Chapter 45: Core of the Monster

~Hazel’s POV~

It felt like my mind had been swallowed whole, yanked from my body like a soul stripped from flesh. Silence pressed on every side of me, heavy and strange. I was floating—or falling—into a space that didn’t feel real.

Where... am I?

Everything around me was dark, but then... like velvet curtains pulling apart, I saw sunlight bloom ahead. Warm, golden, nostalgic. I stepped forward, drawn to it. The moment I did, I heard a voice.

"Cyrius, stop! Mum said we shouldn’t throw balls at each other!"

That voice... soft, young, familiar. It was Caspian.

No. A younger version of him.

And then I saw them—three little boys running through a field. My breath caught. They were adorable, all with raven-black hair but eyes that burned with different colors: fiery red, piercing blue, and warm amber-gold.

Two ran in front, one trailing behind and tossing balls at them like they were toys. The ones in front—Cayden and Caspian. Definitely. But the one in the back...

Cyrius.

My chest tightened. I knew it. I felt it in my bones.

Then it happened.

Little Cayden paused, turned, and faced Cyrius. His red eyes began to glow, and slowly... his hand raised.

The energy in the air changed.

Cyrius screamed.

His body lifted off the ground, suspended by invisible hands as if something—someone—was choking him. And Cayden—little, innocent Cayden—was surrounded by shadows. Dark smoke veined with glowing black tendrils crawled over his small frame.

"Cayden, what are you doing?! Let him go!" little Caspian yelled in horror.

But Cayden didn’t move.

Cyrius fell hard. Caspian rushed to him, shaking him, crying his name. "Cyrius? CYRIUS?!"

he launched toward Cayden—but didn’t reach him. and

The

between her fallen sons and the one still standing, covered in dark

gasped. "She said there weren’t consequences.

with me?" Cayden

but

me too. Stay away!" she shrieked, trembling. "That bastard witch that cursed us—she’s

eyes flew to a shadow.....A shadow standing in the

me. Same build. Same curly hair cascading from beneath a wide-brimmed

to reach

"Wait—"

of her face peek through her hat. But before I could recognize her,

my body coming back to

slammed back into me—and what I saw

strength. His face was twisted in rage,

up, panic

rushing to shield Caspian. My breath was ragged, my limbs trembling. "Just stay away

Cayden froze.

eyes dimmed.

me protectively, pulling me back against his chest. "Hazel, what happened? What did you

"I saw what he did. As a child. What he was.

"You’re shaking—Hazel—"

believe he’s the father of my child. Caspian, I’m carrying an

Like a wall shattered in slow motion. He took one step forward—his

stood, guiding me to the bed gently. "Hazel, you

there... still as a statue. His gaze dropped to the floor. Something about his face—it looked familiar. The same void expression from the vision. The same crushed, broken

he deserved it. Every bit of it. He tried to

Twice.

pleaded, "please tell me what

needs to leave

That’s when Cayden snapped.

on?! How do you know about Cyrius?! Same with O’Brien... Did you

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