I stood in the throne room, the violet light of the Core reflecting in my eyes as I watched the map. Kaelen's golden dot was moving with a speed that made my blood run cold.
"He's coming home," I whispered.
I turned to the Tainted Grail. I needed to prepare his welcome. I grabbed the Wife-Stealing Rod, feeling the echo of Sarah's surrender still vibrating through its core. I focused all my malice into the blood-link, sending a surge of dark mana across the miles.
"Feel him, Elara," I whispered, my voice a serpent in her ear. "Feel your 'hero' coming back to claim you. But remember the marks I left. Remember how his touch will feel like ice compared to the fire I put in your veins."
Through the link, I felt her heart hammer. She was terrified of him—not because he would hurt her, but because she knew she was no longer the woman he left behind. I was carving a chasm between them that no level of power could bridge.
"Ride on, Commander," I laughed softly. "The stronger you are, the harder you'll fall when you see what I've done to your 'perfect' wife."