111

Lyanna’s POV

There’s a certain stillness in magic that I always found comforting. It’s as if, in the moments when I delve into the mysteries of ancient spells and forgotten histories, the world outside pauses. Time, for just a breath, stops its relentless march. But today, as I pored over a crumbling, yellowed scroll in the far reaches of the vampire archives, that stillness was heavy with something darker—a name I couldn’t shake.

Sophia.

Her name haunted my thoughts as I traced the unfamiliar symbols on the parchment. Ian had allowed me to look into her lineage weeks ago, and I’d been scouring every source of magic and history I could get my hands on. At first, I’d found nothing but dead ends and scattered fragments of ancient lore, pieces of a puzzle that didn’t seem to fit. But now, as I stared at the passage before me, the pieces were starting to fall into place. And what I was uncovering chilled me to my core.

The prophecy was old—older than even the vampire council, older than the kingdom Ian now ruled. It spoke of a being born of both darkness and light, one who would have the power to unite or destroy both vampires and humans. A force of nature, one that could bring about a new age of harmony or chaos. It wasn’t just a myth. It wasn’t just legend. It was real, and Sophia was tied to it.

I sat back, my heart racing. If the Council got their hands on this…

No. I had to tell Ian before anyone else found out. The Council wouldn’t see this as anything but a threat. And I knew them well enough to predict their next move.

I stood, hastily gathering the scrolls and my notes. There wasn’t much time. If the Council learned of this, they would waste no time in trying to eliminate Sophia. But the prophecy wasn’t just about destruction—it was about potential, about change. And I knew, deep down, that Sophia could be the key to something greater than any of us could comprehend. That was it the council didn’t get to her first.

When I arrived at Ian’s castle, the sun was setting, coloring the sky in shades of deep red and gold. I hurried straight to his room and I could sense the tension before I even stepped through the door. Ian was waiting for me, his usual calm replaced with something sharper, more dangerous. He didn’t waste time with pleasantries.

“You found something,” he said, his eyes narrowing as soon as I entered the room.

I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. “It’s worse than we thought. Sophia’s lineage—it’s tied to an ancient prophecy.”

Ian’s jaw tightened, and I could see the worry etched in his features. He didn’t interrupt, just motioned for me to continue.

“There’s a prophecy that speaks of a vampire who will have the power to unite or destroy both humans and vampires. It’s vague, as prophecies often are, but from what I’ve found, it suggests that this individual is someone from an ancient bloodline—one that’s been lost to time. Sophia… she’s from that bloodline, Ian. Her powers, the ones she’s beginning to show—they’re just the beginning.”

Ian cursed under his breath, pacing the room. “The Council…”

“They’ll see her as a threat,” I finished for him. “If they learn about this prophecy, they won’t hesitate. They’ll try to kill her.”

He stopped pacing, turning to face me fully, his expression hard. “Then we don’t let them find out. Not yet. We protect her.”

I nodded, but there was a heaviness in my chest. “There’s more. I don’t know how, but I think someone on the Council already knows. There’s been too much interest in Sophia lately—too many questions, too much watching. It’s like they’re waiting for something.”

“I get it now,” he murmured in reply, running a hand over his face. “Fuck. That’s why they’ve been so hard on her, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” I replied quietly. “We need to protect her. We need to…do something,” I added.

Ian didn’t respond immediately, his mind clearly racing through the implications. “Jacob needs to hear this,” he said finally. “We need to be prepared for whatever’s coming.”

“And something else, Ian?” I called.

He raised a brow, urging me to go on.

“She’s your mate,” I told him. It was something I realized while I was trying to figure everything out.

“Vampires don’t have mates,” he murmured with a frown.

“Vampires aren’t supposed to have great powers that can destroy worlds, Ian,” I reminded him flatly, walking out of his room so he can figure it all out on his own.

The Council meeting that evening was called abruptly. Too abruptly. It was clear that something had shifted—there was a sense of urgency in the air as Ian, Jacob, and I arrived. The members were already seated, their faces grim, their eyes following us as we took our places.

Viktor, the head of the Council, spoke first, his voice cold and measured. “We’ve come across some troubling information regarding Sophia Anderson.”

I exchanged a quick glance with Ian, my stomach sinking. Somehow, they’d found out. It only meant someone had been listening in on us.

Viktor continued, “It seems her powers are growing at an alarming rate. Powers that are… unnatural for someone of her kind. We’ve also uncovered certain connections—whispers of an ancient bloodline tied to a prophecy. One that foretells the rise of a vampire who could bring about either great unity or utter destruction.”

The words hung in the air, heavy and dangerous.

“What you’re suggesting,” Ian said slowly, “is that Sophia is a threat. Based on what? A centuries-old prophecy?”

Viktor, one of the more ruthless Council members, leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with something close to malice. “The prophecy is clear, Ian. If she is the one it speaks of, then we cannot afford to take chances. The balance of power in both realms is at stake. We cannot risk her becoming the force that brings our downfall.”

A chill ran down my spine. This was exactly what I’d feared. They didn’t see the potential for unity or change—they only saw the possibility of destruction.

“She’s not a threat,” Ian said, his voice low and controlled. “Sophia’s powers are growing, yes, but that doesn’t mean she’s dangerous. We don’t even fully understand the prophecy, let alone how it applies to her.”

Viktor’s lip curled. “We understand enough. And the Council has already voted.”

My breath caught. “Voted?”

Viktor’s expression was as hard as stone. “We’ve agreed that Sophia Anderson poses too great a risk to the stability of our realm. She must be eliminated before her powers grow beyond our control.”

The room went silent, the whole thing crashing down around us like thunder.

“No,” Ian said, his voice sharp and unwavering. “You can’t kill her.”

Viktor sneered. “It’s not a matter of want, Ian. It’s a matter of necessity.”

Ian’s eyes darkened, and I could feel the raw fury rolling off him in waves. “I won’t let you touch her.”

Viktor’s gaze was steely. “And what do you suggest, then? That we sit by and wait for her to destroy us all?”

“She’s not your enemy,” Ian growled. “Sophia is the key to something far greater than any of you can imagine. She could bring unity between our worlds, not destruction. But if you kill her now, you’ll be throwing away any chance we have at peace.”

The Council members shifted, clearly unsettled by his words, but Viktor wasn’t convinced. “And if you’re wrong?”

Ian stepped forward, his gaze locked on Viktor ’s. “Then I’ll take responsibility. But I’m telling you now, if any of you try to harm her, you’ll be signing your own death warrants.”

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Viktor sighed. “Very well. We will stay our hand—for now. But know this, Ian: we will be watching. If Sophia’s powers become a danger to our world, we will act. And not even you will be able to stop us.”

**

The Council had backed off, but I knew it wasn’t over. Ian, Jacob, and I met in private after the meeting. We had to discuss about everything.

“They’re scared,” Jacob said, his voice uncharacteristically serious. “And scared people do stupid things.”

“I don’t trust them,” Ian said, running a hand through his hair. “They’re going to keep pushing, waiting for her to slip up.”

“They’ll keep pushing until they have no choice but to act,” I agreed. “We need to find out more about this prophecy—and fast. There’s more to it than what we’ve uncovered so far, I can feel it.”

Ian nodded, his eyes distant. “We’ll protect her. No matter what.”

But even as he said the words, I could sense that he was struggling to realize how to. I couldn’t help but wonder if the prophecy wasn’t just about Sophia’s power to destroy our world—but also the power to break the very thing Ian was fighting so hard to protect.

Their bond.