Celestial Bonds - Shattered Paths (Book 3)

Chapter 9: The Parting of Ways

Kian

The council chamber was empty now, the echoes of heated arguments and ultimatums still lingering. I stood alone at the head of the table, my hands gripping the back of a chair so tightly that my knuckles turned white. My chest tightened as I replayed the council's demands: take the Crown's power for Terra or risk being overthrown. They had backed me into a corner, leaving me no clear way out.

I glanced at the door where Lira had stood just moments ago, trying to mediate between me and the council. Her voice had been calm, her words carefully chosen to diffuse the tension. She was always there, a constant presence I had come to rely on, yet something had shifted between us recently. I could feel the weight of her secrets pressing against our fragile connection. When she looked at me during the council meeting, her eyes were filled with unspoken fears and unasked questions.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. Lira was struggling, just like the rest of us. I had seen how she had distanced herself lately as if trying to shield us from something inevitable. My chest ached at the thought. She had been my anchor, the one person I trusted to help navigate these treacherous waters. But now, even that trust felt uncertain, shaky in the face of the storm brewing around us.

Lira had left the chamber with a promise to help, but I knew she was as trapped as I was, caught between loyalty to me and the pressure from the council to protect Terra at all costs. I couldn't ask her to make the impossible choice before us. No, that decision was mine to bear. And it was time to confront it.

I turned toward the window, staring out over the palace gardens. My mind drifted to Lyara, the princess of Eltor, the woman who had once been meant to be my partner in both rule and life. We hadn't spoken properly in weeks, and when we did, it was tense and bitter, our words cutting deeper than any sword. She was lost in her love for Jax, defying the duties we had been raised to uphold. It hurt, more than I wanted to admit, to see how far we had fallen from what we were supposed to be. But the truth was, I had a part in that downfall, too.

And Jax... My blood simmered at the thought of him. He had been my friend, my confidant, the one I trusted in the palace and heart matters. His betrayal cut deep, not just because of Lyara but because he had shaken the foundation of our alliance, the delicate peace between Terra and Eltor. Now, he was out there, seeking answers about the Crown's power, throwing himself into ancient texts as if they held some miracle cure for our mess. I respected his determination and his will to change the course of our fate, but it didn't erase the anger or the betrayal I felt.

I stepped away from the table, pacing the length of the room. I needed to take action and face this head-on instead of waiting for the Crown or the council to dictate our futures. I could feel the Crown's pull, a subtle but relentless whisper in the back of my mind, urging me to act, to choose a path. I had spent too long vacillating between my duties, my feelings for Lyara, and my growing bond with Lira.

I had to make a decision. And I had to do it now.

I strode out of the council chamber and down the hallway, my boots echoing against the marble floor. The palace was quiet, a deceptive calm that belied the chaos beneath its surface. My thoughts raced as I went to the west wing, where Lyara's chambers were. I needed to speak to her, to Jax, to Lira. We had to confront this together, whether we were ready or not.

When I reached her door, I hesitated, my hand hovering over the polished wood. What would I say to her? How could I explain the decision I was about to force on us all? Taking a deep breath, I knocked and pushed the door open without waiting for a reply.

Lyara stood by the window, bathed in the warm glow of the setting sun. She turned to face me, her expression guarded, eyes flickering with surprise and wariness. I felt a pang in my chest; this woman I was meant to marry had stood by me once, full of fire and resolve. And now, there was nothing but a chasm of unspoken words between us.