Zane Pov(First person point of view)(Unknown point of time)

  "Victoria, you're clinging to me a lot, huh?"

  "Obviously, you stupidly sweet husband of mine."

  Just like when we were alive, Victoria was glued to me like I might vanish if she blinked. To put it simply-she was starved for me. I guess not seeing someone for seven years will do that to a person. Or... whatever we are now.

  We were sitting on the ground floor of what was supposed to be my grandparents' house, watching the snow fall from the balcony. It was cold-but it felt warm. Probably because Victoria was here. With me. Again.

  "So, Victoria... how long was I dead?"

  She didn’t let go. Still clinging. Still warm. But her whole demeanor changed.

  Her voice dropped-cold, sharp, holding back a fury that practically radiated against the frost. Her amber eyes lost their glow, staring bnkly into the falling snow like it had personally offended her.

  "You were dead... for two months and a half."

  I blinked. Two months and a half? That was a long time. I’d thought it was a few days at most, maybe a month. I was way off.

  “That fucker Loran killed you and kidnapped our son.”

  Loran.

  The name hit me like a truck. He was the one who shot me. The one who took our son. Victoria’s tone told me everything: she knew him. And she hated him. Deeply. Violently. Like, "I’ve-drafted-five-hundred-ways-to-end-him" level hate. A hatred so deep that it could engulf a literal city if that made sense.

  She pulled me tighter against her, burying my face into her chest, holding me like I might vanish all over again-even though we were both already dead.

  "He shot you fifteen times." she whispered, voice trembling with restrained madness. "He hurt you... and he took away my baby. That’s something I’ll never forget. I want him tortured. In every way possible. I want him to scream. And I will do it myself. Slowly. Over days. Maybe weeks. Maybe... forever."

  She said that with a smile.

  A very calm, unsettling smile.

  I decided not to argue. I like having a spine. Oh wait...I am dead. So do I even technically have a spine? Too many questions.

  Still, something had been nagging at me since my death. Something Loran had said before pulling the trigger.

  "So… you were a sorcerer all this time, Victoria?" I asked quietly. “That... would expin a lot of things. Especially from when we were kids.”

  She didn't loosen her grip, just buried deeper into the hug.

  “Yes.” she said simply. “I was a sorcerer.”

  Then she suddenly pulled back, fshing a smug, proud grin like she’d been waiting years to drop that bomb on me.

  “And not just any sorcerer. I was the strongest of them all, dear.”

  I blinked. “You were?”

  With dramatic fir, she raised her chin and pced a hand proudly over her chest like some noble queen. Yep, its Victoria, I told myself once again.

  “Absolutely! Strongest of the strongest! So strong I didn’t have to follow anyone’s orders. I did whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. I was feared, respected, envied-and born into one of the most powerful magical families. Of course, I worked my cute little butt off to get where I was.”

  I couldn’t help but smile. She was so damn proud it was adorable-and a little terrifying if I might add.

  “I see. That’s wonderful to hear, Victoria. That must’ve taken a lot of work. I’m so proud of you for always giving your best in everything, no matter what. Seriously, sometimes I worry you push yourself too hard.”

  Victoria froze mid-rant. Her expression shifted from smug royalty to stunned silence.

  And then-

  “Y-You idiot!” she snapped, face turning red as she tackled me back onto the wooden floor, hugging me tightly like a koa in love.

  “Why are you always so stupidly sweet?! Why are you so perfectly accepting even when you find out something insane like this?!”

  I wheezed. “Because I love you?”

  She paused, then grinned wickedly.

  “Well good. Because now you’re mine. Forever. You don’t get to die without permission. And next time? I’m putting a tracking spell on your soul. Just in case.”

  I was about to say something, but she squished my cheeks together.

  “Nope. No backtalk. Just accept your fate, undead hubby.”

  Yup. I was definitely married to a beautiful, magical, slightly unhinged, crazy killing machine.

  Victoria’s bck-blue twin tails brushed against my face, soft like velvet, wild like her. She was holding me so tightly again, as if reminding me-again-just how long it had been for both of us.

  She hovered over me, her warmth seeping into my undead skin. Her amber eyes locked with mine, glowing with something different this time. Not just obsession. Not mischief. But guilt. Heavy and sharp.

  She took a slow breath, eyes fluttering shut before opening again. Her fingers gently cupped my cheek.

  “Zane…” she whispered. “Dear… I’m so, so sorry.”

