All Chapters of Torn Between Two Moons: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

Akira’s POVAs I pushed away from the console, the alarm still rattled through my bones. The sound felt like cold water seeping into my skin; the palace was thick with the smell of ozone and a metallic edge of fear. Kaidën moved with that calmness, the kind that makes everything around him feel chaotic—a focus that comes from being a ruler, not from acting recklessly. He shot me a look that said more than words ever could. Move.We charged into the corridor as one. The torches flickered in their holders, casting shadows that seemed to stretch infinitely; the castle suddenly felt like a labyrinth of dark corners and echoing footsteps. Guards rushed past like a wave, their boots thudding against the marble floor. Up ahead, Lyrein was already a shadow against the stairwell, barking out orders in a low voice. He caught my gaze and nodded quickly, signaling me to keep an eye on Kaidën's flank.Oddly enough, my palms felt calm. The adrenaline cut through the nagging doubts in my mind—one of

Akira’s POV The infirmary had this strange mix of iron and lavender smells that made my stomach twist. Arik was there, breathing shallowly, and the slow tick of the clock seemed to keep pace with his breaths. He was alive—for the moment. The bandages were tight, and the healers looked worn and pale. The palace buzzed with a tense kind of panic—orders being shouted in the hallways, ward-mages checking runes, and scouts running in with soaked cloaks and urgent news. I perched on the edge of a wooden stool, fingers clenched until my knuckles turned white. My hands still felt burned from the battle, the memory of the light lingering beneath my skin. The mark on my wrist pulsed—an unwanted heartbeat that synced with Arik’s. I tried to shove that feeling down, to make it small and manageable, like a candle tucked away under a table. But it never really listened. Kaidën moved with the same fierce focus he’d had when we charged the battlements. He barked orders with a brutal efficiency onl

Nikolai’s eyes were like hard stones, shadowed by memories Alessia couldn’t touch. For a second, it seemed like he was battling with himself—caught between staying silent and confessing, between protecting her and tearing apart her entire world. Finally, he broke the silence. "Your sister’s death wasn’t an accident," he said, his voice sharp as a knife cutting through the stillness of the night. "And I’m not the one who put her in the grave." Alessia froze in place. His words hit like a thunderclap, shaking the very ground of all she believed. She opened her mouth, but no words came out. The world spun around her, the balcony railing pressing hard into her palms, as if trying to keep her grounded. "Don’t," Nikolai said, cutting her off, his jaw set tight. "Don’t say anything yet. Just listen. You want the truth, Alessia? Then don’t back away when it gets too hot to handle." She swallowed hard, her heart pounding in her ears. Every part of her was screaming to demand answers, to

Nikolai’s POV As soon as Alessia gave the slightest nod, I understood there was no turning back. We were teetering on the edge of something perilous—something that would forever alter our relationship. I slid the drive into the encrypted reader, and the low hum of the system filled the tense silence. The screens flickered to life, casting a cold, blue glow across the room. Alessia stood beside me, arms wrapped tightly around herself, as though she were holding her world together by sheer will. I felt a tempest brewing within her, even without looking. “Play it,” she said, her voice hoarse but unwavering. I hit the command. The first video appeared—it was a recording from a hidden camera in her father’s study. His voice cut through the room, sharp and cruel, dripping with arrogance. “The deal stands, Viktor. I don’t care what happens to her. Alessia can take the fall if needed, but the sister... she knows too much. End it cleanly.” Alessia gasped, covering her mouth as her fat

Nikolai’s POV The dawn broke over the horizon, a raw wound that refused to heal. The city felt unusually quiet, but this silence brought no comfort—only memories. The mingled scents of rain and smoke drifted through the cracked windows of my office, and her taste lingered on my lips. Alessia had slipped away before the light spilled into the room. The sheets were still warm where she’d been. She always left like that—without a sound, without a warning. I’d told myself it didn’t matter, that what happened last night was just another mistake in a long line of them. But deep down, I knew it wasn’t. Every time I shut my eyes, I could still feel her fingers mapping the scars on my chest, and I could recall how her breath quivered when she whispered my name—not in anger or hate, but in surrender. For one night, we’d dropped the act of being enemies. Now that the sun was up, all we had left was the pretense. The door creaked open behind me. Lyrien walked in—his dark coat drenched