The words from The Forgotten King burned in her mind, refusing to let her rest.
"Before the rise of the First Demon King, there was another—his name erased, his legacy buried. But his bloodline did not die."
Kol Vaelros was not just a dangerous man. He was the heir to a kingdom of ruin.
Morning light spilled through her window, but Lisa was already awake, sitting at her desk, flipping through the book over and over as if she had missed something.
"There has to be more."
She traced her fingers over the faded text, willing the book to give her another answer—something, anything to tell her what this truly meant.
A knock at the door made her jump.
"Lisa?"
Her father's voice.
Lisa quickly shut the book, sliding it beneath a stack of papers before responding. "Come in."
The door opened, and Charles Everhart stepped inside, his expression unreadable. He was a man of presence—tall, with sharp, calculating eyes that rarely showed emotion.
Lisa straightened. Her father never visited her room without a reason.
"What is it?" she asked, keeping her voice steady.
Charles stepped further inside, his gaze sweeping over her desk before landing on her. "You were in the archives last night."
Lisa felt her stomach tighten. "I was just… researching."
Her father studied her for a moment, then sighed. "Lisa."
That was all he had to say.
Lisa swallowed. "I found something."
Charles nodded as if he already knew. "And?"
She hesitated, then reached beneath the papers, pulling out The Forgotten King. She placed it between them, her fingers lingering on the cover.
Her father's expression didn't change, but Lisa saw the way his hand tightened at his side.
"You knew, didn't you?" she whispered.
Charles slowly sat down on the edge of her desk, exhaling. "I suspected."
Lisa's mind reeled. "Then why didn't you ever tell me?"
"Because knowledge is a dangerous thing, Lisa. And because some truths are better left buried."
Lisa shook her head. "No. Not this time. This isn't just some old legend, Father. This is real. Kol is real."
Her father looked at her sharply at the mention of Kol's name. "You've spoken to him?"
Lisa hesitated, then nodded. "He's here. At Blackwood Academy."
For the first time in years, Lisa saw something close to fear flicker in her father's eyes.
He stood abruptly, running a hand down his face. "You need to stay away from him."
Lisa clenched her fists. "I don't think I can."
Her father turned, his expression hard. "Lisa, listen to me. If Kol Vaelros is truly the heir of the Forgotten King, then he is more dangerous than you can possibly imagine. You don't understand what his bloodline is capable of."
Lisa stood too, her voice rising. "Then explain it to me!"
Charles looked at her for a long moment before sighing. "Come with me."
---
An Hour Later – The Hidden Chamber
Lisa followed her father down the stone steps beneath their estate, a place she had only seen a handful of times. The torches along the walls flickered, casting shadows as they descended deeper.
Finally, they reached a small chamber lined with ancient scrolls and relics.
Her father walked to a particular section of the wall, pressing his hand against a hidden switch. A panel slid open, revealing an old, rusted box.
He took it and placed it on the table before turning to Lisa.
"This," he said quietly, "is the last remaining record of the true Demon King."
Lisa's breath caught as her father unlocked the box and pulled out a fragile parchment.
She stepped forward, eyes scanning the faded ink.
And then she saw it.
A sketch.
Of a man.
His face was shadowed, but the mark on his chest was unmistakable—the same mark Kol had.
Lisa felt cold all over.
Her father's voice was grim. "The Eternal Crown is not just a title, Lisa. It is a curse. A prophecy foretold that the next three Demon Kings would bear this mark… and that one of them would either unite the realms or bring about their destruction."
Lisa's hands trembled.
Kol wasn't just strong.
He was destiny itself.
And she had no idea which path he would choose.
---
Elsewhere – Blackwood Academy
Kol sat on the rooftop, staring at his hands.
The mark on his chest burned, as if responding to something unseen.
A memory flickered in his mind.
A battlefield. A crown of fire. A voice whispering his name like an omen.
He exhaled sharply.
Lisa knew.
And soon… everyone else would too.
He wasn't just Kol Vaelros.
He was the heir to a kingdom lost in time.
And whether he wanted it or not…
The world was about to remember.