LYRAMy eyelids fluttered open, the dim light of the room blurring my vision. My head felt heavy, but my body... it felt strange. Not painful, not weak—just strange. I blinked, trying to orient myself, when I saw a shadowed figure sitting nearby. My heart leaped in my chest when I recognized who it was.Raphael.The moment he saw I was awake, he was at my side in an instant, his cold demeanor melting into something... anxious? It startled me.“Lyra,” he said, his voice urgent. “Are you okay? How do you feel?”I opened my mouth, but my throat was dry. I swallowed and nodded slightly. “I’m... fine.”“You’re fine?” he repeated, eyebrows furrowing in disbelief. “You’ve been unconscious for hours. You were poisoned, Lyra.” He leaned closer, his piercing gaze locked on mine. “Do you know who did this? Was it something you ate or drank? Tell me.”His questions came fast, one after the other, leaving me no time to process. I knew who it was—Althea. I could still feel the bitter taste of that
RAPHAELAs soon as Lyra left me, I began making my way down the corridor, my mind running through everything the healers had said. She’d healed too quickly. It didn’t sit right with me. I’d make sure to confront Darius about Esmeralda later.Just as I turned the corner, there he was—Darius, leaning casually against the wall, a smirk already tugging at his lips.“Ah, Raphael,” Darius said, pushing off the wall with an exaggerated stretch. “So now that your girlfriend is fine, I take it you’ll be okay too, huh?”I shot him a glare. “She’s not my girlfriend, Darius.”Darius raised a brow, his smirk growing wider. “Oh? Really? Because with the way you’ve been hovering over her like a worried mother hen, one would think she’s your wife.”I clenched my jaw. The way he teased me was as irritating as it was childish. “I beg to differ. She’s not my wife, and I was simply making sure she recovered for the next round.”“Sure, sure,” Darius laughed, nudging my shoulder playfully. “Keep telling yo
CHAPTER 44LYRAWe walked towards the arena, a massive stone structure that resembled a court. My heart pounded as Darius led us inside, his voice booming as he explained the first challenge.“All right, listen up,” Darius called out, his hands gesturing to the large arena in front of us. “This round is a series of supernatural duels. Each one of you will face off against another contestant.”Zara, walking beside me, fidgeted nervously. “Wait... do we get to pick our own partners?” she asked, her voice trembling a little. “I don’t want to fight my friends.”Darius didn’t even look at her, shaking his head as he strode forward. “No. You don’t get to choose. The matchups are predetermined. The arena itself will decide who fights who.”I glanced over at Zara, seeing the fear in her eyes. She didn’t want to fight any of us—. As we reached the corner of the arena, Darius pointed to an odd, glowing orb in the center of the space. The orb flickered and hummed, and the air around it buzzed w
CHAPTER 45LYRAMirena was relentless, her attacks coming faster and faster, pushing me to the edge of the arena. “You can’t dodge forever, Lyra!” she yelled, her voice filled with frustration.Just as I dodged another fireball, I felt something strange. A surge of energy, building in my chest, spreading through my body. It felt... powerful. Foreign. But familiar at the same time.I didn’t have time to question it. As another blast of fire came toward me, I threw my hands up instinctively, and to my shock, a barrier of light exploded from my palms, blocking the fire in mid-air. The flames crashed against the barrier, dissipating into sparks.Mirena froze, her eyes wide in surprise. “What... what was that?”I stared at my hands, just as shocked as she was. “I... I don’t know.”Mirena’s surprise quickly turned to anger. “You’ve been holding back, haven’t you?” She raised her hands, preparing an even more powerful attack. “Let’s see how long that shield lasts!”She unleashed a torrent of
