23 + Underground Caves +

The air between them crackled with tension, and Luna mentally berated herself for every choice she had made leading up to this moment. Had she stayed at the Blood Moon Banquet, avoided Cedric's tempting offer to flee the ominous celebration, resisted more fiercely when pursued, or even paid better attention to her path, she might not be in this predicament with Jon. Still, a nagging curiosity remained. Why was she here?

"You owe me an explanation," Luna demanded.

Jon barely acknowledged her, merely murmuring, "Let's shed some light on things."

The gesture was clearly for her benefit. As a vampire, Jon had no need for light. It was a curiously considerate act, coming from someone who had tied her up and nearly let her drown. Perhaps some semblance of chivalry still resided in the Vampire King's right-hand man.

Exiting the water, Jon struck a flint, its sparks illuminating the enclosing darkness as he lit a lantern. Its warm glow revealed the unmistakable surroundings: the Valley of Kings' caves. The stale air carried the pungent scent of decay and damp fungus. Uneven stone walls bore claw marks and scattered on the ground were remnants of wild creatures - their tracks and gnawed bones. When Jon raised the lantern, bats, disturbed from their high-roosting points, screeched in protest. Their wings flapped, and Luna felt droplets of water, falling from the ceiling's cracks, send chills down her spine.

She noticed veins of quartz and turquoise embedded in the cave walls, water dripping from the ceiling, creating small puddles on the cave floor. They'd entered through a waterway, and the only way out now seemed to be a dark tunnel. While Jon had brought supplies and a lantern, there was no sign of the rumored gold.

"Explain," she said, hugging herself, her torn and waterlogged clothing offering little modesty or warmth.

She didn't expect him to answer, but he did, moving closer so the lamp cast a dramatic shadow on his features. "You're about to experience the most extraordinary initiation."

"Get to the point, bastard!"

Jon chuckled, a sound dripping with amusement. They stood in prolonged silence until Luna broke it, her voice echoing, "Is this some twisted game to you, or have you genuinely lost your senses?"

He grinned. "The best part? You're here to vanquish monsters – the very ones from myths and legends. They've resided beneath this mountain for eons."

"How do I—? Why should I kill them?" Luna's eyes darted discreetly, noting every detail.

The reflective pool lay just behind her.

Luna's eyes darted to the water's edge. If she could catch Jon unawares and dive into the water, there might be a chance. She remembered concealing herself amongst the trees until night's veil draped the world. The thought tantalized her, but the reality was far from simple.

Jon, observing her closely, remarked, "Harness the power of Hecate's grimoire. Find the right spell, face the foes, and destroy them."

She cast him a wary glance. "It sounds less straightforward when you phrase it that way. Do you, by any chance, have a weapon I could use? Maybe a wooden stake?"

His laughter was rich and mocking. "Intending to drive it into my heart?"

"Into those monsters, assuming they're rogue vampires?"

"They're beyond mere vampires. They're... indescribable monstrosities. Witness them firsthand. You'll rely solely on your mental prowess to defeat them. Now that Hecate has acknowledged you, the power within is ready to be honed. Often, raw, unguided magic awakens in dire circumstances. I'd wager you're familiar with that, always being by Cederic's side. You do have a penchant for peril." He glanced around the cavern. "This place? It's the King's retreat, away from the monotony of the castle and the prying eyes of his concubines and courtiers."

Luna's unease deepened. Battling with weapons or even hand-to-hand combat was one thing, but exclusively using her mind? It sounded far-fetched.

"Does this 'Majesty' of yours command the very monsters I'm supposed to vanquish?" she asked.

"No," was Jon's terse reply.

Luna couldn't decide whether the situation would be more or less terrifying if the Vampire King actually did control the beasts.

With a bitter laugh, she leaned back against the damp stone, registering its incline. A strategic shift of her weight might send her tumbling into the water. Why was it Jon here, and not Cederic, whose mental prowess she had witnessed? Instead, she was stuck with Jon, whose overpowering scent was a constant distraction.

Jon, ever watchful, interjected, "Your battle, not mine. My job is merely to keep you alive."

"And if I'm injured?"

"We extract you, heal your wounds, and the training resumes. Over and over," Jon declared coldly, "until you've mastered your magic. Should you breach the High Priestess contract, death awaits you."

Luna's gaze shifted to the beckoning pool once more, but the leash Jon held her by tightened painfully. She was powerless against his inhuman strength.

"Help!" Her plea echoed eerily throughout the cavern, the name "Cederic" a desperate cry on her lips.

Jon's face twisted in irritation. "You need taming, wild one." His slap stung her cheek. "Keep silent, or I'll silence you. Your incessant noise draws them to us."

Jon's hand, broad and unyielding, seized her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze before he ruthlessly cast her to the cold, unforgiving ground. "You chose this path, becoming the High Priestess. Yet you walk it unprepared? A shame."

Pushing herself up, Luna felt the earth's chill seeping through her fingers, and the burning imprint of his slap on her cheek. She resisted the urge to spit defiantly at his boots, fully aware of the consequences it might invite.

"I am neither obstinate nor fearful. Cederic would have been a more fitting companion in this quest than you," she shot back, convinced that Cederic's presence would be infinitely more valuable than Jon's.

Jon's voice, dripping with condescension, instructed, "Rise, and move forward."

She begrudgingly obeyed, rubbing her hands briskly to ward off the encroaching numbness. "Where are these abominations you speak of?" Luna's tone was steely with determination. If she wanted any chance at exacting her revenge on Jon, she'd first need to confront these monsters. "The sooner I face them, the better."

The flickering flame illuminated Jon's eyes, turning them into molten pools of anticipation. He licked his lips, a gesture both predatory and eager. "This spectacle? It's one I cannot miss."