Chapter 16

The palace never felt safe again. Even in the daytime, when sunlight should have chased the shadows away, every corner seemed darker than it should be. Every whisper of wind made my heart skip a beat, and every shadow felt like eyes watching me.

I had been practicing with Kael in the training yard, trying to sharpen my reflexes. He insisted I learn to fight—not just survive, but protect myself. Lucien observed from the side, his crimson eyes tracking every movement with an unsettling intensity. I could feel his gaze even when I wasn’t looking at him, as if he were reading my thoughts.

“You’re getting faster,” Kael said, his voice low, approving but edged with tension. “But don’t rely on speed alone. You have to anticipate.”

“I’m trying,” I replied, sweat dripping down my face. “It’s not exactly easy when I have two men breathing down my neck.”

Kael’s jaw twitched, and I thought I saw a hint of a smirk. “I’m not breathing down your neck. I’m keeping you alive.”

Lucien leaned casually against the far wall, arms folded. “Alive doesn’t mean safe,” he murmured, his voice like silk. “Sometimes surviving is just the first step to something worse.”

I frowned. “Worse than nearly being killed by Veyris’s hounds?”

He tilted his head, eyes glinting. “Much worse.”

Before I could question him further, a sudden movement at the edge of the yard froze both Kael and me. A shadow darted along the perimeter, and instinct took over.

“Inside!” Kael barked, grabbing my hand. We sprinted toward the inner courtyard as Lucien vanished into the shadows, leaving only a faint whisper of movement behind him.

The intruder struck quickly, silently, with the precision of a predator. They weren’t half-bloods this time. The aura around them was heavier, darker—something unnatural, something that made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.

Kael intercepted the first strike, deflecting a knife that glimmered like black steel in the sunlight. The force of the clash sent shockwaves up his arm, and he countered immediately, his sword cutting a clean arc through the air.

Lucien reappeared behind the intruder with uncanny timing, his dagger finding a seam in their armor. The attacker stumbled, but recovered too quickly, moving with inhuman speed.

I stayed low, clutching my own weapon, adrenaline sharpening my senses. This was different from before—the air itself felt charged with menace, and every sound seemed amplified: the scrape of metal, the hiss of movement, the pounding of my own heart.

“You’re fast,” Kael growled, striking again. “But not fast enough!”

The intruder’s voice was low, guttural, dripping with venom. “Veyris is coming for her, Kael. And there’s nothing you can do to stop him.”

My blood ran cold at the mention of his name. “Where is he?” I demanded, voice louder than I intended.

The figure laughed—a sound like broken glass. “Patience, girl. The master always arrives when the pieces are in place.”

Before I could process, a second shadow split from the first. Two attackers now, moving in perfect coordination, their every step echoing a deadly choreography. Kael and Lucien fought in unison, the clashing of blades creating a symphony of chaos.

I realized then that I couldn’t just stay back. Training or no training, I wasn’t just a spectator in this fight. My hand found a loose staff near the fountain, and I stepped forward, ready to act.

One of the attackers lunged at me. Reflexively, I blocked with the staff, pushing them back hard enough to stagger them. My heart raced, my palms ached, but something inside me ignited—a spark I hadn’t felt before.

“You’re braver than I expected,” Lucien said, his voice dangerously close, though his eyes never left the attackers.

I barely had time to respond before Kael called my name, pulling me back. “Stay behind me!”

The fight escalated, moving through the courtyard, around the fountain, and toward the palace gates. Kael’s strikes were ferocious, breaking through defenses with raw strength. Lucien’s movements were elegant, precise, each attack calculated to disable without unnecessary effort.

And then… the air changed.

A ripple of darkness rolled through the yard, a presence so commanding that even the attackers faltered. My stomach dropped.

Veyris.

He emerged from the shadows like a storm, tall, imposing, and impossibly graceful. His eyes glowed faintly red, and the aura of power around him made the very air tremble. The attackers fell silent, almost bowing in fear—or perhaps loyalty.

Kael’s stance tightened. “You stay away from her.” His voice was steel.

Veyris smiled—a cold, sharp thing. “Kael, Kael… still playing the protector. And Astrid… the prize.” He stepped closer, and even though he didn’t move fast, the shadow seemed to bend around him, anticipation thrumming like a heartbeat.

