Chapter: Chapter 40:Shattered Bonds.The forest trembled with an unnatural stillness. Even the wind had ceased its whispering, as if nature itself braced for what was to come. Selene’s pulse thundered in her ears as she stood at the edge of the ruined temple, her dagger clenched tight in her palm. The flickering torches lining the crumbling walls barely held back the darkness, their glow casting twisted shadows over the figures waiting inside.Elias stood at the center, draped in a cloak as dark as the abyss, his piercing gaze locking onto her with unsettling ease. Beside him, a row of armed warriors stood like statues, their expressions cold and unreadable. The air was thick with the scent of blood and damp stone, a warning of the battle yet to come.Selene took a cautious step forward, her breath shallow. Behind her, Ronan’s presence burned like a wildfire, his heat radiating against her back. He was struggling—she could feel it. His breathing was too heavy, his stance too rigid. The transformation was devouring him, p
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-03-30
Chapter: Chapter 39:Shadows that Linger.The fire crackled softly in the dimly lit cabin, casting flickering shadows across the wooden walls. The air was thick with the scent of burning embers and damp earth, remnants of the storm that had passed through the forest. Selene sat at Ronan’s bedside, her fingers lightly tracing the back of his hand, reassuring herself that he was truly there—that he was truly free.His breathing was steady, but his body bore the marks of Elias’s control. Faint bruises marred his skin, as if the dark magic had tried to root itself inside him. She had barely slept, afraid that if she closed her eyes, he would slip away again.Ronan stirred, his lashes fluttering open to reveal those deep, stormy eyes she had memorized. For a brief moment, confusion flickered across his face, but then his gaze found hers, and his body relaxed.“Selene…” His voice was hoarse, as if he had been speaking through a void for days.She squeezed his hand. “You’re awake.” Relief flooded her, but it was laced with something
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-03-30
Chapter: Chapter 38:A Kiss against the Darkness Selene’s heart pounded as she stepped closer to Ronan. His eyes—once filled with fire and devotion—were now cold, distant, and shadowed by Elias’s power. He stood rigid, his muscles tense as if restrained by invisible chains. Every instinct told her to run, that this wasn’t the man she had fought beside, the man who had kissed her like she was his salvation.But she wasn’t leaving him behind.“Ronan.” Her voice was steady, but her heart trembled. “Look at me.”He didn’t move.Elias’s laughter echoed in the air, smooth and mocking. “You truly believe love can break my hold on him? You overestimate your worth, Selene.”She clenched her fists. “I don’t need to be enough for you. I just need to be enough for him.”Taking a shaky breath, she reached out, pressing her palm against Ronan’s chest. A shiver ran through her as she felt the unnatural chill of Elias’s magic seeping into him.“Come back to me,” she whispered.For a moment, nothing happened. Then—a flicker. His jaw clenched, a musc
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-03-29
Chapter: Chapter 37:The fight for Ronan The night was thick with mist, curling like phantom fingers around the ruins ahead. Selene barely felt the chill biting at her skin as she pressed forward, her heart a relentless drum in her chest. Ronan was out there—she could feel it, a tether between them that hadn’t broken despite the darkness trying to consume him.“Selene, wait,” Cassian hissed from behind, catching her wrist. His grip was firm but not forceful, his golden eyes scanning the eerie landscape with caution. “Rushing in without a plan is suicide.”“We don’t have time for a plan,” she shot back, wrenching her arm free. “If Elias tightens his grip on Ronan, we might lose him forever.”Cassian exhaled sharply, but he didn’t argue. He understood—perhaps too well. They had been tracking Ronan’s presence for hours, every lead drawing them deeper into the ruins of an ancient fortress long abandoned to shadows and whispered nightmares.The entrance yawned before them like the mouth of a beast. Selene barely hesitated before
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-03-29
Chapter: Chapter 36:Shadows of the lost Selene’s breath caught as she stared at Ronan—no, Elias—standing before her, his emerald eyes now laced with an unnatural, eerie glow. The body was Ronan’s, the sharp lines of his face and the battle-worn strength she had come to trust. But the way he moved, the way he smiled—it was all wrong.“Selene,” Elias purred, his voice a twisted echo of Ronan’s. “You look at me like I’m a ghost. Am I not real enough for you?”Her pulse thundered in her ears. “Let him go.”Elias tilted his head, a mockery of thoughtfulness. “Let him go? Oh, darling, I just got here. I don’t think I’ll be leaving anytime soon.”Cassian moved first, drawing his sword in a blur of silver. “Then we’ll force you out.”Elias smirked, shifting his gaze to Cassian. “Ah, the ever-loyal knight. You know, Ronan truly despises you.” His fingers flexed at his sides, and a rush of dark energy flared around him. “Shall I show you just how much?”Cassian lunged, but Selene threw out her arm. “Wait!”Cassian froze, his blade in
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-03-29
Chapter: Chapter 35:The Edge of Control A heavy silence settled over the group as they moved through the dense forest, the night pressing in from all sides. The air was thick with damp earth and the lingering scent of blood. Selene stole a glance at Ronan. His jaw was clenched, his movements stiff, but it wasn’t exhaustion slowing him down—it was something worse.She had seen it in his eyes when Elias’s voice had echoed through the night. The way his hands had trembled. The way he had flinched, as if the voice had reached inside him and wrapped around his very soul.But he wouldn’t talk about it.And that scared her more than anything.Cassian was the first to break the silence. “We need to find shelter before dawn.” His voice was sharp, his usual sarcasm gone. “Ronan’s in no condition to keep moving.”“I’m fine,” Ronan growled, but even as he spoke, he swayed slightly.Selene stepped closer, gripping his arm. “You’re not fine.”His skin was burning beneath her fingers, feverish and unnatural. The black veins running up his
Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-03-29
Masuk
