Lyria's POVThe cold bite of the shackles had etched themselves into my memoryโinto my skin. I had lived with the weight of those chains for weeks, their iron taste almost mingling with the air I breathed. Yet here I stood, my wrists free, my ankles unburdened. I looked at my hands, slightly trembling, and then down at my feet. No more chains.For a moment, I just stood there, motionless, not even daring to believe it. Like a pup just learning to walk, I cautiously took one step forward. Then another, The clink of metal didnโt follow me this time. No pull. No resistance. Just silenceโand the soft pad of my own bare feet on the cold stone floor.I turned to Hood, still in disbelief. Ivy was hugging him again, and to my amazement, this brooding warrior actually smiled. A rare, genuine one.โIโm only doing this for you, Ivy,โ he murmured, barely audible. His words made her grin from ear to ear.He glanced at me once and added, โYou can walk around the palace for a while. Garrick isnโt a
Lyria's POVI closed my eyes, regretting my action when I heard Mira's sharp voice, โcome out, Lyria.โBut I couldn't wonder for long how she knew that I was under this bed. Apart from the fact that she has little knowledge of ancient magic, even my gasp the other time could have given me away. As if that could change anything, I held my breath and remained still under the bed. Suddenly, the blanket that stopped halfway down the bed lifted and I winced as light fully flooded the underside of Mira's bed. Then her face appeared upside down, eyes narrowed suspiciously, but her lips quirked with amusement.โLyria,โ she said flatly this time, โCome out.โSlowly, I scooted out from beneath the bed like a guilty fox caught in the henhouse. I sat back on my heels, brushing dust from my arms. Mira stood with crossed arms, her long dark braid swaying as she stared down at me.โIโI wasnโt doing anything,โ I stammered, trying to summon a smile. โOkay, thatโs a lie. I was trying to surprise you
Kael's POV The wind howled through the ancient trees of Aetherwood, their gnarled limbs swaying like devout worshippers paying homage to a silent godโonly this time, I imagined they were paying homage to me. A twisted honor for a cursed king. The rustling leaves murmured secrets I couldnโt decipher, and high above, birds cried out into the soft dusk like children calling for answers no one was willing to give.Everything feltโฆ normal.Too normal.And that was the cruelest part.Because inside me, nothing was normal. My chest felt like it was caving in from a pressure I couldnโt explain. The deeper I breathed, the tighter my ribs felt, like the air itself was turning against me.I found a moss-covered boulder at the base of a silver-barked tree and collapsed onto it, my elbows resting on my knees, hands rubbing over my tired face.So I was going to die.That much had been made clear. If I didnโt find somethingโsome answer, some act, some truthโI would wither like the weakling son of a
Kael's POV The stone floors of the palace echoed under my boots as I marched through the hallway like a storm gathering strength. Rage churned in my chest, pulsing with each step. Every servant who saw me ducked out of my way, sensing the fury that licked around me like fire. My destination was clearโLyriaโs cell.But right now, all I could think of was Hood. What in the hell had he been thinking?My jaw clenched so hard I heard a faint crack in my own ears. Hood had no right. No permission. I hadnโt told him to let her out. I hadnโt even thought of it, not after everything. What if sheโd escaped? What if sheโd disappeared without a trace, leaving behind only questions and the sting of betrayal?I spotted him just ahead, leaning near the corridor that led to the cells. He straightened the moment he saw me, but there was something off about himโhis usually neat appearance was frayed around the edges, like heโd just come out of a whirlwind. Hair disheveled. Shirt slightly rumpled. But
Kaelโs POVI was done for. I knew it. The very moment my willpower began to crumble and my wolf clawed his way to the surface with an urgency I hadnโt felt in yearsโI knew I was cooked. Completely and utterly doomed.There was no logic left in me. No reasoning. No command. I wasnโt thinking anymore, only reacting.One moment I was frozen in place, the next I was lunging forward, propelled by something far greater than me. A pull so strong it felt cosmic. Lyria made a startled sound and staggered back, her chains clinking, halting her motion. She couldnโt escape. She didnโt even try to scream. She just stared at me with those eyesโthose damn haunting eyes that seemed to see every broken shard in me.In the blink of an eye, I covered the little gap between us. The only little preamble was me brushing my lips against hers. The moment she parted those lips for me whether against her will or not, my tongue swept against her in a passionate kiss. This wasn't a kiss I could call gentle, tes
Lyria's POVIf someone had told me just a few hours ago that I would be smiling after a moment with Kael, I would have laughed in their face. I would have argued, tooth and nail. Maybe even bitten. Yet here I was, the afterglow of what had just happened clinging to my skin like dew on grass.I sat slumped against the cold stone wall, knees pulled to my chest, lips tugged into a stupid, giddy smile I couldnโt wipe off even if I tried. My fingers traced absentmindedly over the marks his hands had left on meโghosts of touches that still buzzed beneath my skin, like tiny sparks dancing in my bloodstream.Normally, I wouldn't have let it happen. Goodness, I wouldnโt have. Mira had told me that neither of us would be able to resist each other. I had dismissed her words in my head, believing that my willpower not to have anything to do with him will be dominant. She had been right, hadn't she?No matter how much I despised Kael, how much bitterness I had stacked against him like stones in