  I blinked. Wait what?

  Before I could say anything, she continued. Her voice now carried a softness I rarely saw, tinged with regret and something far heavier.

  “My life as a sorcerer… it dragged you and Decn into this nightmare. I-I really thought they wouldleave you both alone after I left the family. I thought... if I just obeyed, just gave them what they wanted... they’d honor my final wish. Peace. For you and our son.”

  Her body trembled slightly as her tears began to fall.

  “I did what they asked after I died, Zane. I worked with them. I bargained with those selfish, fucking bastards. I thought... I hoped that was enough.” Her voice cracked. “But I was wrong. I was so wrong.”

  Tears streamed down her face now, freely and uncontrolbly.

  “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I should’ve-I should’ve known they’d never stop. That they would come for you. For Decn. I should’ve-”

  “Hey,” I stopped her, reaching up and wiping the tears from her cheek. “It’s not your fault.”

  She gasped, her lips trembling. “But I-”

  “No. Listen to me.” I gently cut her off, grabbing her cheeks. “Even if you didn’t tell me about any of this, I know why. You just wanted Decn and me to live without fear, right? You hoped... you prayed they would leave us alone. There’s nothing wrong with that. There’s no shame in trying to believe in peace. You tried your best. You followed their rules. You gave them what they wanted. And above all else-you protected us.”

  I smiled softly. “I’m proud of you, Victoria. I always have been.”

  She stared at me, stunned. Then, without a word, she colpsed into my chest, burying her face into my neck.

  “Really?” she whispered, voice muffled.

  “Yes. Really. So, no more bming yourself, okay? Otherwise…”

  I made my best mock-angry face, puffing out my cheeks in exaggerated funny anger. “I’ll be angry at you.”

  Victoria pulled back, stared at me-and then burst out ughing.

  “You have the dumbest face, Zane.”

  “HEY!” I protested.

  She ughed even harder, wiping away her own tears with the back of her hand as she cupped my cheeks with both hands.

  “But I love everything about that dumb face. And guess what?” Her amber eyes narrowed pyfully, crazily. “It’s mine. Got it?”

  I opened my mouth to respond-mistake.

  Because she kissed me. Hard.

  Her lips smmed into mine like a tidal wave, her tongue forcing its way into my mouth, intertwining around mine possessively. Like she was making me as hers. Again. And again. And again.

  She pulled back just long enough to giggle-and this time, her ugh was unhinged, a little too loud, definitely crazy.

  “Ahahahaha! You’re mine forever, Zane! MINE! Body, soul, dumb face and all! Not even death can save you from me!”

  I had only one thought:Yup. This is my life now.

  Victoria kept ughing.

  "HAHAHAHAHAHA! I can’t get enough of you, Zane! My foolishly loving husband! Hah... alright, fine then. I won’t keep bming myself-only because you asked."

  She leaned in close, lips brushing my ear with a whisper so sharp it made me shiver.

  "Oh, and... I guess I should tell you-tiny detail really-the illness that ‘killed’ me seven years ago?" She grinned. A grin far too wide. "Yeah. That was also them. Poisoned me. Without my knowledge. So it wasn’t natural. Surprise~! Soooo… definitely not your fault, dear. You tried your best dear."

  "Wait, WHAT?!" I shouted, practically choking on air.

  She nodded, arms still wrapped tightly around me like I was her favorite plush toy. "Yup. Absolute wretches, they are, dear. Treacherous, maniputive, power-hungry-family."

  I stared in stunned silence. My brain struggled to process. But somehow, my mouth kept going.

  "See? None of this was your fault. You were lied to, killed, and used like a pawn. You did everything you could. Just like I said. Perfectly."

  Victoria's face lit up. No, she beamed like the damn sun had possessed her.

  "Ahaha! So I was an idiot for bming myself, huh?"

  "Yes." I said without thinking.

  Bad move, apparently.

  She bonked my head with the palm of her hand, not too hard, but with an aggressively offended pout.

  "Idiot! You’re supposed to say ‘you’re not an idiot, Victoria, you're just too kind and noble and selfless and beautiful to bme yourself,’ then agree with me!"

  I sighed. The sigh of a man far too used to this chaos. "Yes, dear."

  Victoria giggled and gave me a little head pat like I was the pet now. "That’s more like it, stupid husband."

