The betrayal's price- the story of Zara and Lyra's friendship

Chapter Seven: The Price of Power

Zara stood in the royal chamber, the cold stone walls pressing in around her. The once-proud banners of her kingdom now hung limply, their vibrant colors fading into the shadows. It felt like a lifetime ago that she had walked these halls as the princess, full of hope and dreams of a fair reign. Now, all she saw was the reflection of a stranger in the polished mirrors.

She ran her fingers along the smooth surface of the throne, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts. The echoes of the battle still lingered in her ears—the screams, the clash of swords, the weight of every life lost. She had killed so many, watched as entire families were ripped apart, and for what? To sit on this throne? To rule a kingdom built on blood and fear?

"You're lost in thought again."

Zara turned sharply at the sound of Lyra's voice, her icy presence filling the room. The witch stood in the doorway, her dark cloak billowing behind her, her eyes sharp and piercing.

"I'm thinking about what comes next," Zara said quietly, trying to steady her voice. Her hands tightened into fists at her sides. "Now that the rebellion is over and the kingdom is ours... what do we do?"

Lyra stepped closer, her heels clicking against the stone floor with deliberate precision. "What we always do, my dear. We rule."

Zara clenched her jaw. She had expected Lyra's answer, but hearing it aloud stirred something in her—a spark of resistance she couldn't fully extinguish. "And what of the people?" she asked, her voice strained. "The ones who didn't fight? The ones who are left after all the bloodshed? What will happen to them?"

Lyra's lips curled into a thin, amused smile. "The people are nothing without a ruler. They will fall in line, Zara. They'll bow before you, just as they always should have."

Zara's gaze hardened. "And if they don't?"

Lyra raised an eyebrow, as if Zara's question were a mere trifle. "Then we remind them. Just as we reminded the rebels. Power is a gift. It's also a weapon."

The words hit Zara like a physical blow. A weapon. That's what she had become, wasn't she? Not a ruler of a kingdom, but a tool, a force of nature to be wielded by Lyra.

Zara exhaled slowly, trying to calm the raging storm within her. "I've done everything you asked. I've helped you take the kingdom. But there's something I need to know, Lyra." Her voice was quieter now, but the weight of her question hung in the air. "When will it be enough?"

Lyra stepped forward, her eyes locking onto Zara's with an intensity that made Zara's breath catch. "It will never be enough, Zara. Not for you, and certainly not for me. That's the price of power. You take and take, until there's nothing left to take. But you, my dear, you're ready now. You've seen the world for what it really is. And you understand that in order to rule, there can be no room for mercy, no room for weakness."

Zara felt a shiver crawl down her spine. She knew what Lyra was saying was true. She had witnessed the brutality firsthand. She had seen what it took to claim power, and what it took to hold onto it. But deep down, there was still a part of her—a small, stubborn part—that wanted something different. She wanted to believe that there was another way, that she could still rule with some shred of compassion, some piece of the person she used to be.

But Lyra's eyes bore into hers, and Zara knew, deep in her gut, that there was no room for that. Not anymore.

"We'll show the people who their true queen is," Lyra continued, her voice softening, almost coaxing. "You're not a princess anymore. You're not the girl who dreamed of a peaceful reign. You are a queen, Zara. And queens do what is necessary to stay on their thrones."

Zara's heart pounded in her chest. Her hands were shaking. She wanted to scream, to fight back against the force that was slowly consuming her. But when she opened her mouth, no words came. She had already made her choice. She had already crossed the line, and there was no turning back now.

"Yes," Zara said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I understand."

Lyra's smile widened. "Good. Then we have much to do. We'll begin by consolidating our power. The nobles, the old alliances—everything must be brought under control. And you, Zara, will be the face of our reign. They will know your strength. They will learn to fear you."

Fear. The word echoed in Zara's mind, and she felt a cold shiver run down her spine. That was the price of power. To rule through fear. To make others bow before you, not out of loyalty, but out of terror. Was this really the life she had wanted? Had she truly thought that sitting on a throne would fill the emptiness inside her?

As Lyra turned and began to walk toward the door, Zara stayed rooted to the spot, her mind swirling in confusion. Her heart was torn between the promise of power and the bitter taste of regret. She had wanted to be a queen, but now that she was here, in the seat of power, it felt nothing like what she had imagined.

"Come," Lyra called, her voice an imperious command. "We have a kingdom to rule."

Zara hesitated, then slowly followed. The weight of her crown was heavier than it had ever been before, and yet, for all the doubts and fears that clawed at her heart, there was no turning back.

The hallways of the castle stretched before her, dark and empty, a reflection of the emptiness inside her. As she walked alongside Lyra, Zara's mind wandered back to the people she had once loved, the kingdom she had once dreamed of protecting. Was there any piece of that girl left in her? Or had she been consumed entirely by the darkness?

No matter how hard she tried to push it away, the question lingered. Could she still be the ruler she had once wanted to be? Or was it too late?

"Lyra," Zara said, her voice tentative, unsure. "What happens after we take control? When we've won, when we've secured the throne—what will we do with it?"

Lyra turned, her gaze cold, calculating. "We do what we've always done. We expand. We build. We make sure no one dares challenge us. We will rule this kingdom, and then the world beyond it. This is just the beginning, Zara. The real power is yet to come."

Zara's breath hitched. There was no end. No peace. No hope.

She was trapped.