Lyria's POV For a moment, I just sat on the floor, frozen, the stone floor biting into my skin, yet I couldnโt feel it. I couldnโt feel anything except the raw, thunderous pounding of my heart in my ears. Ivyโs words hung heavy in the air, ugly and twisted, and I couldnโt seem to breathe past the knot of shock wedged in my throat.โWhat made you think you could go on with him?โ Ivy snarled, her voice sharp as broken glass. โBecause youโre mates? Bullshit, Lyria. Bullshit!โI flinched like sheโd struck me already. My eyes widened, staring at her, searching desperately for any sign that Iโd misunderstoodโthat the Ivy standing before me wasnโt real. That somehow, somehow, this was all a cruel illusion.But there was no kindness left in her. No warmth. Only bitter hatred, contorting her face into something grotesque and unfamiliar.โIvyโฆโ I croaked, my voice a brittle whisper.She snapped forward like a whip. โDonโt you Ivy me!โ she spat. For someone who was no more than just a chef in t
Lyria's POVFor a moment, I sat frozen on the floor, the sting on my cheek blazing like fire. I blinked once. Twice. Maybe thrice.But the hot burn spreading across my face was proof enough. The slap wasn't just a pigment of my imagination. Ivy had really struck me.Only then did my senses kick back in.I caught the sound of her hissing under her breath as she turned sharply on her heel, stomping toward the cell door, her shoulders high with pride, as though she'd just won some twisted battle between us. She thought I'd be too stunned to retaliate, too weakened to move. Foolish girl.Silent as a shadow, I rose from the floor, every muscle in my body tight with fury. My steps were swift but soundless as I followed her, my bare feet gliding over the cold stone. She was just a few feet from the exit when I caught up with her. Without hesitation, I grabbed the back of her dress, yanking her so hard she stumbled backward with a gasp.She whirled around, and before she could say a word, I
Lyria's POVIt was well into the night by the time Kael returned, but everyone had stayed awake all along. Even before his return, right from the time Magnus was killed and defeated, and everyone got to know, the whole palace had become a beehive of activity. While some got busy taking away Ivy's body which Magnus used, some took care of the mess that had been created in my room, while the rest even came up with a little plan, deciding that if the king did not return soon, they would go all out into the night to look for their king. Thank goddess Kael came back just when they were planning it. Now, Kael stood before a crowded hall, his hands intertwined in mine while we had Mira and Hood flanking us as Kael prepared to address everyone who had been jubilating for the final victory that came from Kael and I. Soon, one of them shouted, Long live the King! Long live the Queen! Another followed, and another, till I lost count, till everyone of them started chanting it. I couldn't he
Lyria's POVThe metallic tang of blood still hung in the air, staining the wooden floor and seeping into my senses even though I had already left the room. I stood just outside the threshold, trembling slightly, not from fear, but from the aftermath of what had just unfolded.Hood stood by me, his broad frame solid and unmoving, acting as a silent shield. Mira soon joined us, her face pale and her eyes reflecting the swirl of shock still settling inside her. Behind us, the hallway was chaotic. Warriors murmured to one another, confused but ready for action, and palace workers stood stiffly, waiting for instruction. The eerie silence that followed the confrontation had now morphed into hushed chaos.Hood finally raised his voice, commanding with the same strength he had used when leading warriors in battle. โDrag her out,โ he said flatly, motioning to the twisted, bloodied body that had once resembled Ivy. โThatโs not her anymore. That was Magnus.โThe warriors hesitated for a beat, a
Lyria's POVThe letter shook in my trembling hands, its corners crumpled from how tightly I gripped it. I had found it under the pillow, as though Kael couldnโt bear to place it anywhere else, as though hiding it there would soften the blow. But it didnโt. It shattered something deep inside me.He was gone.He left without taking a single warrior, without so much as a whisper in my directionโno warning, no goodbye. Only a letter. One that didnโt even say where he was going. It only spoke about how he didnโt want me to get hurt. As though I would be fine watching him walk straight into danger alone. As though my heart wouldn't tear apart with worry.He must be far away now. Far enough that the bond between us had dulled to a fragile echo, a dim hum instead of the steady, grounding presence I was used to. That bond was my compass, my anchorโand now, with it so faint, I felt like I was drifting.And how do I tell him?How do I tell him that Iโm pregnant? That thereโs a tiny, flickering l