CHAPTER 46LYRA Esmeralda slowly made her way to where I was standing, her breathing ragged.“Esmeralda, are you okay?” I asked, trying to hide the worry in my voice.She gave me a tired smile, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face. “I’m fine, Lyra. Just... need a moment.”I could tell she was holding back how much Althea had worn her down. Despite her brave front, Esmeralda was shaking. I quickly wrapped my arm around her shoulder.“That was incredible, you know,” I said softly, trying to lighten the mood. “You held your own against her.”Esmeralda chuckled weakly. “Barely. But thank you. Althea... she fights dirty.”“That’s an understatement,” I muttered. My eyes flicked to where Althea was standing, her back turned to us, still wearing that infuriating smirk. I hated how she seemed so pleased with herself after the duel, as if she had won something.Before I could say anything else, Darius rushed over, his face pale and filled with worry. “Esmeralda!” he called out, his vo
CHAPTER 47RAPHAEL I sat back in my chair, fingers steepled as I thought about Lyra. She was... impressive, to say the least. The way she fought earlier, dodging Mirena’s attacks with an agility she shouldn’t have had—especially after what happened before. She had healed faster than humanly possible. My eyes narrowed as I mulled over the possibilities. The healers had said she would need days, not hours, to recover fully.I leaned forward and summoned the maid who was standing by, wiping down a nearby shelf. “Get me the book on werewolves from the restricted section,” I said, my voice firm.The maid froze in place, clearly startled by the sudden request. She quickly nodded, almost knocking over the rag in her hand as she stuttered, “Y-yes, Your Majesty.” Without another word, she scurried off, practically tripping over her own feet in her rush to obey.I sighed, leaning back in my chair. If I didn’t know better, I would say her quick recovery was aided by something more than just wi
CHAPTER 48LYRAAfter dinner, we were all lounging around, the mood light and relaxed. I glanced over at Esmeralda, who had been unusually quiet ever since the duel. I smirked, nudging her playfully."Esmeralda, Darius was so worried during your fight," I teased, my voice lilting with amusement. "He was ready to jump in and save you!"Esmeralda blushed faintly but smiled. Zara perked up, looking between us. "Why are you smiling like that?"Esmeralda hesitated for a moment, then sighed softly. "Darius and I... well, we're mates."Zara and I both gasped in shock, our eyes widening in disbelief. "What?" I half-yelled, sitting up straighter. "Since when did you find out?"Zara’s jaw dropped as she stared at Esmeralda. Before we could dive deeper into this bombshell, the door creaked open, and Althea strode in, her eyes sweeping over us. Her gaze stayed for a moment too long, as if she knew what we had been talking about. My stomach churned with anger."Ugh, here comes trouble," Zara mutt
CHAPTER 49LYRAThe black maze loomed ahead of us, Darius led the way, his voice stern as he addressed us.“This is the Maze of Illusions,” Darius said, his eyes scanning each of us. “It’s far worse than what you’ve faced before. You’ll be confronted with your worst fears. Stay too long in the illusion, and you won’t be able to tell it from reality. And if you lose yourself… you die.”A heavy silence fell over the group. My heart thudded painfully in my chest. I glanced at Esmeralda, who looked pale. We were splitting up, each of us forced to face the maze alone.I hurried over to her before we entered. “Esme, whatever happens… please don’t die,” I said, my voice shaking. “Remember Darius, remember all of us. Don’t let the maze trick you.”Esmeralda’s eyes softened, but there was fear in them. “You too, Lyra.” She squeezed my hand briefly, and then she was gone, stepping into her entrance.I turned to mine, swallowing hard. As soon as I entered the maze, the air shifted, growing colde
CHAPTER 66RAPHAEL I focused on the stack of documents before me, trying to sort through the mess of security updates and ongoing investigations. Darius sat across from me, flipping through his own papers, a frown etched on his face.“Still no leads on the user of Essian's dust,” he said, frustration lacing his voice.I nodded, pinching the bridge of my nose. “We need to find out who’s behind this before it escalates further. If they’re using it against us, we can’t afford to sit idle.”Just then, Kane walked in, his expression serious. “Your Majesty, I came as soon as I could.”I looked up from my documents, ready to respond to Kane’s input when the door swung open abruptly. I froze, my eyes narrowing as Madriel walked in without so much as a knock. “What are you doing here, Madriel?”She leaned against the doorframe, feigning innocence. “Oh, can’t I come to visit my lovely baby brother?” The mockery dripped from her words.“You have no right to visit me,” I snapped, my voice icy. “
