Lycia found herself slung over Cove's warrior's back, her wrists tied behind her. The proud defiance she once had was reduced to trembling limbs and labored breaths. A fresh cut on her cheek bled down her jaw, staining her skin as it slowly dripped down towards her chin; a wound she got from the sharp nail of the warrior who had thrown her over his shoulder like a sack of grain.
The heavy doors to the throne room swung open with a deafening crash. The warrior stepped forward and dropped Lycia onto the cold stone floor. She hit the ground with a thud, the impact jarring through her bones. But even then, she didn't look away from Cove, even as they forced her to her knees before him.
Cove leaned forward, resting his elbow on the armrest of his throne, he stared into the room. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and deliberate.
"You've tested my patience long enough."
Lycia swallowed hard, but she didn't speak. Her silence only fueled the storm brewing in his eyes.
With an almost lazy motion, Cove rose from his throne and descended the steps, his boots resonating against the stone floor. The sound echoed through the vast hall, sending a shiver down Lycia's spine. He came to a stop before her, towering over her like a predator studying its prey.
Crouching down, he gripped her chin, forcing her to look up at him.
"Tell me who you're working with," he demanded, his voice edged with quiet menace.
Lycia shivered at the proximity, her pulse pounding beneath his touch. Still, she held her ground.
"I told you…I don't know anything."
Cove's thumb brushed over the corner of her lips, smearing the blood before gripping her jaw with bruising force.
"Lie!!!."
She startled but refused to break. A muscle in his jaw tightened, annoyance flashing through his eyes.
Something dark lurked beneath his gaze, unreadable and heavy, making her stomach twist with unease. It pressed against her, daring her to break. Deep inside, she begged for the power she unleashed against Morrigana to rise again, to push back, to remind her she wasn't just a prisoner.
But it wouldn't come. The strength she once knew felt distant, buried under exhaustion and cold reality. No matter how hard she willed it, it stayed out of reach, leaving her exposed, more vulnerable than she had ever allowed herself to be.
Cove sighed, as if exhausted by her defiance, before yanking her up by her bound wrists, his grip unrelenting. A strangled gasp left her lips at the sharp pull, her body crashing into his chest.
His voice was nothing more than a whisper against her ear now.
"You expect mercy from me, Lycia?" His breath was warm, but his words were cold. "Mercy is for the innocent. You are not."
Her breath short paced, and for the first time, the defiant character she once had wavered. Her eyes teary, tears threatening to spill, her lips trembling as she fought to hold them back. The fight in her wasn't just gone; but it was broken.
Cove saw it. Felt it. And it pleased him.
His grip loosened just enough to let his fingers drag down the side of her throat, tracing the fragile line of her pulse.
"You can end this now," he mocked, his tone almost soft, almost cruel.
She turned her face away, squeezing her eyes shut, chest rising and falling in uneven breaths. But silence was not an option she had.
Cove's grip tightened again, dragging her gaze back to his. "I won't ask again."
The throne room was deathly silent, save for the sound of Lycia's shallow breathing. The tension between them coiled tighter, suffocating, and electric.
Then..
The doors slammed open once more.
Morrigana stormed in, her cloak billowing behind her, Lucas at her side. The urgency in their expressions made even Cove hesitate. But as Morrigana's gaze landed on Lycia; battered, weak, and trembling, satisfaction ran through her eyes seeing Cove dong exactly what she wanted. A slow smirk curled her lips before she finally spoke.
"You need to stop wasting time on less important things," she said, her voice sharp with amusement. Her gaze lingered on Lycia's broken form, relishing the sight before flicking back to Cove. "We have a real problem."
Lucas followed closely behind, his face set in a hard, serious expression, his hand resting instinctively on the hilt of his blade.
His patience was already wearing thin, and the interruption only added to his frustration. His piercing gaze locked onto Morrigana, sharp and demanding. He didn't like being rushed, didn't like being questioned when he was in control.
Yet, as he studied their expressions, the weight of their urgency seeped into him. He straightened, rolling his shoulders back, his stance shifting from irritated to alert.
"It's not," Lucas said, his voice low and edged with warning. "We have a problem."
Cove clenched his jaw. "Speak."
Lucas' eyes burned with urgency. "Derek's faction just struck one of our outposts. A full-scale assault."
Cove's muscles coiled with restrained fury. "How many casualties?"
"Too many," Lucas admitted, his voice edged with frustration. "They burned all our supply stores. Took hostages. And they're not done."
Morrigana's jaw was tight as she stepped forward. "This isn't one of their usual attempts to bridge our defences, Cove. They came to annihilate and I'm guessing this was just a message."
Cove clenched his fists. Derek had made bold moves before, but this was war.
"Where are they now?" he demanded.
"The sentinels have spotted Derek's faction. They've been moving along the outer perimeter, keeping to the shadows. They're closing in, Alpha Cove." Replied Lucas.
Cove's expression hardened. Derek's faction was one of the most ruthless, their tactics always precise, always calculated. He exhaled slowly, his mind already racing ahead.
"How long until they reach our territory? What are their numbers?"
Morrigana crossed her arms. "They're still several miles out, but they've been gathering forces, more than we expected. The sentinels are tracking their movements, but if we don't act fast, they could catch us off guard."
Lucas exhaled sharply, stepping forward.
"It's worse than that. We're not just dealing with Derek. There's been chatter; other factions are waiting. Watching. If we handle this wrong, we won't just be fighting one battle; we'll be fighting a war on all sides."
Cove's gaze snapped to him, fury simmering beneath the surface. "And when were you going to tell me this?"
Lucas didn't flinch. "I only just confirmed it. Derek is making his move, but he's not alone. If we don't get ahead of this now, we'll be boxed in."
Morrigana's voice cut through the air.
"You should've been told sooner, but you were busy dealing with internal disputes. I thought you'd want to hear it from the sentinels themselves. But now that you know, what's your plan?"
Cove took a slow breath, forcing himself to think past the frustration Morrigana tried adding to the already existing one. He couldn't afford mistakes. Not now.
"No one moves without my say," he commanded. "We gather every warrior we have and reinforce the perimeter. We don't wait for them to come to us, we strike first. If Derek thinks he can play this game, I'll make sure he never plays again."
Lucas nodded. "I'll ready the warriors. But we need a contingency, if the other factions see us weaken, they'll strike."
Morrigana studied Cove carefully. "This isn't just about Derek. It's about control. If you don't take it now, you'll lose everything."
Cove's eyes burned with determination. "I'm not losing anything. Not this time."
With that, he turned sharply, already calculating his next move. Derek and the others would learn soon enough challenging him was a mistake they wouldn't survive.