บททั้งหมดของ The Goddess Warrior: บทที่ 81 - บทที่ 90

“Maximus is coming,” Kaelan whispered to Tharion, his voice tight with unease. The worry carved into his face was so raw that Tharion nearly reached out, as though steadying him could anchor the words themselves.“Why here?” Tharion hissed, arms crossing his chest like a shield. “You’ve already told him everything.”Maximus did not travel lightly. In recent years, he had rarely left New York, content to watch the world from his fortress of glass and steel. But his absence had never meant disengagement. He was the unseen hand, his network of operatives spread across continents, each one handpicked, honed, and loyal. When Maximus moved in person, it meant the balance was shifting. It meant the prophecy weighed heavier than ever.Kaelan linked with Kaplan to check on Jaiyana. Kaplan had taken her back to the guesthouse to rest, though she insisted she was fine. Kaelan found himself almost grateful that Maximus was on his way.In his day, Maximus had been one of the Directorate’s greatest

Maximus arrived at the guesthouse two days later, his tailored suit out of place amongst the desert heat and dust. Kaelan and Tharion were waiting for him as his car pulled up to the entrance. Tharion had his arms crossed, his displeasure at Maximus’s intrusion barely hidden behind his neutral eyes.Maximus wasn’t as big or tall as the other two men, but his persona radiated power and control. He clapped Kaelan on the back as they walked into the guesthouse.“So, this is the desert of treasures you have been mining for so many years,” he said, his voice smooth but edged with mockery. His sharp eyes scanned the courtyard, lingering on the artifacts and the layers of dust clinging to the stone walls.Kaelan inclined his head, keeping his expression guarded. “Some treasures are not so easily uncovered.”Tharion gave a low grunt of agreement, his gaze never leaving Maximus, as if daring him to push further.Inside, the air was cooler, shaded against the relentless sun. Jaiyana rose from h

Danny stumbled into the common room, ignoring the sign posted on the door. All eyes turned to him as he stood awkwardly at first, then straightened, letting the silence stretch. His countenance had changed. He was no longer the awkward Danny, jealous and petty. He was strong and full of unnatural confidence, a predator disguised in familiar skin.Jaiyana’s hand tightened around the glowing discus, its heat flaring as if it too sensed the disturbance. Kaplan’s brows drew together, wary. Kaelan rose half out of his seat, instinct pulling him forward.Danny’s eyes swept over them all, but lingered on Maximus. He drank him in—the cut of his shoulders, the deliberate calm in his expression, the air of authority that filled the room like a tide. Danny tilted his head, as though filing away every detail for some unseen ledger.“Am I interrupting?” His voice was smooth, too smooth, and wrong in its confidence.Tharion shifted, the faintest ripple of power leaking from him, but no one moved to

Maximus was an enigma to Jaiyana, one minute someone to be wary of, and the next almost fatherly in his warmth. He seemed like a caring leader, an eager participant in protecting the magical realms. Maybe it was his years of secrecy and clandestine operations that made him this way.Jaiyana found herself torn between admiration and suspicion. Every gesture of kindness, every quiet word of guidance, carried with it a shadow of uncertainty. She had learned the hard way that appearances could deceive, that even the most benevolent façade could hide motives far darker than one could imagine. And yet, with Maximus, there was a consistency she could not ignore—a steady current beneath the storm of her doubts.She tried to place him in some neat category, some box her mind could understand, but it was impossible. He existed in contradictions: gentle yet formidable, distant yet intimately attentive, a man of rules who seemed to bend them when someone’s safety demanded it. And in these contrad

Jaiyana was still surging with energy when she finally opened the door for Kaplan. Relief washed over his face, his shoulders loosening, muscles unclenching at the sight of her.“I want to speak with Maximus.” Her words were definitive, carrying an authority that was no longer borrowed, but her own.Kaplan lingered in the doorway, torn. He longed to hold her—to feel her warmth and take comfort in her presence—not only out of worry for her, but because he needed reassurance himself. Instead, he stepped aside, giving her room to pass.She moved with a new grace; every step charged with certainty. Confidence radiated from her, heavy as a crown. Kaplan could not decide whether to bow before her or fall at her feet.He followed her down the narrow stairwell, silent, as though words themselves would shatter the fragile balance of the moment.Maximus was sitting at Kaelan’s desk, his gray eyes transfixed on the screen in front of him. He was monitoring the meeting of allies, measuring their