Chapter 88

Briar’s POV

My stomach churned, a cold dread slithering up my spine. Princess?

Kieran’s gaze darted toward me, eyes wide with disbelief and something else—fear. "What the hell does that mean?"

But the vampire just laughed, harsh and hollow. "You’ll find out soon enough."

Before Kieran could interrogate him further, the vampire’s body seized violently, his skin turning ashen gray, cracking like brittle paper. My breath caught in horror as he disintegrated in Kieran’s grip, collapsing into nothing more than a pile of dust.

The room fell deathly silent.

Kai moved first, stepping toward me, his face unreadable. "Princess," he repeated slowly, as though tasting the word and hating every syllable of it. "Briar, do you know what he meant?"

I shook my head, voice trembling as I whispered, "No. I swear, I don’t."

Kylan approached, flames dimming from his fingers, eyes still wary as he gla