I took a step back instinctively. My staff felt heavy, useless even. But I refused to show fear.

“You won’t take her,” Kael growled, stepping forward.

Veyris’s smile widened. “I don’t need to take her. She comes willingly… eventually. But first, a lesson.”

The attackers surged again, this time with renewed ferocity. Kael and Lucien moved like a single entity, their coordination flawless. Yet Veyris didn’t strike immediately. He watched, calculating, observing, letting the chaos unfold like a master choreographer.

One attacker lunged at me again. Reflex took over—I sidestepped, swinging the staff, catching them across the shoulder. The impact sent a jolt of adrenaline through me. My confidence grew, little by little.

Lucien’s crimson eyes met mine briefly. “Keep going,” he said softly. “They underestimate you.”

Kael’s grip on his sword tightened as Veyris finally moved, stepping into the fray with terrifying speed. One motion of his hand sent an attacker flying backward, their body hitting the stone wall with a sickening thud. Another collapsed, unconscious before they even hit the ground.

“You’re impressive,” he said, voice smooth as silk. “But not enough.”

Kael gritted his teeth. “Then I’ll be enough.”

The clash was brutal. Sparks flew as steel met steel. Every movement was a test of skill, strength, and endurance. My arms ached from holding the staff, my chest burned from exertion, but I couldn’t stop. I couldn’t allow fear to paralyze me.

At one point, Veyris’s attention flicked toward me, and the world seemed to slow. The air was electric, and I felt an instinctive pull toward him—something dangerous, something I couldn’t name. My mind screamed to step back, yet my body felt rooted.

Kael sensed it immediately, moving to shield me. “Do not,” he growled, his voice harsh, “even look at him.”

Lucien appeared at my other side, daggers drawn, crimson eyes blazing. “He’s baiting us,” he said. “Don’t take it.”

Veyris paused, circling like a predator, observing the interplay between Kael, Lucien, and me. Then he smiled again, a smile that made my stomach turn. “Clever,” he murmured. “The wolf and the shadow. But every game has its rules—and its consequences.”

Kael’s amber eyes never left Veyris. “And we make the rules here,” he said, voice iron.

In a sudden, fluid motion, Veyris struck. Kael blocked, sparks flying, and Lucien moved to flank him. I braced myself, staff raised, ready to act if needed.

The fight intensified, Veyris striking with impossible speed, his attackers recovering and moving in unison. My world narrowed to the sounds of steel, the rhythm of combat, the heat of adrenaline.

And then I realized something vital—I wasn’t just a piece in their game. I had to be a player.

I lunged, staff swinging, hitting one of the attackers with precision I hadn’t known I possessed. Kael and Lucien reacted instantly, protecting me while keeping the enemy off balance.

Veyris paused, amusement flickering across his features. “Ah… she fights back. Interesting.”

That moment of distraction was all Kael needed. He moved like a striking lion, breaking through Veyris’s defenses long enough to force the intruders back. Lucien’s daggers found weak points, sending attackers sprawling.

Finally, Veyris stepped back, clapping slowly. “Impressive. You’ve survived longer than I anticipated.” His gaze lingered on me, piercing. “But this is far from over, Astrid. Remember my name.”

With that, he disappeared into the shadows, leaving a silence that pressed down like a physical weight.

Kael sheathed his sword, chest heaving. Lucien dropped his daggers, leaning casually against the wall but eyes still glowing with intensity. I sank to my knees, shaking, adrenaline coursing through me.

“You okay?” Kael asked softly, kneeling beside me, brushing a strand of hair from my face.

“I… think so,” I whispered, my voice trembling.

“You were incredible,” Lucien murmured, stepping closer. “I didn’t expect that.”

Kael’s eyes shot toward him, sharp and dangerous, but Lucien only smirked faintly.

I looked between them, chest still heaving. “So… he’s going to come back?”

Kael’s jaw tightened. “Yes. And next time, he won’t hold back.”

Lucien’s smile was slow and predatory. “And neither will we.”

The wind whispered through the courtyard, carrying the promise of more danger, more trials, and the knowledge that the game had truly begun. Veyris was patient. He was calculating. And I was at the center of it all.

But now… I knew I could fight back.

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