Chapter 15: The Ghost in the Dark

Some enemies hide in the light.

But the most dangerous ones?

They wait in the dark.

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The Hunt Begins

I had always controlled the game.

Every piece on the board, every whispered rumor, every carefully placed move—all of it was mine.

But now?

Someone had slipped through the cracks. Someone who knew my name.

Azareth.

The name of the Demon Lord I had once been. A name that should have been erased from this world.

And yet, someone had written it. Sent it.

A message, yes. But also a challenge.

"I see you."

They wanted me to know they were watching.

And I would not let that stand.

---

The First Lead

I sat in my chambers, staring at the burnt remains of the message. The only evidence I had.

Whoever sent it was careful—no signature, no crest, no trace of magic.

But they had made one mistake.

The parchment itself.

It wasn’t Aurelian. It wasn’t even from this kingdom.

I held up a second piece of paper—a forged letter from a noble in the east. The texture, the grain—different.

This message had come from elsewhere.

I turned to my spy, who sat lazily in the corner, twirling a dagger between her fingers.

"Find out if any foreign envoys arrived in the past two weeks," I ordered. "Anyone suspicious. Anyone out of place."

She smirked. "Looking for a ghost, are we?"

I met her gaze. "No. I’m looking for the fool who thinks they can haunt me."

---

A Dangerous Encounter

By nightfall, I had my answer.

A single name.

A foreign scholar, supposedly here to study Aurelia’s archives. A meaningless figure in court—until now.

That was all I needed.

The hunt had begun.

The moment the palace halls fell silent, I slipped through the shadows, making my way toward the scholar’s guest chambers.

They were alone. Unprotected.

I pressed my hand to the door. No guards.

Strange.

I stepped inside.

Empty.

No belongings. No books. No sign that anyone had been staying here at all.

A trap.

I turned just as the door slammed shut behind me.

A figure stood in the doorway, draped in black robes. Their face hidden, but their voice unmistakable.

"You’ve grown slow, Azareth."

My blood ran cold.

They knew.

I took a step forward, my voice deadly calm. "Who are you?"

The figure chuckled. Low. Amused. Dangerous.

"You already know."

The air shifted.

Magic.

I moved instantly, my body reacting before my mind could think—dodging just as the shadows in the room surged toward me.

A blast of dark energy ripped through the air where I had stood.

A spell.

I landed smoothly, my pulse steady. Old instincts rising.

"Ah," I murmured, my lips curling. "A mage."

The figure tilted their head. "I was more than that, once. And so were you."

I narrowed my eyes. A sorcerer from my past? A rival?

The pieces were beginning to fall into place.

But before I could press further—they vanished.

The room fell silent once more.

I exhaled slowly, flexing my fingers.

They had left. But not before confirming one thing.

I was being hunted.

---

Evelyn's Patience Runs Out

By the time I returned to my chambers, another problem was waiting for me.

Evelyn.

She stood near the fireplace, her arms crossed, her violet eyes gleaming in the dim light.

"You’re late," she said.

I smiled faintly, masking the irritation simmering beneath my skin. She had a habit of appearing when I least wanted her to.

"Was I expected somewhere?" I asked smoothly.

She stepped forward. "Don’t do that."

I raised a brow. "Do what?"

"Deflect," she said. "Lie."

Her voice was steady, but I could see it now—the frustration, the growing intensity.

She had reached her limit.

"Tell me the truth, Lucian," she said softly. "Who are you really?"

I met her gaze, my expression unreadable.

I could mislead her again. Play the fool, let her chase shadows.

But something in her eyes warned me.

She was getting too close.

Too close.

And soon, I would have to make a choice.

---

The Web Tightens

That night, I stood at my balcony, staring at the city below.

One enemy was gone.

But another had arrived.

A ghost from my past. A hunter who knew my name. A mage who had once stood in my shadow.

And then there was Evelyn.

Her persistence was becoming a problem.

But I couldn’t decide which truth was more dangerous.

The one she was about to uncover.

Or the one I was already running from.

One thing was certain.

The game had changed.

And I was no longer the only one playing.

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