The Demon king's Last oath

The walk back to the estate was unusually silent. Julian stayed close to Lucian, his hand gripping his older brother's sleeve as though afraid to let go. Lucian, still shaken, walked stiffly, his gaze darting toward the forest every few steps.

But Caius, as calm as ever, followed at his own pace, his small face betraying no emotion. Inside, however, his thoughts churned.

"The power wasn't supposed to manifest this soon. I've suppressed it for years, but the pull of that magic… it was too strong."

When they reached the estate, the guards rushed forward, alarmed by the boys' pale faces and disheveled appearance. Lucian brushed them off, muttering something about a wolf, but the Marquess appeared before anyone could leave.

He stood at the grand entrance, his arms crossed over his broad chest, his sharp eyes scanning his sons. "What happened?"

Lucian hesitated, glancing at Julian, who shrank behind him. "We… ran into a wolf in the forest. It attacked."

The Marquess's jaw tightened. "And you thought it wise to enter the forest, despite my warnings?"

"It was Julian's idea!" Lucian snapped, but his voice lacked its usual sharpness. He seemed more tired than angry.

"Julian." The Marquess turned his gaze to his middle son, whose head bowed in shame.

"I… I didn't think it would be dangerous," Julian mumbled. "I just wanted to see the trees."

The Marquess sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You're lucky to be alive. Wolves in that forest aren't ordinary. They've been touched by something dark."

At this, Lucian's eyes flicked toward Caius, who stood quietly to the side. He hadn't said a word since they'd returned, but his presence seemed heavier than usual.

"How did you escape?" the Marquess asked.

Lucian opened his mouth to respond, then closed it again. He looked at Caius, then at Julian, and finally back at his father. "We… we got lucky. The wolf ran off."

The Marquess raised an eyebrow. "It just ran off?"

Lucian nodded stiffly. "Yes."

For a moment, the Marquess seemed unconvinced, but he let the matter drop. "Go inside. All of you. And next time, obey my orders."

"Yes, Father," the boys mumbled, trudging into the estate.

Caius sat on the windowsill of his room, staring out at the darkened forest. The moonlight illuminated his black hair, giving it an almost ethereal sheen. His blue eyes, however, were troubled, a faint crimson flickering in their depths.

He raised his hand, palm up, and concentrated. The memory of the earlier moment returned to him—the wave of energy that had repelled the wolf, the pulse of power that had surged through his tiny frame.

"It's stronger than I expected. Stronger than it should be."

A faint glow appeared in his palm, barely visible, like a dying ember. But even that small spark carried the weight of something ancient, something dangerous.

Caius closed his hand, snuffing out the light. "Not yet," he whispered. "It's too soon."

A soft knock on the door made him turn. Before he could respond, the door creaked open, and Lucian stepped inside.

"Still awake?" Lucian asked, his voice low.

Caius didn't answer. He simply watched as his brother crossed the room and leaned against the wall, his arms crossed.

"What happened out there?" Lucian finally asked.

"You saw what happened," Caius replied evenly.

"No." Lucian's eyes narrowed. "I saw something else. Something you did."

Caius said nothing, his expression unreadable.

Lucian took a step closer, his tone growing more insistent. "The wolf didn't just run away. It was afraid. Afraid of you."

Caius met his brother's gaze, his calm demeanor unshaken. "And what do you think that means?"

Lucian faltered. He wanted to accuse, to demand answers, but something about Caius's tone, his eyes, made him hesitate. "I don't know," he admitted. "But you're not… normal, are you?"

Caius tilted his head, a faint smile playing at his lips. "What is normal, Lucian?"

Lucian scowled, frustrated by the cryptic response. "I don't trust you," he said bluntly.

Caius's smile widened slightly. "Good."

Lucian stiffened, his fists clenching. But before he could say anything else, Caius turned back to the window, effectively ending the conversation.

Meanwhile, the Marquess sat in his study, a glass of wine in his hand as he stared at the flickering fire. He hadn't believed Lucian's explanation. Something had happened in that forest, something more than luck.

His thoughts turned to Caius. The boy was… unusual. Quiet, observant, far too mature for his age. And there was something else, something the Marquess couldn't quite name.

A knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts.

"Come in," he said.

Lady Helena entered, her expression soft but concerned. "You're still awake?"

The Marquess gestured for her to sit. "It's the boys. Something happened today, and I can't shake the feeling that Caius was at the center of it."

Helena frowned. "Caius? He's just a child."

"Is he?" The Marquess swirled the wine in his glass, his gaze distant. "Sometimes, I look at him, and it feels like he's… watching. Waiting. As if he knows more than he should."

Helena placed a hand on his arm. "You're overthinking. Caius is special, yes, but he's still our son. Whatever happened today, I'm sure it's nothing."

The Marquess nodded slowly, but doubt lingered in his eyes.

As the estate grew quiet, Caius remained at the window, his mind racing. He could feel it now—the fragments of his old self stirring, pieces of his power reawakening.

"They're starting to notice," he thought. "Lucian. Father. It won't be long before someone asks the wrong questions."

He clenched his fists, his small frame rigid with tension.

"I made an oath. I swore to live as a human. To bring peace."

His crimson eyes flickered once more before fading into blue.

"But how can I live as a human when the shadows of my past refuse to let me go?"