shook the air.

“They already did.”

The girl’s heart seized.

Kael raised his arm, and the chains writhed, gathering like storm clouds. When he swung it down, the ground ruptured. The bells shattered midair, reduced to shards of silence.

The Sovereign’s smile faltered. Just slightly.

The clash had begun.