  Then she sat up, brushing her twin tails dramatically over her shoulders. “Anyway, before you wake up, I have good news: in this ‘inner world,’ time moves very differently than the real world.”

  I tilted my head. “It does?”

  She nodded like an excited professor. “Mhm-. For us, time flows normally here. But outside? It’s like sloooow motion. A second out there is, like, a minute in here. So guess what that means?”

  I blinked. “We’ve got... a lot of time in here to use.”

  “Exactly, sweet husband of mine!” she chirped up. Then her eyes lit up with dangerous excitement. “Which means... training! And learning! Sorcerer survival 101-taught personally by the strongest sorceress alive...or dead in this case. Me.” She struck a dramatic pose, hand over her chest, pride practically radiating off her. “Free of charge if I may add!”

  I chuckled. “So, you’re going to tell me everything? What the sorcerers are really after, who killed you, and why they need Decn?”

  Victoria gave me a satisfied smirk. “Eventually, yes. Everything. But not all at once-I’m not a vilin in a bad drama. We’ll go step-by-step. Understand thy enemy. Prepare. And most importantly, they won’t y a finger on Decn.” Her tone turned deadly cold for just a second. “They need him too much.”

  I nodded. Of course she had a pn. And I trusted her. Always had. Even when she was clearly five steps ahead and more insane than I could keep up with. Probably became more insane after 7 years.

  “But right now…” Her voice dropped to a sultry, dangerous whisper as she leaned in again, eyes gleaming. “Right now, I want time with my darling stupid husband.”

  I blinked and sighed again. “Yes, dear.”

  Victoria let out a crazed, satisfied cackle. “AHAHAHA! That’s the spirit! My sweet, lovable, idiot husband! Let me devour you!”

  And just like that, she pounced.

  Her arms, her lips, her everything smothered me in affection so intense it could probably be beled a form of combat. But truth be told? I missed her just as much.

  And after that…

  She finally told me everything. About the families. The betrayals. A book. The reason behind her death. And what they pnned for Decn.

  But all of that…That would come ter.

  Because our story was only just beginning.And I was about to go through hell to save our son--with my completely unhinged, absolutely terrifying, wife at my side.

  Zane Pov(first person point of view) 2 months and half after Zane's Death

  The first thing I did when I woke up… was punch my way out of my own damn casket.

  One hit. That’s all it took. The lid shattered like gss. I sat up, blinking into the cold night air.

  So, Victoria was right. It was nighttime. Perfect.

  I looked down at myself-bck trench coat, full-body bck clothing, a helmeted gas mask covering my whole head and face. The outfit felt unfamiliar, yet comforting. I recognized the design immediately.

  Victoria’s gift.Milr must’ve made sure I was buried with it. I’ll have to thank him... somehow.

  Dragging myself from the grave, I stumbled out and stood tall. The moment I got my bearings, I saw them-two graves. Side by side.

  Mine and Victoria’s.Figures. Still felt strange seeing my own grave.

  "Well..." I muttered, testing out my voice.

  It came out as distorted static, deep and unnatural-like a broken radio wrapped in steel. It was intimidating.

  Good. I was going to need intimidation in the long run.

  I rolled my shoulders, stretched my arms, tested my fingers. My body moved smoothly-too smoothly. I could feel, hear, and even smell the damp earth, the air, the faint scent of trees and grass. It was all too vivid, almost more than when I was alive apparently.

  As I finished testing my limbs, I noticed the grave I had just climbed out of was repairing itself. The soil filled in unnaturally fast, the stone resetting into pce. No sign of disturbance.

  Victoria’s sorcery, no doubt.

  She told me before I woke up: her enchantments over this pce would st for about two more months. After that, there was a chance someone would notice we were gone. But until then?

  I was a ghost to the world.

  According to her, anywhere I walked, cameras would glitch. Sensors would fail. Her spellwork cloaked me in a way no tech could detect.

  Victoria really did pn everything to the letter. Of course she did.

  With my face hidden in bck and the night at my back, I began moving. Quiet. Calcuted. Each step silent as I left the graveyard.

  The trench coat swayed in the breeze.

  "Alright… on to Milr’s pce." I whispered to myself. "I’ll see you soon, old friend."

  And just like that, it began.

  The long, dangerous journey to save our son.

  I looked to the sky, stars barely visible behind a veil of clouds. My voice came out low beneath the mask, tinged with that metallic echo.

  "I'm coming, Decn. Just wait for me."