Elayne's ordinary life takes a drastic turn when she discovers she is part of an ancient prophecy tied to the mythical kingdom of Elyssanar. Guided by Solaris, a unique companion with secrets of his own, Elayne embarks on a journey fraught with chal...
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Solaris' fear hit me harder than any of Rhea's words. Seeing him like that—helpless, desperate—made my heart clench. I had never heard him beg before. But now, his eyes were pleading, and I knew what it meant.
I tried to speak, to say something, anything, but my voice was gone. My throat felt like it was closing up, fear choking me from the inside.
Rhea moved closer, her cold gaze locked on me. "You've been a useful little pawn, Elayne. But now, you're just a liability. And as much as I appreciate your help in bringing Solaris back, I can't have you interfering with what comes next."
Solaris yanked against the ropes, his muscles straining. "No! Rhea, if you kill her, you'll lose me. You know I won't cooperate. I'll tear everything apart, burn it to the ground."
Rhea stopped in her tracks, narrowing her eyes at him. "You'd really defy me over this girl?"
His growl echoed through the cave, low and dangerous. "Yes. I'd rather die than let you touch her."
My breath caught in my throat. Solaris... he was willing to sacrifice everything for me? I felt something spark from within me.
Rhea tilted her head, considering Solaris' words. She was weighing her options, calculating how to manipulate him. I could see it in her cold, cruel eyes. "Interesting," she finally said, her voice soft and filled with venom. "You care that much about her. Perhaps I underestimated this little connection between you two."
She took another step forward, and Solaris snarled, his body coiled with tension. But instead of moving toward me, she crouched down, looking me straight in the eye.
"Tell me, Elayne," Rhea said, her voice low and sinister. "Would you die for him, too?"
My pulse raced. I wanted to answer, to tell her to go to hell, but I couldn't. I couldn't speak. My body felt frozen, locked in place as her words coiled around me like a serpent, squeezing tighter and tighter. The truth was, I didn't know what I was willing to sacrifice—my life, my freedom—until now.
"Don't answer that," Rhea sneered, standing up again and stepping back. "I already know. You'd give anything for him, wouldn't you? It's pathetic."
I clenched my fists, the anger building inside me. I couldn't let her win, not like this. I couldn't let her tear us apart.
"Rhea!" Solaris roared, the chains clinking as he struggled. "Don't you dare touch her!"
But Rhea was already smiling, her lips curling into a wicked grin. "Fine. I won't kill her. Not yet. I want you to watch her suffer first, Solaris. Let's see how strong this bond of yours really is."
And with a flick of her wrist, she signaled to the guards. Two of them stepped forward, pulling me roughly out of the net and dragging me toward the far end of the cave.
"Let me go!" I shouted, finally finding my voice, but it was too late. The guards didn't listen, their iron grip holding me in place. I twisted, kicked, but they were too strong. Solaris' voice echoed through the cave, his shouts growing fainter as the distance between us grew.
