INICIAR SESIÓNCalista's POV
Lady Morwen stood in Zevran's throne room as if she belonged there. Like she had every right to walk into a kingdom that wanted nothing to do with the Council and make demands. The smile on her face made my skin crawl.
"You look surprised to see me." Morwen's voice was pleasant. Too pleasant. "Did you think I would simply let you disappear after you destroyed months of careful planning?"
I
Calista's POVThe vision hit me like a physical blow.I was standing in a vast empty space. Dark. Cold. Nothing existed here except shadows that moved with purpose. They twisted. Coiled. Reached toward something I could not see but felt in my bones. This was not a place. This was a warning. A glimpse of something terrible taking shape in corners I could not reach. Could not stop. Could not even fully understand."Calista." Zevran's voice pulled at me but I could not respond. Could not break free. The vision held me captive. Demanded I watch. Demanded I see what was coming so I could prepare or run or do something other than sit helpless while darkness spread.The shadows formed shapes. Figures. People corrupted by something poisonous. Something that turned them from themselves into twisted versions. They moved without will. Without choice. Like puppets controlled by invisible strings. I
Zevran's POVThe journey back to Noctis felt longer than it should have.Calista sat beside me in the carriage but I could see exhaustion written across her face. Dark circles shadowed her eyes. Her hands trembled slightly when she thought I was not watching. We had won. Exposed Malik. Protected our kingdom. But the cost was visible in every tired line of her body. In every moment she had to force herself to stay alert instead of collapsing."Sleep." I pulled her against me. "We are safe. Kaelen and the guards are watching. You can rest.""I am fine." She tried to sit up. To maintain the strong front she showed everyone else. "I need to stay awake. Need to be ready if something happens.""Nothing will happen." I held her firmly. Gently. "You have been running on nothing but determination for days. Your body needs rest. Your mind needs peace. Let me car
Calista's POV"It was not Davos who ordered the attack." I watched Zevran's expression shift from confusion to disbelief. "The medallion was planted. The evidence staged. Someone wanted us to blame Davos. Wanted us to accuse him and start a war between kingdoms while the real traitor stays hidden.""How do you know this?" Zevran moved closer. His hand found mine. "What did you see?""I saw his face during the fight." The memory crystallized in my mind. "Not the assassins. Someone else. Someone watching from the shadows. Someone pleased this was happening. It came to me in flashes while you fought. While I called out warnings. I saw him. King Malik of the Southern Plains.""Malik?" Zevran's voice held shock. "Are you certain? He was vocal at the summit but so was Davos. Why would Malik go this far?""Because he is not working alone." I pulled away. Paced. Tried to or
Zevran's POVI woke to the sound of breaking glass.My instincts screamed danger before my mind fully processed what was happening. Someone was in our room. Multiple someone. I rolled out of bed and grabbed the blade I kept hidden beneath the mattress. Moonlight filtered through the curtains revealing three figures dressed in black. Assassins. In our private chambers. Seconds away from Calista."Calista, get down!" I shouted.She moved instantly. Dropped to the floor behind the bed. Training from her years surviving Vargath kicked in. She knew how to make herself small. How to avoid becoming an easy target. But these assassins were professionals. They split up. Two came for me. One circled toward her.I met the first attacker with my blade. Steel clashed against steel. He was fast. Skilled. But I was fighting for my mate and that made me faster. Stronger. More deter
Calista's POVThe carriage ride back felt suffocating.Zevran sat across from me. His jaw was clenched. His hands formed fists on his knees. I felt his rage through our bond. Hot. Consuming. Ready to burn everything that threatened us. I understood the feeling. King Davos's words echoed in my mind. Prepare for consequences. Like we were children being scolded instead of sovereign rulers defending our rights."We need allies." I broke the silence."Real ones. Not kingdoms that demand submission as friendship. We need support before those consequences arrive.""Who?" Zevran looked at me. "Who at that summit seemed even remotely sympathetic? Most of them want to control us. The rest are too afraid to stand against Theron and his coalition.""Queen Elara of the Northern Forests." I had watched her carefully during the meeting. "S
Zevran's POVI hated leaving Noctis so soon after the wedding.Calista sat beside me in the carriage as we traveled to the Eastern Highlands. Her hand rested in mine but I felt tension in her grip. She was nervous. I was furious. Two days after we married and already other kingdoms were forcing us to defend ourselves. Forcing us to justify our happiness. Our bond. Our right to exist without interference."Are you okay?" she asked softly."No." I would not lie to her. "I am angry. They could not let us have even a week of peace. They had to immediately start making demands. Creating problems. Treating us like criminals for falling in love.""They are afraid." Calista looked out the window. "Afraid of what we represent. A kingdom that stayed independent. A bond that cannot be broken. Power they cannot control. Fear makes people dangerous."







