The moment Mona collapsed, everything changed.
The runes on the floor shattered. The walls cracked. Her body lifted into the air, spinning slowly, hair floating, eyes pure white and crimson.
"Mona," Niki whispered, stepping forward. "Please—fight it."
Sunghoon held Jake, who had barely regained consciousness. "She's slipping."
The magic around her surged like a storm—half light, half darkness. The garden outside the castle withered. The moon bled red through the glass dome above them.
And then she screamed.
It wasn't a human scream. It was ancient. Hollow. And filled with rage.
A blast of chaotic energy exploded from her chest—boom.
Sunghoon was thrown against the wall, groaning.
Niki, still closest, didn't move. He held his ground.
"Mona, I know you're in there. Come back to me. Please."
Her head turned toward him. Slowly.
And then—her hand lifted, glowing black-red.
She struck him.
A beam of power hit Niki square in the chest.
He flew across the room and slammed into a column—cracking the stone behind him. Blood spilled from his mouth. He didn't get up.
"NIKI!" Jake shouted, panic in his voice.
Sunghoon rushed to him. "He's not breathing."
Mona floated back to the ground, eyes flickering.
And then she saw Niki—bleeding, unmoving.
Her lips parted. "What… what did I do…?"
She ran to him. Dropped to her knees.
Her hands trembled. "No no no—Niki, please…"
"Your darkness is beautiful," Veylor purred from the shadows. "It makes you unstoppable. And now you've tasted blood."
"Shut UP!" she screamed—and a spear of silver shot from her hand, slamming him through the wall.
Mona pressed her hand to Niki's chest.
"Come back… please," she whispered.
Jake, leaning heavily on Sunghoon's shoulder, finally spoke. His voice was cracked. "Mona. There's something I should've told you…"
She turned, eyes wild. "What?"
Jake swallowed.
"The Rogues… they weren't after just you. They were after me. I was the one who led them to the mansion."
"What?" Sunghoon said, voice sharp.
"I didn't mean to. I swear. I found an old letter… from Mona's mother. It had a tracking rune hidden inside. I thought it was safe, but I was wrong."
Mona's heart shattered.
"You brought them to us," she whispered. "To Niki."
Jake fell to his knees. "I never wanted him hurt."
Sunghoon stood in silence, eyes on Mona.
She clutched Niki's hand.
His fingers twitched.
"Mona…?" he croaked.
She sobbed. "I'm here. I'm so sorry."
And with that—her light dimmed. Her darkness settled.
She had almost become the monster they feared.
And now she had to live with what it cost her.