The Chains That Bind

The golden glow of Vale's domain pulsed like a living thing, wrapping around Selene like invisible chains. The air was thick with power, pressing against her skin, yet her magic remained dormant—silenced.

She had tried summoning her flames. Nothing.She had tried calling on the ice. Still nothing.Even the small flickers of energy that always hummed in her veins were gone.

Vale had stripped her bare.

And yet, he hadn't won.

Selene stood tall, refusing to kneel.

Across the grand, shimmering hall, Vale watched her with an infuriating calm. He had changed from his usual dark robes, now clad in something finer—gold-trimmed black, a king's attire.

"Are you ready to listen now?" he asked, his voice smooth, controlled.

Selene met his golden gaze, her jaw clenched.

"Go to hell."

Vale chuckled, shaking his head. "You are resilient, I'll give you that." He took a step forward, hands folded behind his back. "But even the strongest flames eventually flicker out. And you, Selene, are already burning."

Selene refused to show doubt, but her heart thumped hard against her ribs.

Something was wrong.

Something inside her had changed since she arrived.

Not just her magic—but something deeper.

A dull ache thrummed in her chest, like an old memory trying to break free.

Vale stopped in front of her, tilting his head. "You feel it, don't you? The weight inside you?"

Selene's breath hitched. "What did you do to me?"

Vale's lips curled. "I didn't do anything. I simply brought you to the place where your truth can no longer be ignored."

A spark of fear ignited in Selene's chest.

But she didn't let him see it.

She didn't care what he thought he knew. She didn't care about his cryptic words. She only cared about one thing.

Escaping.

Lucian's Descent into the Dark

Miles away, Lucian burned.

The room around him was wreckage—ice spikes jutted from the ground, walls were scorched black with fire.

And still, it wasn't enough.

Selene was gone.

Vale had taken her.

And he couldn't find her.

Lucian paced like a caged beast, every muscle in his body coiled with pure rage.

Astrid stood nearby, arms crossed. "You need to control yourself."

Lucian turned, his silver eyes glowing like a storm. "Control myself? While she's with him?" His voice was razor-sharp. "No."

Darius let out a slow breath. "Lucian, listen—"

"I don't have time to listen!" Lucian roared, power crackling around him. "I need to find her. Now."

Darius's eyes narrowed. "And how exactly do you plan to do that?"

Lucian clenched his fists. His power was surging, shifting. He felt like he was breaking apart from the inside out.

And then—

A pulse.

A whisper of Selene's magic.

His head snapped up. "I can feel her."

Astrid stiffened. "What?"

Lucian pressed a hand to his chest, his heart pounding.

The bond between him and Selene had always been strong. But now—now it was different.

He could feel the distance.The power surrounding her.The way her magic was… changing.

Lucian's breath hitched.

Selene wasn't just lost.

She was on the edge of becoming something else.

And if he didn't reach her soon—

He might lose her forever.

Selene's Gamble

Selene took a slow, steady breath.

She had to think.

Her magic was gone. Vale was too powerful to fight head-on.

So she needed another way.

"Tell me what you really want, Vale," she said, her voice carefully measured. "Because I know this isn't just about power."

Vale studied her, his golden eyes flickering with interest.

"Smart girl," he murmured. "You're right. This isn't about power."

Selene's heart pounded.

"If you already have me, why not kill me and be done with it?" she pressed.

Vale's smirk faded.

And for the first time, she saw it.

Hesitation.

His fingers twitched at his side, barely noticeable, but enough.

Enough to tell her there was something more.

"You won't, will you?" Selene whispered. "Because you need me alive."

A heavy silence filled the space between them.

Then, at last, Vale spoke.

"You're right," he admitted, voice soft. "I do need you alive."

Selene swallowed, her stomach twisting. "Why?"

Vale's golden eyes darkened.

"Because you are not just fire and ice, Selene." His voice was deadly quiet. "You are the key to something far greater. And whether you like it or not—"

He reached out, his fingers ghosting over her cheek.

"You belong to me now."

Selene didn't flinch.

She didn't look away.

And she didn't dare let him see the fear clawing at her insides.

Instead, she smiled—a slow, dangerous smile.

"Then you've made your first mistake," she whispered.

Vale's brow arched. "Oh?"

Selene leaned in, eyes burning.

"Because I have never belonged to anyone."

And with that, she did the only thing she could.

She lunged forward—

And bit him.

End of Chapter Twenty-Six