"Bang!" Selena attacked a man with the nearest chair she could get, her laughter ringing through the air. The man fell with the broken bone and broken chair. Bianca, with equal fervor, snatched a handful of steak knives from the table, flinging them at the startled attackers. The knife stabbed into the attacker's muscle, ripping it.Although all of us were still inside Le Jules Verne, I, Aurora, along with Xanders, were immersed in a different world. We sat ensconced in the romantic ambiance of our candlelit dinner, the stunning backdrop of Paris's night skyline unfolding behind us.The orchestra, an ensemble of eight, played on undeterred, their rendition of Johann Pachelbel's "Canon in D" weaving through the air, filling the room with harmony amidst the action. Bottles and glasses were flying through the air. Even the table, along with its tablecloth, napkins, flowers, vase, and all its contents, was propelled in the direction near our side, but it did not reach us. This just added

Yesterday night at 11:45 PM,Bianca's POV.Seated at the forefront of Le Jules Verne, the aftermath of chaos surrounded me. Blood, shattered glass, and broken chairs and tables were strewn about. Selena emerged from inside the restaurant, carrying bottles of red wine.“Wine?” She happily offered them to Nadine and me, our appearances marred by the recent scuffle; my torn attire revealed bruises beneath. Men lay scattered on the ground, wounded, their blood a stark contrast against the pavement."What should we do now?" I inquired, my voice laced with uncertainty, as I observed our disheveled reflections in the wine bottle.Nadine took a deep swig from the bottle and declared, "It's time you learned about our ways in the Shadow Troops." Her eyes shimmered with determination and a hint of recklessness. Pointing to the black crown symbol at Le Jules Verne, she explained, "This symbol, it represents Alex, our dark king. Those who are with us recognize it and keep their distance. But for t

Aurora “Nadine, I think we have a problem,” I murmured, my voice trembling slightly as I recounted the disturbing details of Jack's abrupt end to the video call. Bianca's fingers danced anxiously over her phone, dialing her father's number. Her face fell as the call went unanswered, the silence on the other end echoing our growing unease. Meanwhile, Nathan and Ethan were equally unsuccessful, their attempts to reach their families meeting the same void. “What should we do now?” Nadine, her brows knitted in deep concentration, finally spoke, “So, the Royal king broke his promise.” She reached for her phone with a determined grip. “I'll text Alex for more information. Let's try to stay calm. We'll find a way out of this once Alex is informed.” Clutching my phone like a lifeline, I dialed my grandmother, praying she would answer. &ldqu

Jack grabbed his smartphone, intending to make a call, but his mind began to distort unexpectedly. Unintentionally, he had inhaled more sleeping gas than he realized. He gasped, fighting to hold his breath. Jack had been trained to hold his breath for up to 10 minutes, but the gas's effects were swift and disorienting. His vision blurred, thoughts became muddled, and he too started to lose consciousness. His smartphone slipped from his grasp and landed on the floor, and he followed suit. "The enemy is here..." he mumbled in an unclear voice. Exactly one minute after the gas deployment, the shadow soldiers inside the warehouse cautiously emerged. The sealed doors of the town hall had transformed it into a closed chamber, making the gas even more effective. They conducted a swift but thorough sweep, confirming that everyone inside was incapacitated. Two soldiers quickly moved to the warehouse to retrieve boxes and handcuff

Nadine lingered outside the study hall, her brow furrowed in disbelief. "Are they really this stupid? To cluster all their guards inside and then seal themselves in?" she muttered under her breath. Her tone dripped with a mix of amusement and scorn. Around her, a hundred shadow troops stood in formation, each one armed with a machine gun.Most of the Shadow Troops had already left Oakhaven for Paris. In just an hour, Nadine had managed to rally reinforcements from Paris while waiting for Prince Nicholas to arrive. They had even found time for a brief wine competition while awaiting his arrival. "Didn't that foolish Prince consider this before coming here?" she thought, her lips curling into a sly smile.“He is practically walking into a tiger's den.” She turned to her troops. "Ninety of you, go. Secure the staff and the royal guards. Handcuff them all." Her voice was firm, commanding respect."Yes, ma'am," they responded in unison, their movements synchronized and precise.A sudden cr