Celestial Bonds- The Crown's Judgment (Book 5)

Chapter 14: A Clash of Hearts

Lyara

The air in the room was stifling. I stood near the window, looking out at the distant hills of Eltor, trying to anchor myself in the sight of my homeland. Yet, even the familiar view couldn't calm the storm inside me. Kian was here, in this very room, and we were finally going to confront the truth we had both been avoiding. I could feel the tension like a tangible force pressing against my chest, making breathing hard.

Kian moved to the center of the room, his footsteps heavy against the stone floor. The space between us felt charged, crackling with everything we hadn't said over the past months. I kept my gaze fixed on the horizon, afraid that if I looked at him, I'd break—let slip the vulnerability I had so carefully hidden.

"What do you want from me, Kian?" I asked, my voice escaping before I could stop it. It sounded steadier than I felt. I needed it, too, for my own sake. I had spent years perfecting this facade, the mask of strength and indifference that Eltor's princess required to wear. And yet, in this moment with him, I felt like that mask could shatter at the slightest touch.

He didn't respond immediately, and the silence that followed was unbearable. Slowly, I turned to face him, meeting his eyes. The look he gave me sent a wave of emotion crashing over me. He looked torn, as if he was waging a war within himself that mirrored my internal battle.

"I don't know, Lyara," he finally said, his voice raw. "I came here to help protect Eltor and uphold our alliance. But being here... being around you again, it's bringing back everything I've tried so hard to suppress." His eyes searched mine, a plea for understanding that made my heart clench.

I crossed my arms over my chest, trying to protect myself from the onslaught of feelings his words stirred. "You think you're the only one struggling?" I shot back, my tone sharper than I intended. "I have been here, holding this kingdom together, putting my duty before everything else. Do you have any idea how hard that is when—"

I stopped myself, the words catching in my throat. I couldn't finish the sentence. Admitting the depth of what I felt for him was like standing on the edge of a cliff, looking down into an abyss. One wrong step, and I would fall. I would lose myself.

He stepped closer, and the room seemed to shrink around us. "Lyara," he began softly, reaching out as if to touch my arm. I flinched, drawing back instinctively. Not because I didn't want him to touch me but because I wanted it too much. It terrified me how much I enjoyed it.

"Kian, you don't understand," I managed to say, my voice trembling. "I can't... I can't afford to feel this way. I am Eltor's princess. My people rely on me to be strong and to make decisions that are best for this kingdom. How am I supposed to do that if I'm... if I'm tangled up in... this?"

He dropped his hand, his face a mixture of frustration and pain. "You think I don't know what's at stake? I'm the ruler of Terra. I have responsibilities, too. But that doesn't make this any less real, Lyara. It doesn't make what I feel for you any less true."

His words struck me like a blow to the chest, knocking the air from my lungs. I had spent years burying my feelings for Kian, convincing myself that they were a distraction, a weakness. But hearing him speak them aloud made them real in a way I hadn't been prepared for. My heart surged with a hope I hadn't allowed myself to feel in so long.

But that hope was dangerous. It was a double-edged sword that could cut away everything I had worked for. "And what about Lira?" I countered, my voice rising. "What about the alliance? The peace we've struggled to maintain? What happens to all of that if we give in to this?"

He looked down, his jaw tightening. "I don't have all the answers," he admitted. "But I know that ignoring this doesn't make it go away. I've tried, Lyara. I've tried to put duty above everything else, but it's tearing me apart."

I turned away, feeling tears prick at the corners of my eyes. I couldn't let him see me break down. Not now. Not when so much hung in the balance. "You're asking me to choose between my heart and my kingdom," I whispered, my voice strained with the effort to keep it steady. "And I can't. I can't do that, Kian."

The silence that followed was suffocating. I felt his presence behind me, the tension thick enough to choke on. I closed my eyes, trying to gather the strength to turn around and face him, to end this conversation before it spiraled into something we couldn't take back.

"Lyara, I—" he began, but before he could finish, the door creaked open. We both turned, and I froze at the sight of Jax standing in the doorway. His expression was a mask of calm, but I saw the storm in his eyes—the pain, the anger, and the understanding.

"Am I interrupting?" Jax asked, his tone deceptively casual, though his gaze was sharp as it flickered between Kian and me.

My heart pounded a cacophony of fear, confusion, and something I couldn't name. The moment between Kian and me was shattered, replaced by the heavy presence of the man who had been my rock through so much. And now, he was walking into the middle of a conversation that threatened to change everything.

I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. I glanced at Kian, whose jaw was set, his eyes locked onto Jax's. The tension between us was palpable; a fragile wire stretched to its breaking point. Whatever happened next would change the course of our paths, and I wasn't sure if I was ready to face that.

Jax stepped into the room, his movements slow and deliberate as if measuring each step. "I think we need to talk," he said, his voice steady but carrying an edge that sent a shiver down my spine.

I nodded, finally finding my voice. "Yes," I agreed, though the word felt heavy on my tongue. "We do."

Kian remained silent, his expression unreadable as he moved aside to give Jax space. I watched them both, feeling like I was standing on the precipice of something monumental that could break us apart—or, just maybe, bring us to a new understanding.

The room seemed to hold its breath as the three of us stood there, the weight of unspoken words pressing down like a storm cloud ready to burst. I didn't know what would happen next, but one thing was sure: we were about to enter a confrontation that none of us could leave unchanged.

Jax stepped into the room, his movements slow and deliberate as if measuring each step. "I think we need to talk," he said, his voice steady but carrying an edge that sent a shiver down my spine.

I nodded, finally finding my voice. "Yes," I agreed, though the word felt heavy on my tongue. "We do."

Kian remained silent, his expression unreadable as he moved aside to give Jax space. I watched them both, feeling like I was standing on the precipice of something monumental that could break us apart—or, just maybe, bring us to a new understanding.

The room seemed to hold its breath as the three of us stood there, the weight of unspoken words pressing down like a storm cloud ready to burst. I didn't know what would happen next, but one thing was certain: we were about to enter a confrontation that none of us could walk away from unchanged.

Jax crossed his arms, his eyes never leaving mine. "Then let's talk," he said, his voice calm but laced with an intensity that made my heart beat. He glanced at Kian, then back at me, his gaze piercing through the facade I had built around my emotions. "It's time we laid everything out on the table."

As he took a deep breath, his expression hardened, and the tension in the room reached a new height. I felt my resolve waver, and the walls I had so carefully constructed threatened to crumble under the weight of this impending confrontation. The air crackled with unspoken emotions, and I realized that we would be irrevocably changed whatever happened next.

I stepped back, allowing Jax to take the floor. His gaze shifted to Kian, an unspoken challenge in his eyes. Kian squared his shoulders, bracing himself for whatever was about to come.

This was Jax's time to confront the storm we had all been circling. As I held my breath, I knew I was unprepared for what would be revealed.