Chapter 402: The Ghost Of The Underworld

[Music recommendation: CLANN - Darkness to Light]

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As the hood slid backward to expose her features, Aliana stood rooted on the spot, struck by a mixture of profound awe and shock.

Before her stood one of the most gorgeous women she had ever laid eyes on. The woman possessed thick, jet-black hair, devilishly beautiful almond-shaped eyes framed by dense lashes, rosy red lips, and a sharp, elegant nose. She radiated an undeniable aura of someone formidable.

Yet such divine beauty was terrifyingly fractured. Across the right side of her face, black, root-like veins pulsed beneath pale skin, crawling down her cheekbone, wrapping around her throat, and plunging out of sight beneath her high collar. Even her eyes were mismatched, one glowing a soft, icy blue while the other burnt a deep crimson red.

No words escaped Aliana’s lips.

The woman gazed back with a tender smile. "You do not remember me, my dear, but allow me to introduce myself once again." Locking her gaze onto Aliana’s, she spoke.

"I am Lilith Rhae Valtherion."

The air left Aliana’s lungs in a faint gasp.

"Valtherion..." she breathed, her mind spinning as the pieces began to click into place. "That is... that is Gavriel’s..."

The woman’s expression softened further. "Yes, that is correct. I am Lilith Rhae Valtherion, the former Queen of the Underworld." She smiled with a faint, sorrowful tinge. "And I am Gavriel’s mother."

Her words hit Aliana like a thunderclap.

Unable to hide her shock, she raised her hands to cover her mouth as she stumbled a step back.

She shook her head in disbelief and whispered, "I-It cannot be... He told me his mother had passed away."

"He did not lie to you, Aliana." Lilith lowered her gaze, a profound sorrow flickering in her eyes. "For I am nothing more than a ghost who has been roaming this land for centuries... waiting for this day to come."

"A ghost?" Aliana echoed, her mind struggling to process the truth. Her eyes flicked toward the right half of Lilith’s face, where those unnatural dark veins pulsed against pale skin. "Is that what caused..."

Lilith understood her unspoken question immediately.

"No, my child. My current appearance is not because I am a spirit."

Lifting her right arm, she pulled back her long sleeve to reveal a matching black, root-like mark on her wrist that travelled back up toward her neck. Just as Edith had described, the mark resembled an intricate design smeared in dark ink and living roots.

Lilith softly grazed her thumb over the blackened flesh, her voice dropping to a whisper. "It is because of the curse I share with my mate."

Aliana’s heart skipped a beat. "Your mate..."

Lilith gave a slow, sombre nod. "Gavriel’s father, Raizel Rhae Valtherion, the King of the Underworld and my mate."

Aliana felt her head beginning to spin as she struggled to process the bombshell that had just been dropped on her.

It was difficult enough to digest the claim that this woman was Gavriel’s mother, someone he treasured and missed deeply when he had spoken of the Underworld.

But the fact that the stranger they had been tracking was the former Queen of the Underworld... or rather, her ghost was even more overwhelming.

Why here?

If she really was his mother, why had she attacked them?

Why had she separated Aliana from her husband and brought her to this mysterious cave?

What was she talking about when she mentioned the curse she shared with her mate?

And, most importantly, why was the ghost of the former queen of the underworld wandering the world of the living?

As questions rushed through her mind, Aliana whispered, "This... does not make sense at all."

She took another step back, but a sudden wave of dizziness washed over her. She clutched the sides of her head as her vision doubled momentarily, forcing her to blink rapidly in an attempt to clear it.

Noticing her reaction, Lilith took a step forward and said softly, "You may sit down, Aliana. Do not strain yourself. This is likely the effect of the power I borrowed from you."

Aliana looked up, her brows drawing together in confusion. "What are you talking about? You took my power?"

Lilith looked slightly remorseful as she replied, "A spirit like me cannot possibly possess such raw power on her own. In order to sustain this physical form for so long, I had to draw energy from other living beings. It was barely enough to survive, but it kept me anchored until the moment arrived. Now that the time has finally come to fulfil my purpose, I had to borrow a fraction of your power to temporarily bind my son so I could bring you here. Forgive me, but this was the only way."

"Why?" Aliana asked. "Why go to such lengths to separate us?"

"And if you truly are his mother, why attack us like this?" Aliana pressed, her chest heaving. "Please, I must go back to him. He will be worried sick!"

"Your questions are completely justified, and I will answer everything I am permitted to explain. But I assure you, do not fear for him, Aliana. He is unharmed," Lilith answered softly.

"No... how can I believe anything you say when you attacked us?" Aliana refused to be naive and accept her word blindly.

"I understand your reluctance to trust me, but as I said, it was the only way," Lilith replied.

She then raised her hand, and the air before them began to shift.

A vortex of dark purple light swirled into existence, forming a shimmering mirror between them.

Within the pool of light, the image of Gavriel appeared.

He was forced to his knees, his head hanging low as thick, thorny tendrils of Netherbloom bound his limbs.

Aliana’s heart dropped to her stomach at the sight of dark blood seeping through his clothes where the thorns pierced his skin.

She rushed toward the glowing mirror, her voice cracking as she cried out, "Gavriel!"

She reached out to touch him, but her hand passed uselessly through the swirling mist.

Spinning around, Aliana glared at the ancient queen, her tone laced with sharp fury. "What did you do to him?!"

Lilith did not seem rattled by her outburst.

She simply released a heavy sigh and replied, "He is only asleep. The Netherblooms temporarily drained his energy to hold him back. But my son is the fated Devil, so I assure you this will not keep him down for long. He will wake soon, and when he does, you must be by his side before his wrath consumes him completely."

Aliana was rendered speechless by the sheer absurdity of it all.

"Why would you do this?!" she demanded again.

Lilith met Aliana’s furious glare with calm resolve. "My son is powerful, and you are his most treasured person... his wife. He would never have permitted me to bring you here alone, even if I am his mother. The reason for that is simple. Whatever I am about to tell you, he is strictly forbidden to know."