The chamber was dimly lit, bathed in the soft golden hue of the fire crackling gently in the hearth. Nyx sat curled in the window nook, knees to her chest, her silk nightgown brushing her ankles. The palace was quiet at this hour, the buzz of noble whispers and heavy footsteps silenced for the night.
She exhaled slowly, letting her head fall against the window frame. The stars above the kingdom shimmered like scattered diamonds, peaceful... distant. So unlike the storm within her.
"You're quiet tonight," Elaine murmured gently in her mind.
"Just… thinking," Nyx replied.
"About him?"
Nyx smiled faintly. "Among other things."
Kael hadn't spoken to her after the tense moment in the garden. He hadn't needed to. His silence was as loud as his presence. He made her feel… seen. Protected. Wanted.
And that terrified her.
A knock came at the door, soft, respectful. A palace maid stepped in quietly, leaving behind a small black velvet box sealed with Kael's royal crest.
Nyx's heart fluttered. She waited until the maid left.
Inside the box was a delicate pendant, an obsidian stone etched with runes, glowing faintly in the candlelight. It pulsed with warmth as her fingers brushed it.
"A protective charm," Elaine noted softly. "He means it."
Nyx clutched the pendant, her heart aching with emotions she couldn't name.
---
Far from the opulence of the Kael's palace, nestled deep within the forested edges of the Crescent Moon territory, the Crescent Wolf Pack's estate was cloaked in cold mist and silence.
Cassandra's chambers were far less extravagant than she would have liked, another reason for her constant simmering rage. She stood by the frost-laced window, staring into the dark woods, her jaw clenched.
"She thinks she's special," she spat, arms folded. "Wearing silks, gifted jewelry… a servant playing queen."
Across the room, Morgana, Nyx's step mother sat poised beside a spell circle drawn faintly in ash on the stone floor. The air smelled of lavender and burnt herbs.
"She is special," Morgana said evenly, eyes fixed on the flickering candlelight. "That's why Kael took her. Not out of affection. Out of fear."
Cassandra turned, sneering. "You said the prophecy wasn't real mother."
"I said I hoped it wasn't real," Morgana corrected sharply. "But if king Kael sensed it, if she's the hybrid born of five bloodlines, then he's keeping her close to control her. Not love her." she finished reassuringly.
Cassandra scoffed. "He touched her. You should have seen the way he looked at her at the banquet."
"He'll look at her corpse differently," Morgana said coldly, rising. "But we'll do it smartly. If you want the crown, Cassandra, we destroy her legitimacy before we destroy her. Kings may fall for beauty, but they rule with perception."
Cassandra's lips curled into a smile. "So we humiliate her. Make her the outcast again."
"And more," Morgana whispered, her voice low and dangerous. "If I can summon what I think I can... even Kael will question who he's brought into his kingdom."
They stood in silence for a moment, two dark shadows plotting against the light.
**
Back in the Five Clans' palace, Nyx lay curled in bed, the pendant Kael gave her resting against her heart.
"Do you trust him?" Elaine asked gently.
Nyx sighed. "I don't know… but I think he might be the only one who's never lied to me."
Elaine's soft hum echoed in her mind. "Then hold onto that. But stay sharp. Our story has just begun."
And outside her window, the wind howled low through the towers, carrying with it the scent of magic, change… and coming war.
***
The next morning
The tension in Nyx's shoulders started to ease as the room filled with voices and warmth. The palace dining hall, massive and arched with tall windows spilling in golden sunlight, was no longer as cold and intimidating as it had felt earlier.
One by one, the representatives of the Five Clans joined the table, each taking their seat with familiarity and grace.
Lyra dropped into her chair with a dramatic sigh. "If I ever have to sit through another council meeting with those fossilized Elders, I swear I'll....oh, morning, Nyx!" She brightened the moment she saw her, nudging a plate of sliced fruit closer. "You better eat. You're too tiny."
"I...uh, thanks," Nyx said, surprised by her directness but a little warmed by it.
Kaelen, the dragon clan's quiet and brooding representative, gave her a slight nod from across the table. "You sleep well?"
Nyx hesitated. "As well as someone can when they're suddenly living in a palace surrounded by strangers."
Kaelen almost smiled. "Fair."
Aeloria's bright, fairy-like energy flitted in next. Her lavender robes shimmered as she sat beside Nyx, offering her a warm, honeyed pastry. "The best cure for anxiety is sugar," she said with a knowing wink. "And maybe a nap in the sun."
Selene slid into the seat across from her, composed as ever. "We're not strangers, Nyx," she said gently. "We're your allies. Whether you believe it yet or not."
"More like your friends," Lyra added. "Selene's just too formal to say it."
Darius arrived last, dramatically late and carrying his own coffee like it was a prized possession. "Ah, the table is brighter this morning. Is it Nyx, or am I just blinded by Aeloria's robes again?"
"Choke," Aeloria muttered under her breath.
Nyx couldn't help but laugh softly. The banter, the casual way they pulled her into their space, it felt… real. Unexpectedly comforting.
Kael didn't speak, but his gaze never left her. Protective. Watchful.
"Anyway," Lyra said, popping a grape into her mouth, "we thought after breakfast, we could give you a proper tour. The good parts of the palace, not the echo-y council rooms."
"And maybe a walk through the training grounds," Kaelen added.
"Don't worry," Darius said smoothly, "you won't have to lift a finger. We'll just show you where to hide when things get boring."
Nyx gave a small smile. "I'd… like that."
Selene nodded. "Then it's settled."
Kael's voice cut in, low and firm. "She goes nowhere without me or my permission."
The table fell quiet.
Nyx turned to him, unsure if she should feel embarrassed or protected.
Kael didn't explain himself. He just leaned back in his chair, eyes meeting hers with a silent message:
You are mine to protect.
And no one will touch you again.
As breakfast carried on, the tension slowly melted into casual chatter. Nyx, still feeling like an outsider in her own story, listened more than she spoke. But the warmth around the table, the ease between the clan representatives, started chipping away at her guard.
Aeloria leaned in and whispered playfully, "You'll get used to them. Eventually, you'll even miss their noise when they're not around."
"I already miss my peace," Kaelen muttered dryly, which made Lyra snort into her cup.
Darius smirked. "Don't let them scare you. Honestly, Kaelen acts all broody and dragon-like, but he once sang during training, horribly, I might add."
Kaelen raised a brow, unbothered. "Do you want to fight now or after the tour?"
"Definitely after," Darius said, sipping his coffee with a grin.
Selene gave Nyx a small nod. "It's good you're here. You may not realize it yet, but you've shaken something awake in this palace."
Before Nyx could respond, Kael interrupted
Not the silent, darkly watching Kael from before, but the King.
Dressed in deep crimson and black, his aura shifted the air the moment he entered. Conversations died instantly. Even Lyra sat straighter. Nyx's breath hitched.
His eyes found her at once.
"Nyx," he said, voice low but commanding, "come with me."
She stood instinctively, cheeks flushing under the weight of his gaze. Around her, none of the others questioned him.
As she approached, he offered his arm. "There are things you must see. And understand."
"Now?" she asked softly.
"Yes," Kael replied, leaning down just enough for only her to hear. "It's time you saw what kind of queen you're destined to become."
Her heart pounded. Elaine stirred in her mind.
"He's awakening you, Nyx," her wolf whispered. "Piece by piece."
And without another word, Nyx placed her hand on Kael's arm, and walked beside him, not as a servant… but as something far more powerful.