The doors to the council room burst open, the resounding crash silencing the rising arguments. All eyes turned to the entrance, where Princess Lyric stood, her trembling hand clutching her injured arm, her eyes bloodshot with fury and distress.
The King rose slowly, his expression taut with disbelief and concern as his daughter stumbled forward. Her lips moved, forming inaudible words directed at Given, who remained frozen, his usually sharp demeanor replaced by confusion.
Elara, who stood far away but could still hear what Lyric was saying to Given, rushed forward without hesitation . Lyric's voice was faint yet filled with urgency, and her unsteady gait made Elara's heart pound with unease.
As the Lyric got closer block Given, the King issued a firm command ,"Do not let him near my daughter."
Amid the unfolding chaos, Lord Cade leaned toward Given. "Son," he called softly, his voice a mix of urgency and dread.
But the situation escalated before anyone could act.
"Lyric!"
The sharp cry cut through the tense air as Evelyn appeared, her movements unnaturally fast. In a heartbeat, she was beside Lyric, but the glint of a blade pierced the tension.
A sword plunged through Lyric's body.
The room erupted in screams and chaos. Before the court could process what had just happened, werewolves and witches flooded the chamber.
Leroy, perched above the fray, leapt down with perfect timing, his boots hitting the ground with a thud. In one swift motion, he kicked a werewolf lunging for the Queen and drew his dual swords from his boots .
"I've got your back, Your Majesty," Leroy said, his voice calm despite the mayhem.
Elara, caught in the fray, froze momentarily as a memory stirred. That voice. She had heard it before, in another time, another battle, another life.
The moment shattered as a scream tore through the chaos.
"Given! Let go of him!"
Elara spun around to see Evelyn dragging Given away. Lord Cade's desperate yell echoed through the room as he fought to break through the melee. Elara's instincts urged her to rush to Given's aid, but a white lycan the size of a small carriage leapt toward Leroy.
"No !"
She barely had time to register the horror as the lycan pinned Leroy to the ground. In an instant, it savagely ripped his face apart , the sound of tearing flesh echoing in her ears. Elara's gasp turned into muffled scream as she clamped her hands over her mouth, her silver eyes wide with terror.
A blood-curdling shriek pulled her gaze toward the Queen Mother. Time seemed to slow as she watched the royal's throat slit open, followed by her head being severed by a witch's blade. The severed head rolled across the floor, stopping at the base of a shattered pillar.
A ferocious low growl tore through the chaos, forcing Elara to tear her gaze away. Her head turned instinctively toward the source—and there it was. The white lycan stood motionless, its bloodshot eyes, tinged with a haunting blue, locked onto her.
Her breath hitched as fear gripped her chest, and without another thought, she bolted.
Elara left the chaotic council room, where everyone was fighting for their lives and clearly losing.
'What the hell was going on ?!' she could only scream in her mind as she ran for her life. One minute, everything had been orderly, and then— chaos , chaos , chaos .
She turned the corner, her footsteps echoing against the stone walls, and raced down the corridor. Behind her, the white lycan crashed into furniture, snarling as it pursued her, relentless in its chase. Her breath hitched every time she heard it grow closer, its claws scraping violently against the floor.
Elara suddenly found herself running toward an open study—the main study that belonged to the King. 'Oh deities , there's no way out !' she thought in despair. She knew she was about to die.
Her eyes filled with tears, blurring her vision, but she let them spill, streaking her face as she sprinted into the room. There was no time to close the door. She felt the beast's presence behind her—its hot breath close enough to send a shiver down her spine.
The lycan barreled into the room, landing behind the massive desk. It growled low and prowled toward her, saliva dripping from its canines. She backed into the bookshelves, her hands frantically searching for something, anything to defend herself.
Her fingers closed around a sharp object. She pulled it free, but as she did, the wall behind her gave way. She suddenly fell into a hidden room, landing hard on the cold stone floor. Infront of her, the secret door slammed shut, leaving the lycan snarling and scratching at the barrier.
For a moment, silence enveloped her, broken only by the sound of her labored breathing. A wave of relief washed over her—but it was fleeting as the realization struck her. She was still in an unfamiliar place, one that could harbor dangers of its own.