Kael's POV The journey to the seer felt like walking through a tunnel with no end, the terrain familiar and yet stretched endlessly under the weight of my thoughts. I knew I didnโt have the luxury of time, but each step closer to the seerโs dwelling made me feel heavier. Like the very act of seeking answers was slowly anchoring me in a truth I might not be ready to face.When I finally reached the seerโs small hut nestled between withered oaks and whispering moss, I didnโt bother knocking. She was already outside, sitting cross-legged before her fire, her eyes half-lidded as if she'd been waiting for me since the beginning of time."You wish to chase a shadow that refuses to die," she said, before I could utter a word. Her voice was raspy, like dry leaves dragged across stone.I froze. I shouldn't have been surprised. She always knew. "Then you already know why Iโm here."She nodded once, the motion slow and eerie. "The man you seek now wears two skins."My brows creased. "What does
Kael's POVThe dull light of dawn filtered through the curtains, casting a gentle glow over the room. But I didnโt move. I couldnโt. I lay there, glued to the edge of the bed, my back turned to Lyria. My body still ached, not just from the war, not just from the fight, but from something heavier. It was fear. The fear of uncertainties. Fear that the danger that still lingered out there, if left uncurbed, will come back in a more deadly wave The sex Lyria and I had last night felt greatโintense and raw, and for a moment, it had numbed everything. Her touch had silenced the voices. Her breath on my skin had reminded me I was still hunanโstill hers. But come morning, the weight returned with cruel clarity.Magnus wasnโt dead.Heโd vanished. Again. Like a cursed shadow slithering into the cracks of the world, waiting to reform. I could feel it in my bones, in the dread pooling in my chest. This wasnโt over. It was just delayed. And I couldnโt stomach the thought of him coming backโto hu
Lyria's POV I woke up the next morning wrapped in a cocoon of warmth and soft sheets, Kaelโs arm draped protectively around my waist, his breathing steady behind me. The first rays of sunlight streamed through the slightly drawn curtains, casting golden streaks across the room, bathing everything in a tender glow.For a fleeting moment, the chaos of the war, the bloodshed, and the pain from the night before slipped from my mind. All I could think ofโfeel, evenโwas the raw intensity and depth of what had transpired between Kael and me last night.My body still tingled with the memory of his hands on my skin, the hunger in his kiss, the fire in his eyes. The way we came together like two halves of the same soul desperately finding home in one another after being torn apart.I smiled to myself, a slow, dreamy kind of smile. My fingers traced over the crook of my neck where Kael had marked meโhis mark. It pulsed faintly now with a warmth I couldnโt explain, like a star lodged under my sk
Kael's POV The moment we got into the room now after leaving the palace, Lyria slumped unto the bed tiredly and I sat next to her. โYou were incredible back there,โ I murmured, still trying to believe everything Iโd seen with my own eyes. โThey were dead, Lyria. Some of them were gone. But you brought them back.โShe gave me a small, humble smile. โI didnโt bring them back, Kael. The moon goddess did. I was just a vessel.โโBut without you, they would have stayed gone,โ I insisted.Lyria didnโt argueโshe never took creditโbut she also didnโt deny the truth. Instead, she stared at the floor for a moment, her fingers tightening around mine.Then, after a few paces of silence, she spoke. โIโve been thinking about Hoodโฆโ her voice was low, laced with sorrow. โIf he had known that Ivy would still come back to lifeโeven if just unconsciousโI think he might have held on. Might not have run into the remnants of Magnusโ magic.โI looked at her. Her expression was steady, but grief shimmered j
Kael's POV I watched with swelling pride as the warriorsโthose who had once laid still in pain or deathโstaggered forward, their expressions a mix of awe, gratitude, and disbelief. Some had risen from death itself, their eyes wide and trembling with the weight of life returning to their bodies. Others who had been too injured to move now stood tall and whole, like they'd never tasted the edge of death.And they all came to Lyria.One by one, they approached herโsome kneeling, others bowing their heads, a few clutching their chests in reverenceโas they thanked her over and over. Their words were thick with emotion. But Lyria only offered them a warm, gentle smile and said, โThank the Moon Goddess. She chose you to stay.โThe humility in her voice stunned me. Power like that could easily corrupt someone, yet she wore it like a gentle blessing. Not a crown.Lyria and I continued walking together, hand in hand. Mira had summoned a few of her assistants, and I glanced back to see them ge
Lyria's POVThe moment Kaelโs eyes fluttered open, I forgot how to breathe.For a second, I thought I had imagined it. But then his lashes trembled again, slow and uncertain like a dream rousing itself to life. I gasped, my hands flying to my mouth as his chest rose with a deep inhale, and color returned to his face like dawn breaking through a long night. The gaping wound that had spilled his life onto the earth was gone. Not a trace left. Not even a scar. The ground where he lay was wet with blood, but his skin now bore no sign that he had ever been touched by death.My heart exploded.โKael,โ I whispered, the name catching in my throat like a prayer half-formed.His eyes opened. Fully this time. Slowly. Those familiar, warm eyes that I thought Iโd never see again blinked up at the sky before they turned toward me. For a beat, he just staredโconfused, dazed, like someone waking from a deep slumber. Then his brows furrowed and his lips parted slightly.โLyria?โA sob tore out of me