pte

rritory. Lyria stood by the window of the chamber Kael had assigned to her , a gilded prison veiled in luxur

e. Whispers trailed her steps, stares on her like thorns, Some pitied her, Others

oken to her s

weakened at all, If anything, it had strengthened ,taunting her with glance of emotions that

the door bro

d, saying

e only person who'd dared show kindness, "You shouldn't be al

an they're waiting for me to lose it? T

He did, " Lyria looked away. "And I

reached into her cloak,

ax, the crest was unfamiliar, two entwin

it?", as

ing Moon shade Pack, their borders were atta

detailed an ambush, symbols drawn in blood, and one chilling message scrawl

"They know," she whispere

, "Someone wa

o elders. A map of the territories lay across the table, blood red

wled. "First the Moonshades, now rum

ot coincidence, They're circling

ek said, "You rejected your m

. "My personal decisions ar

fate has already chosen her, and turning yo

uch, Lyria's presence gnawed at the edges of his control, every breath she took echoed in his bones, her pain vibrated through

couldn't stop t

ho escaped the Moonshade attack... says the att

ike they weren't

ran cold, "Sum

, visions had haunted her since the rejection. Not just dreams, but fragments, Flashes, a b

umbling to the mirror, tugging her blouse aside to expose the mark on her

ce, not her own!

next moonrise. If y

igure appeared in the reflection, her own face,

r become the ca

, and the vis

efore dawn, barefoot and trembling, "you shouldn't

linch. "I was

Wh

defiance and something deeper. "You

ned. "You've been ha

w?" she w

warned me when you arriv

es that e

reads of fate, you feel them, You

terly. "And you st

had

l !! You

tretched b

, hesitated, then droppe

snapped, "I need truth!! Why are t

answer. Could

d, "Come, the Or

ond the fortress, shrouded in mist, ravens ci

hey have before, but thi

forward, "tel

spered. "Bound to the heir by soul and

t old

ol!! Of power passed

low, "You me

, the ones in shadow those wh

hundered, "Then

to her. "Choose, Flee and live

er. "I won't forc

th, "I'm not runni

rst light of morning, the mate bo

already on th