CHAPTER 65LYRA.After returning from Raphael's office, I lied down on my bed smiling.“Lyra!” Esmeralda burst into the room, her eyes bright with joy. “ I’m officially Darius’s mate now!”“I’m so happy for you!” I said, unable to hide my smile. She clapped her hands, a giddy laugh escaping her lips. “I know! It all feels so perfect. I can’t believe I’m finally free from the stupid Lunar games!”“I’m moving to Darius’s room.”“That’s amazing, Esmeralda! You deserve this,” I said. “Are you excited?”“Terrified,” she admitted, biting her lip. “But mostly excited! It’s just… everything feels different now.”I watched her. “You’re elevating your status now. You’ll be treated like a queen.”“Exactly!” She giggled, her cheeks flushed. “And I want to make sure you’re comfortable, too. You’re still my best friend, and I need you by my side.”“Of course,” I replied. “I wouldn’t want it any other way.”The next few days flew by. On the eve of the day of the 4th phase, Esmeralda knocked on my d
CHAPTER 64RAPHAEL I was buried in documents concerning pack security, trying to keep my mind focused on the endless details, when Darius strolled into my office, a broad smile stretching across his face.“What happened to you? Why are you smiling?” I asked, my eyebrows lifting in curiosity.“Nothing, just had a great training session,” he replied, his grin infectious.But then, just like that, his smile vanished, replaced by an unreadable expression. “What’s wrong?” I pressed, leaning back in my chair.Darius hesitated, glancing down at the floor. “Uh, nothing. Really. Just...”“Who pissed in your pants now?” I teased, unable to help myself.He glared at me and I shrugged.I sighed, crossing my arms. “Darius, is there something you want to tell me? You’ve been holding it back for too long. Just spit it out.”He fidgeted, his eyes darting around the room. “It’s just... well, one of the contestants is my mate.”My heart sank, shock coursing through me. “Wait, what? Your mate?”Darius
CHAPTER 63LYRAI trudged through the twisted trees, feeling something dark and suffocating all around me. My breaths were shaky, shallow. Shadows flickered in every corner, moving, watching. I muttered to myself, “Come on, Lyra. One step at a time. Just… keep moving.”Then I saw it—a creature. Its eyes glowed with hatred, fangs dripping with some dark, strange essence. I couldn’t move, my heart pounding like it might break free from my chest. The beast lunged. I managed to dodge, barely, feeling the air crackle around its attack. Every hit it made, every slash it aimed at me, felt like it reached past my skin, sinking deep into me. Each blow burned, not just my body, but… something else, something I couldn’t even name. It felt like it was tearing me apart from the inside out.I stumbled, the pain twisting and contorting through me. “I… I can’t…” I gasped, but I had no choice.Then, I felt the last hit, and I fell. Everything went dark.When I opened my eyes, blue smoke swirled aroun
CHAPTER 62LYRAThe next morning, my maid helped me into a simple black dress. I felt drained, but I wore it for Zara. Esmeralda, too, appeared in black, her face pale. We didn’t speak; Darius arrived, his face impassive. He looked over the three of us—Althea, Esmeralda, and me—before nodding. "Follow me. We’re moving forward."Esmeralda’s jaw tightened, and Althea gave a weird look, her lips pressed into a thin line. I felt the ache in my chest but followed Darius.We walked outside, led by our maids, and stepped into what felt like another world. Darius stopped, and his voice echoed over the quiet. "This is the next challenge. It’s called ‘The Volcanic Gauntlet.’ You’ll need every ounce of strength and endurance to survive it."I looked ahead. The ground was coated in volcanic ash, each step already sticking to our shoes. Hot winds blew against my face, and I tasted smoke in the air. Rivers of lava twisted around the landscape, glowing, hissing.I could hear Althea breathing sharpl
