Chapter 86: Not on Earth

Daemon and Roxanna went straight to Lucien’s house inside the Hale estate.

The servants met them at the entrance and guided them into the hall. A short while later, Lucien walked in, already looking like a man who expected trouble the moment he heard their names.

"This time," he said, dropping into a chair, "what problem are you bringing here?"

Daemon didn’t sit right away.

"Nothing complicated. I came for two reasons."

Lucien raised an eyebrow.

"First," Daemon said, "thank you for helping us find Kassia. Without you, it would have taken much longer."

Lucien waved a hand, a little awkward under the direct gratitude.

"It’s fine. That was all I could do. How is she?"

"She’s fine," Daemon answered. "Still not awake. She’s sleeping."

Lucien nodded once.

"Tell her I said hello when she wakes up. And the second reason?"

Daemon’s expression hardened.

"You need to find Leonard Valen and Dr. Adrian. They escaped. WHA is still searching and hasn’t found them. I want to reach them before they disappear completely."

Lucien’s eyes sharpened.

"If WHA finds them first, they’ll be dragged into court. Once that happens, men like them always find a loophole and walk free through the judicial system." He leaned forward slightly. "That’s why you want me to find them now."

"Yes."

Lucien exhaled, then crossed one leg over the other and pulled out the familiar red cloth. He wrapped it over his eyes without another word.

"Don’t interrupt."

Astral Resonance activated.

The air around him shifted. To anyone watching, it looked simple a man sitting still with cloth over his eyes. Inside Lucien’s vision, it was anything but simple.

Starlight burst across an endless dark field. Threads of presence stretched outward in every direction, connecting people, places, and residual energy signatures like glowing lines across a living map.

His bloodline did not show the world the way ordinary eyes did. It showed location through resonance, memory fragments, and the pull of strong emotional or magical trails.

He searched for Leonard first.

Then Adrian.

The two signatures appeared together almost immediately.

Same place.

Lucien pushed deeper, trying to lock the exact position. Flash images surfaced rough stone halls, dense air thick with power, two figures moving through a space that felt sealed off from ordinary cities.

He hunted for streets, coastlines, towers, anything that matched Earth.

Nothing held.

He tore the cloth away and breathed out hard, sweat at his temple.

"I found them," he said. "Both of them. Same location. But I can’t pin the exact place."

Daemon waited.

Lucien rubbed his eyes.

"I don’t think it’s Earth. The magical layer around that planet is far denser than ours. The mana pressure is too high. I could feel it even through the resonance. Wherever they are, it isn’t here."

Daemon nodded slowly.

"I can guess where they went. But I’m not fully sure yet."

Roxanna turned toward him.

"You mean... there?"

Daemon met her eyes and gave a short nod.

"Might be."

Lucien looked between them, confused and slightly annoyed.

"Where are you two talking about? I don’t know that place. Explain it."

"No," Daemon said. "I’ll show it to you."

Lucien frowned harder.

"Your marriage is coming soon, right?" Daemon continued. "After the wedding, bring Yuna with you. I’ll show both of you that place. You’ll like it."

Lucien stared at him for a long second, then let out a short breath that was almost a laugh.

"I still don’t know what you’re talking about. But it sounds like something Yuna would like."

That was enough for now.

They left Lucien’s house and headed toward Victoria’s side of the estate. Before they even reached the front gate, Victoria’s voice entered Daemon’s mind through their connection.

Kassia is awake.

Daemon answered at once.

We’re almost there.

When they arrived at Kassia’s room, maids were already standing outside the door. Daemon entered first.

Kassia sat on the bed. Evelyn was beside her, speaking in a calm, measured tone. Victoria and Sana stood nearby, close enough to watch her condition without crowding her.

The moment Kassia saw him, she stood up at once.

"Daemon"

She crossed the small distance and hugged him tightly, arms locked around his back as if the floor might open under her again.

"Where did you go?" Her voice shook against his shoulder. "I thought everything was a dream. I thought I woke up and you were gone again."

Daemon held her carefully, one hand steady at her back.

"I’m here," he said. "I only went to report at the guild. You were asleep. I didn’t want to wake you."

Kassia didn’t let go immediately. For a few seconds she only breathed against him, grounding herself in the simple fact of his presence.

The second reunion was quieter than the ocean, but no less raw. There was still fear in her grip the fear of a woman who had already lost him once through her own forced choice, and almost lost herself after.

Evelyn gave them a moment, then spoke gently.

"Kassia, you need to bathe and eat. The food is ready. We can talk after."

Kassia hesitated, then nodded against Daemon’s chest before stepping back. Evelyn called two maids inside to help her. Victoria handed over one of her own dresses so Kassia would have clean clothes waiting.

After Kassia left for the bath, the room grew quieter.

Evelyn turned to Daemon, her gaze moving from Roxanna to the space Kassia had just occupied, then stopping briefly on Sana.

"I want you to tell me everything," she said. "About Roxanna. About Kassia. About all of this."

Her eyes lingered on Sana a second longer, not hostile, but no longer willing to pretend she saw nothing.

Daemon did not dodge the demand.

"I will," he said. "Once Kassia returns, I’ll clarify everything."

Evelyn studied him, then gave a short nod.

"Fine. When she comes back."

Daemon looked toward the bath corridor.

Kassia was still inside.

This time, when she returned, there would be no more half-answers left in the room.