CHAPTER 103: _TELL THEM I’M COMING

Kyren’s POV

*****

As Elian and his crew were about to share gossip over some drinks... Kyren was on a hunt.

He’d sent Farrell earlier that day on a mission to find out who had come to get Elian after an explosion knocked him out... But aside from that, he also ordered every shadow unit at his disposal to hunt for Magnus and Estella.

Even if that meant sneaking into Lunaria and dragging their half-dead bodies to the dark lands. He wanted the pleasure of gorging their eyes out before branding them with his rage.

They touched what was his, and now they would pay a prize worse than death.

"My lord!" Farrell yelled out to him as Kyren stepped down from his war craft, clad in a sleek black full-body armour with glowing red runes.

His long white hair blew into the wind of the dark lands like snakes, the red sky above crackling with thunder as if the world was reacting to the chaos within him.

Kyren had come here to one of the borders separating the dark lands from Lunaria because his commander gave reports of Magnus and Estella being spotted close to it.

And now...

"Have they been found?" Kyren asked with a calm tone, his tone colder than ice.

His gaze was locked on Farrell who suddenly spoke into a communication ring on his finger instead of responding. "Bring them in."

Kyren squinted as a black battle craft suddenly appeared above them, flickering out of its cloak. Things didn’t end there as a shaft opened at the bottom, a beam of blue light shining on the red sand from it.

When the beam of light disappeared, Estella and Magnus were both revealed in its place, their once regal clothes torn and their bodies stained with dust.

They looked like they’d been hunted like dogs.

Good.

"Well, well, well..." Kyren stepped forward, giving Farrell a nod before locking his gaze on his new captives. "Look who we have here. Funny how quickly the tables turn, eh?"

The two of them groaned, managing to sit up with confusion on their faces.

"W–What’s happening?" Estella asked with a shaky voice, her eyes darting like a rabbit caught in the middle of a storm. "We... How did we get here?"

Before she could say another word, Kyren snapped his fingers, causing a suffocating pressure to descend on her. She gasped, her eyes widening with horror as they finally settled on him.

"I’ll do the talking here. Pesky snake." Kyren’s growl was cold and predatory, his eyes flashing with a cold red light. "I’m sure you’ve made tons of mistakes in your pathetic existence. But touching my mate? My little flame? That’s your biggest one yet."

Magnus, who wasn’t affected by his pressuring force yet, squinted, coming to a realisation. "Elian? The omega is your mate?"

Kyren tilted his head, surprised at the idiot’s guts.

"Do you know who I am?" Kyren questioned with genuine curiosity before the wind picked up, lightning flashing fiercely in the clouds. "I am the sovereign of the dark lands. This is my domain. And technically... You two are trespassers, not to mention wanted back in your empire."

Magnus frowned at first before his face scrunched with horror and then realisation.

Without warning, the baron flung a device at Kyren, the object glowing with bright golden light.

"My lord!" Farrell, who had been standing by the side silently, suddenly yelled out, attempting to run forward.

However, Kyren merely gave the device a glance, watching it unravel into nothing but metallic scraps under his gaze.

"Pathetic..." Kyren muttered, his eyes flicking to Magnus who was already up and running toward the forest separating this part of the dark lands from Lunaria.

"Let me get him, sir." Farrell stretched out his claws but before he could chase, Kyren raised a hand, stopping him.

"Now, Farrell. You know I like it when they run." Kyren remarked with a small grin as the red light in his eyes deepened.

All it took was a second for an invisible force to wrap around Magnus, freezing him in his tracks. Things didn’t end there as he was raised into the air, floating right back to the spot he’d ran from.

Meanwhile, Estella, who was still grovelling on the ground under the pressure of his power, managed a rasp, bringing her eyes to him.

"P–Please, my lord. We... We didn’t know Elian was your mate."

Kyren sniggered, tilting his head at her while Magnus’ muscles spasmed like he was being electrocuted mid-air.

"Would it have made a difference?" Kyren asked with genuine curiosity. "I mean, he’s still the Alpha Prince’s and Beta’s mate yet that didn’t stop you from planning his kidnapping. Under the nose of the Alpha King."

Estella parted her lips to say something but nothing came out. The fear in her shivering hazel eyes showed that she knew her words held little or no substance.

Magnus made a gagging sound like he was going to throw up... But that was just him struggling to get any air in his lungs.

"My shadow unit was able to gather a lot on you two. Especially you, Baron Magnus." Kyren shone a predatory smile at him. "The Dark Hand... A cliche name for an underground mercenary organisation, but that’s only what it is on the surface. Isn’t it?"

Magnus’ face paled even more than it already was, but his lips were pressed into a thin line, as if he was struggling not to give in. Not to break.

Well, Kyren didn’t need him to.

"I know the Dark Hand is something bigger. The rumours around the industrial district of the capital city are proof enough." Kyren continued, taking slow steps toward Magnus. "And I also now know you’re the one who sent that first assassin to Elian."

Magnus twitched, trying and failing to shake his head.

How quaint.

"I... I didn’t know how deep the Dark hand was." Estella suddenly yelled in desperation on the ground. "It’s all Magnus. He’s the leader and—"

"Oh, little snake. You’ve been deceived." Kyren chuckled darkly, clicking his tongue. "Magnus is far from being the leader of the organisation. If he dies now, the Dark hand will continue to flourish..."

His hands suddenly shot forward, grabbing Magnus’ head and causing the latter’s eyes to widen with dread.

Sweet, sweet, dread.

"To prove it. I’ll do this..."

Without warning, his claws extended before sinking into Magnus’ skull, the Baron’s agonising scream ripping out of his throat.

Kyren grinned through it, even as the man’s blood dripped down his arms.

Eventually, when his body went limp and his scream faded, Kyren let Magnus drop like a ragdoll, his claws slick with blood.

His gaze slid to Estella, who was still trembling in the dirt.

He crouched low, close enough for her to smell the iron on his breath.

"Run back to Lunaria, little snake. Tell them the sovereign of the Dark Lands is coming. And I won’t stop until Elian is mine."

Her scream broke the silence as shadows swallowed the horizon.