CHAPTER 61RAPHAEL I sat in my office and my eyes drifted to the door, waiting for Darius to bring me the latest news. The clock on the wall ticked away, and finally, the door opened, Darius stepping in with a grim expression. I raised an eyebrow.“Darius,” I greeted him. “How did it go?”Darius didn’t return the smile. He simply stood there, expression stiff. “Two contestants didn’t make it.”The smirk faded from my face, replaced by a cold expression. “Who?”“Mirena and Zara.”For a moment, I stayed silent, processing the names. Zara… I knew she’d been close to Lyra. She had even come to me once, pleading on Lyra’s behalf.“And Lyra?” I asked, my voice quieter. “How is she?”Darius hesitated, looking down. “She went straight to her room. I think she’s taking it harder than anyone else… along with Esmeralda. Those three were close.”I nodded slowly. “I see.”Darius shifted, as if uncomfortable under my gaze. He looked unusually tense, his hands clenched at his sides. I studied him,
CHAPTER 60LYRA“No… no, she can’t be…” I whispered, collapsing against him as he held me back. I felt my knees give out, and all I could do was clutch his arm. “This can’t be happening… not Zara…”Esmeralda still hadn’t moved. Her face was blank, eyes hollow as she kept staring at the flames, as if expecting Zara to walk back out any moment. “She… she was just… she was just there…” she mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper.I looked at her, tears blurring my vision. “Esmeralda… I… I couldn’t do anything…” My voice broke, my chest feeling like it was being crushed. “I should have done something… anything…”Esmeralda’s lip quivered, her face still pale as she murmured, “Zara… she was… this can’t be real…”Darius released his grip on me slowly, making sure I wouldn’t lunge forward again. “Neither of you can afford to lose yourselves here,” he said firmly. “If you go in like this, it’ll be over for both of you.”I tried to breathe.“She knew the risks, Lyra,” Darius said again. Dar
LYRA As we reached the chamber, Darius stopped and looked over us, his face as hard as the stone walls around us. The heat was already thick, making it hard to breathe, and the flicker of flames cast strange shadows across his face. “Listen up,” he said, his voice flat and emotionless. “You’re about to face the Flame Wall. This fire isn’t ordinary. It’s meant to burn more than just your skin.” Zara shifted uncomfortably beside me, and I glanced at her. “What do you mean, more than our skin?” I asked, trying to keep the tremor out of my voice. “The flames here don’t just burn,” Darius replied, his gaze cold as ice. “They reach inside you—attack your fears, your weaknesses. They’ll find what haunts you and use it to break you down.” I swallowed hard. There was no reassurance in his words, no attempt to ease our nerves. It was like he didn’t care what happened to us. I glanced at Esmeralda, who was pale but steady. Darius’s eyes lingered on her for a moment, softer than his tone. H
CHAPTER 58LYRA A soft knock on my door woke me up, and I blinked, groggy and confused. A maid stood there, waiting. I guess they’re waking everyone up like this, I thought, rubbing my eyes.I stretched and made my way to the dining room, feeling half-asleep. When I walked in, Esmeralda, Zara, and the others were already there, but they looked tired. Everyone’s eyes were barely open, and the maids stood silently behind us, watching over like guards.I yawned, covering my mouth as I looked around. “Morning, everyone,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. Not a single response. No one even bothered to look up; they were too busy fighting sleep.Esmeralda gave a half-hearted wave, her head resting on her hand. “Is it really morning?” she mumbled, eyes half-closed.Zara leaned forward, groaning. “Feels like they dragged us out of bed for no reason. I could still be sleeping.”I nodded, glancing around at the maids. “Yeah, they really wanted us up early… for what, though?”No one answ