Celestial Bonds - Shattered Paths (Book 3)

Chapter 19: The Choice Revealed

Lyara

The walls of the temple closed in on me, cold and unyielding. My heart pounded, each beat echoing off the stone and resonating within the depths of my soul. Kian, Jax, Lira, and I stood at the center of the chamber, surrounded by the ethereal glow of the Cosmic Crown. Its presence was overpowering, casting an eerie light that made the air feel heavy, thick with the weight of the prophecy we could not escape.

I couldn't take my eyes off the Crown. Its light flickered and pulsed, almost as if it were breathing, waiting for one of us to make the next move. My chest tightened with fear and the crushing reality of what was happening. The Crown demanded something from us—a sacrifice none could make.

Kian's words from earlier hung in the air. He had spoken with a resolve that shook me, his gaze piercing as he declared our intentions to confront the Crown directly. He was stepping into his role as the leader he was always meant to be, but I could see the strain it put on him, the doubt that lingered behind his determination. A part of me admired his strength, while another part still reeled from the emotional distance that had grown between us.

I glanced at Jax, who stood a few feet away, his eyes fixed on the Crown. His jaw was set, his expression hard. I knew him well enough to understand the battle raging inside him. He wanted to wield the Crown's power, to use it to bring peace, but he feared what it might demand of us in return. He had always been relentless, pushing against the boundaries, but now I sensed his uncertainty, the creeping dread that we might be walking toward a path of destruction.

Lira was to my left, her face pale but composed. Her eyes flickered to Kian and back to the Crown, revealing a hint of the turmoil she kept hidden beneath her calm demeanor. I could feel the tension between them, the silent connection that had formed as they navigated the treacherous waters of politics and prophecy. She had stood by Kian's side through it all, yet now, I could sense her fear that the bond they had forged might become the Crown's weapon against them.

The silence was suffocating, pressing in on me as the Crown's light swelled, casting shifting shadows on the walls. My heart beat faster, each pulse reminding me of the impossible decision I faced. I had thought confronting the Crown would bring clarity, but it only amplified my confusion and my fear. The visions it had shown us earlier—glimpses of futures shaped by love, loss, power, and sacrifice—rushed through my mind like a torrent, leaving me gasping for a way out.

"Lyara," Kian's steady voice cut through the suffocating tension. I turned to face him, my heart clenching at the sight of his stormy, conflicted eyes —filled with an unyielding resolve. "We need to decide."

The words hit me like a blow. We needed to decide. The fate of our kingdoms hung in the balance, but so did our lives and the bonds that had been forged—and broken—between us. I swallowed hard, feeling my throat tighten. How could we make a choice when every option seemed destined to lead to heartache?

My gaze shifted to Jax, and our eyes locked. I saw the fear in his expression, the silent plea for reassurance. He wanted to protect me, to find a way out of this nightmare without losing what we had. My chest ached at the thought of what the Crown might demand of us. Could I choose between my love for Jax and my duty to my kingdom? Between my desires and the peace we had all been fighting for?

"Lyara," Jax said softly, his voice strained with the weight of his turmoil. "Whatever happens, we face it together. But we need to confront what the Crown is asking of us."

I nodded, my throat too tight to speak. Together. Yes, we had always promised each other that, but now I wasn't sure if we could keep that promise. I turned back to the Crown, its light intensifying as if sensing my thoughts. It felt like it was peering into my soul, dredging up my fears and desires, forcing me to confront the reality I had been avoiding.