"Cora Bowman I think it's time that we have a little chat"

Cora pulled out her sword ready to defend herself.

He vanished into the darkness. She frantically looked around the room trying to figure were he disappeared to. He tried to grab her from behind. She was never going to let him touch her ever again.

She spun around and swung her sword at him. He caught the blade between his thumb and index finger.

"You're too slow," he said.

Cora tightened her grip on the sword's handle and tried to rip it out of his grasp.

"I'd listen to what I have to say if I were you," he said, removing his sword from the sheath. "I won't hesitate to slaughter you where you stand."

Cora stopped struggling. He ran the tip of his sword back and forth across her neck. "The old hag wouldn't give me what I want. Let's hope you'll cooperate."

Cora's blood boiled. This was the man that murdered her grandmother. He stood right in front front of her and she couldn't lay a finger on him. He was too fast. 

"What do you want?" she asked, trying to mask the anger in her voice.

He leaned so close. He was only a couple of centimeters away from her face. He smelled like burning sulfur. There was a look of pure insanity in his glowing, yellow eyes. "I want the Blood King's head on a silver plate."

Cora couldn't breathe. He wanted to kill Ray! 

"We both know he's a mad man," he said, pacing back and forth.

Cora thought about Golden Crest. He burned the entire city to the ground out of pure anger.

"I know that you know where he is and I won't hesitate to kill every single one of you're friends until I have him. Prince Charming will be the first to go."

Prince Lyon!

"I let him live this time but I won't be so generous next time."

Cora couldn't remember the last time she was completely frozen, incapable of doing anything at all. She just stood there in shock. 

"Then I'll move on to the rest of them Dimitri and Zyler and Val and Scarlet. How is it going to feel having their lives on your conscience." He pointed his sword at her face. "Then, If you still don't cooperate, I'll kill you too. If you won't meet my demands, maybe your father will." 

Cora wanted to kill him. She wanted to make him to suffer but she couldn't do anything.

"You have until my return to make your decision." And just like that he vanished into the darkness of night.

Cora collapsed on the cold wooden floors. She couldn't stop trembling.  

The answer should be simple. The Blood King was ruthless. He burned cities to the ground and killed everyone in them. She couldn't stop thinking about Ray's mischievous smile and warm embrace and his handsome face and the way his words always managed to comfort her. Why was this so hard?

Cora tiptoed down the halls. It was long past midnight. Once she reached the room she was looking for she gently knocked on the door. She shouldn't be doing this, he was probably asleep.

"Come in," the voice on the other side said.

Cora slowly opened the door. His face lit up like Christmas the moment he saw her. "Coraline, to what do I owe the pleasure of seeing you tonight?"

Ray was sitting on top of his bed. His artificial leg was leaned up against nightstand beside the bed. He held an open book in his hands, Romeo and Juliet.

Cora tried to speak but, she couldn't think of the right words to say, so she just stood there.He closed his book and patted the spot next to him on the bed. "Sit with me."

She sat down beside him. He wrapped a blanket around her. "Tell me everything,"

Cora didn't know where to start. "The shadow was in my room," 

"Are you sure it wasn't a dream?"

"Yes!"

He rubbed her shoulders. Cora had been in pain since the Tibicena attack. The feeling of Ray's soft fingers massaging her felt amazing. "What did he say?" 

"He said if I didn't turn you over to him he'd kill me and all of my friends!"

"I swear to you on my life no harm will come to you or your friends."

"That's what I'm afraid of," she murmured.

He let out a long deep breath. " Some of the greatest assassins in Thessionia have tried to kill me. I've gone up against hundreds of foes that all wanted me dead, but none of them succeeded. This shadow is no different. Plus, I have the bravest warrior in all of Thessionia on my side."

Cora was feeling a little bit better. Ray's room was so much warmer than her own. He stared at her with a longing look in his eyes. Cora brushed his hair out of his eyes. Short hair suited him. He seemed to be adjusting well considering he was trapped for so long. She couldn't let him die. "I won't let him hurt you," 

"I know you won't."

Cora was afraid. Afraid of the shadow. Afraid of what he'll do. Afraid of losing Ray. Maybe she was being selfish by not giving up Ray but, she was sure she would find a way to stop the shadow and save everyone. 

"You're more than welcome to stay here if you'd like," he said. 

The thought of going back to her room made her shiver. She could stay just a little bit longer.

Cora woke up the next morning with Ray's cape wrapped around her. Cora got out of her bed. Ray had stayed with her until she fell asleep. Just thinking about him made her feel warm inside. 

Did she have feelings for Ray? This was all happening so fast and at such a bad time. And what about Prince Lyon. 

Prince Lyon! He was attacked last night! She had completely forgotten.

She ran to the doctor's hut. She had slept in her clothes and didn't bother to change. She had to see Prince Lyon. They probably wouldn't  let her talk to him but she didn't care at the moment.

When Cora arrived at the doctors hut, it was empty. The doctor entered through the back door.

"Where's Prince Lyon?" 

"His royal highness left a while ago."

"How is he doing?"

"He's in rough shape but he'll heal eventually."

Cora's heart sank. "Do you know where he went?"

"I don't believe I'm allowed to hand out that information."

"Please! I need to see him!" Cora begged.

The old woman turned away. She said nothing for a few moments then she spoke. "He said something about going to the library."

"Thank you!" 

The doctor murmured something about fangirls as Cora left.

She ran to the  village library as fast as her feet would carry her. Cora slowly opened the door afraid of what she would see. 

The library was a very old building. The floor creaked as Cora walked. Several large bookcases lined the walls. In the center of the room there stood a long wooden table surrounded by chairs. 

Prince Lyon sat in the farthest chair from the door. He was surrounded by a several stacks of books.  Only one of his guards was with him. One eye was completely covered in bandages. His face was bruised and swollen. He forced his best smile when he saw her. "Don't tell me you climbed Mt. Nevado just to see me," he teased.

"Nope, I'm here on warrior business." 

His face went serious. "Don't you think you're in over your head?" 

Cora's heart shattered. He was right. She was way out of her league. She was no match for the Tibicenas. But Ray was always so confident in her abilities.  

"I just don't want you to get hurt," he said. He tried his hardest to stand but the pain overwhelmed him. Cora offered him her hand, but the guard slapped it away. "Forgive him, we've all been a bit paranoid since Richard, my other guard was killed by the Tibicenas."

"I'm so sorry." 

"He was a good man. He had a family. I swear I'm going to bring whoever did this to justice!"

Cora wasn't convinced. Lyon didn't know who he was up against. She turned towards the bookshelf. 

It felt like it was calling out to her. A book titled Armageddon. She picked it up off the shelf and admired the cover. It was a shade of royal blue with a silver sword in the middle. The cover read. Armageddon by Corona Bowman. Cora had no idea her grandmother had written a book. She opened it to the first page.

It said. 

Dear Cora, if you're reading this than the Armageddon has already begun and my time has ended.  The King of Shadows has come to for the Blood King.  For the last 2,000 years it has been our family's secret duty to protect the Blood King. Once the kings clash, all of Thessionia will be overrun with darkness. I thought I was protecting you by keeping the Blood King trapped but I now realize that I was afraid of him. You were not. In that way you are a greater warrior than I ever was. You saw the good in him no one else could. The King of Shadows' mind has been corrupted by darkness. He believes he'll finally be satisfied once he has his revenge but he is wrong. I have faith you will stop him. I love you Cora.