Caelus stood in front of the queen, but this time his hands were out of his pockets.

His fingers hung loose at his sides, his posture relaxed, his red eyes half-lidded. He looked almost bored. But there was something different about him now—something that made the air in the chamber feel heavier. Thicker. Like the moment before a thunderstorm.

Even his sisters realized he was getting serious.

Lysandra grabbed Vivienne’s arm. "We need to move. Now."

Vivienne didn’t argue. She had seen their brother fight before. She knew what happened when he stopped holding back.

But they did not have time to explain. Because they knew if Caelus went all out, this cave would collapse almost right away. The ceiling would crack, the walls would shatter and the entire nest would come down on top of them.

"There’s a hole we passed earlier," Vivienne said, turning to Kaelen. "A fissure in the south wall. It leads to the surface."

Kaelen nodded, his yellow eyes still fixed on the queen. "I saw it. Tight fit, but we won’t make it. There is another path in here, follow me,"

"You need to lead them," Lysandra said. "We’ll hold—"

"No." Caelus’s voice cut through the chamber like a blade. He didn’t turn around. Didn’t look away from the queen. "You go with them. All of you."

"Caelus—"

"That’s an order."

Lysandra’s jaw tightened, but she didn’t argue. She grabbed Vivienne’s wrist and pulled her toward the tunnel right behind Kaelen.

Kaelen had no problem doing this despite his injured state as he could barely work but he could show them the way.

He directed the sisters toward the fissure, his claws scraping against the stone as he limped forward. "This way. Stay close."

The queen’s black eyes followed them.

She raised one of her six arms. The sphere of green blood floating beside her pulsed—then fragmented into a dozen sharp projectiles, each one aimed at the retreating figures.

Caelus moved.

No one saw him. One moment he was standing twenty feet away. The next, his hand was wrapped around the queen’s throat.

He had grabbed her neck in a blur—a speed that transcended sight, that defied physics. He slammed her against the wall with so much force that a huge chunk of ceiling broke free above them, crashing to the ground in a cloud of dust and debris.

The queen’s black eyes went wide.

Caelus held her there, his fingers pressing into her chitin, his red eyes boring into her voids. His expression was calm. Almost serene.

"You learn fast," he said quietly. "But you are not me."

Kaelen paused at the edge of the tunnel. He looked back over his shoulder.

Caelus was smiling.

Not a kind smile. Not a happy smile. A predator’s smile. The smile of someone who had been holding back for decades and was finally, finally allowed to stop.

Kaelen felt a chill run down his spine.

"He’s excited," Kaelen realized. "He’s actually excited."

The queen struggled against Caelus’s grip. Her six arms clawed at his wrist, but his hold didn’t break. Her tail lashed out, aiming for his side—but he caught it with his free hand, crushing the barb between his fingers.

She was learning. Everything she saw, she learned and absorbed. She adapted.

It was a skill almost similar to Jason’s adaptation system.

Jason realized this as well from the edge of the chamber, where he had been frozen in place, watching the exchange. His heart pounded. His palms were sweaty.

She’s adapting, he thought. Just like me. But faster and stronger.

The queen’s chitin began to crack.

Not from Caelus’s grip—from something else. Something internal. Her body was shifting, contorting, breaking apart and reforming. Her black eyes glowed brighter. Her six arms fused into four, then back into six. Her tail grew longer. Her legs bent backward at new angles.

She was about to shed once again.

A new form. Stronger than her previous form. By how much, Jason did not know.

But he could feel it. He had no idea how he could feel it but he could just feel it.

The queen was evolving.

And if she completed this transformation, Caelus might not be enough.

Jason made a decision.

"Kaelen!" Jason shouted. "Take them! Get out!"

Kaelen’s head snapped toward him. "What about you?"

"I’m staying."

Kaelen shook his head in disbelief. His yellow eyes narrowed. "You’re what?"

"I’m staying with Caelus."

Lysandra’s red eyes flickered. "Why? He doesn’t need your help. Even if this cave comes down, Caelus won’t die. We know this."

"Then why are you worried about him?"

Lysandra didn’t answer.

Jason turned back to the fight. "Go. I’ll catch up."

Kaelen stared at him for a long moment. His jaw tightened. His claws flexed.

"You’re an idiot, little meat," he said.

"I know."

Kaelen kissed his teeth and limped into the tunnel, Lysandra and Vivienne close behind him.

Jason was alone.

Caelus raised a brow when he saw Jason still standing at the edge of the chamber. His red eyes flickered with something—curiosity, maybe. Or amusement.

"You’re still here," Caelus said.

"I’m still here."

"Why?"

"Because I think you’re going to need me."

Caelus’s lips twitched. "I appreciate the confidence. But I’ve been fighting for centuries. I don’t need—"

The queen exploded.

Not literally. But her body ruptured—chitin splitting, flesh tearing, black blood spraying across the chamber. From the wreckage of her old form, a new one emerged.

Smaller, leaner, faster.

Her face was more human now and her eyes were no longer black—they were red. Crimson. Identical to Caelus’s.

She had assimilated his eye color among other things.

Caelus’s smile faded.

"Interesting," he murmured.

The queen lunged.

Caelus sidestepped—not dodging, just moving. His hand shot out and caught her by the throat again, but this time she was faster. Her tail wrapped around his arm. Her four hands grabbed his wrist. Her legs pushed against the wall, using it as leverage.

They were locked in a stalemate.

Caelus’s red eyes met hers.

"You’re learning," he said. "But you’re not there yet."

He squeezed.

The queen’s neck cracked. Her body went limp.

But Jason saw it—the way her eyes were still moving. Still watching, still learning.

"She’s not unconscious," Jason said. "She’s studying you." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Caelus glanced at him. "I know."

He threw the queen across the chamber. She crashed through a cluster of cocoons, sending silk and broken bodies flying. She landed in a heap, limbs twisted, chitin cracked.

And then she stood up.

Smiling.

Caelus rolled his shoulders. "You keep evolving!" he said. "Let’s see what you’ve learned."

Jason realized this vampire must be some sort of psychopath, almost like he was intentionally letting it evolve but unknown to them, this evolution caused a change in the ant king.