Chapter 4 Shadows in the Hall

The palace smelled of polished wood, candle wax, and a faint trace of jasmine. Lyra Thorn's boots echoed on the marble floors as Cassian Ale led her through winding corridors. Every step reminded her that she was a prisoner, yet not quite like any other she'd known.

Cassian's grip on her arm was firm, steady, unyielding. Not painful, but impossible to ignore. Every time their eyes met, sparks seemed to ignite. Anger, frustration, something more dangerous.

Lyra resisted the urge to glance down at his hand. She wasn't going to let him intimidate her. Not now. Not ever.

"Why are you taking me here?" she demanded, voice sharp.

Cassian's smirk was infuriating. "Because the Queen wants to see you. Apparently, she enjoys testing the patience of thieves before she ruins their lives."

Lyra's eyes narrowed. "She's going to throw me in a dungeon, isn't she?"

Cassian shook his head. "She's not the type to waste time on dungeons. She wants leverage. And you... you are very useful to her."

Lyra scowled. "Useful? I stole a relic. That's all."

"That's not all," Cassian said, voice dropping low. "You've got power inside you that even you don't understand. And the Queen... she's very interested in power."

Lyra's pulse quickened. She hated when people talked about her like that-as if she were dangerous but didn't know it. It made her uneasy, made her stomach tighten.

The hallway opened into the Grand Hall, where sunlight spilled over golden banners and polished floors that reflected every shadow. At the far end, on a raised dais, sat Queen Selene herself, regal and immovable. Her eyes were sharp, black like the depths of a stormy sea.

"Lyra Thorn," the Queen's voice carried across the hall, calm and cutting. "Step forward."

Lyra's boots clicked against the floor as she walked toward the dais, Cassian following silently behind. Every instinct screamed at her to run, but she couldn't. Not with Cassian there-and not with Prince Aerion already waiting.

Aerion's eyes met hers from across the hall. For a split second, the warmth in his gaze softened the fear in her chest. But that warmth carried weight-expectation, responsibility, and perhaps, judgment.

Queen Selene rose from her throne, tall and imposing. "You are clever, Thorn," she said. "Too clever for your own good. You stole from the wrong place, touched what you were never meant to touch, and yet... here you are."

Lyra lifted her chin. "So... what now?"

The Queen's lips curved slightly. "Now, you serve. You will remain in my palace. You will obey, train, and learn. In exchange... your life is spared. Fail, and there will be no mercy."

Lyra clenched her fists. Serve? Obey? She wanted to spit, but before she could, Cassian's sharp whisper reached her ears.

"You can survive this. Just don't make it harder than it needs to be."

Lyra shot him a glare, but he didn't flinch. Not once. Not even when the Queen's eyes swept over them both, sharp and calculating.

"You will be trained," the Queen continued. "By Prince Aerion and Cassian Ale. Together, they will prepare you... for what comes next."

Lyra's stomach twisted. "What comes next?" she asked.

The Queen's eyes darkened. "That, Thorn, is for you to discover."

After the audience ended, Cassian guided her to the training chambers, his expression unreadable. The door closed behind them with a resounding thud.

"You know this isn't over," Lyra said, crossing her arms.

Cassian leaned casually against the wall, watching her. "I know. And neither is this," he replied, tapping the dagger at his hip. "Your little stunt with the relic? That was only the beginning."

Lyra felt a thrill she tried to suppress. Fear. Excitement. Anger. All tangled together. "What do you mean?"

Cassian stepped closer. "The relic you stole... it's more than a trinket. It has chosen you. And others are aware. Powerful others."

Lyra's pulse skipped. "Powerful others?"

"Yes," Cassian said. "And some of them won't care about your age, your excuses, or how clever you think you are. They'll come for it... and for you."

Lyra swallowed, the weight of it pressing down on her. She wanted to scream, to run, to throw herself into the streets. But there was no escaping now. Not with the Queen, not with Cassian, and definitely not with Prince Aerion.

She tried to steady her breath. "And what about you?" she asked. "Are you going to help me, or are you just going to be another obstacle?"

Cassian's eyes darkened, flicking briefly with something she couldn't name. "I'll make sure you survive," he said. "But I won't make it easy. That's my specialty."

Lyra rolled her eyes. "Of course it is."

Cassian smirked, leaning slightly closer, and she felt heat crawl up her neck despite herself. "You'll get used to me," he murmured.

Lyra's lips pressed together, resisting a reply she shouldn't give. Because every word, every glance, every brush of his arm reminded her that she was dangerously close to losing control. Losing her cool. Losing everything.

And then Aerion appeared in the doorway, calm, composed, every bit the prince he was supposed to be. He watched her with intensity, as if measuring every breath, every movement, every intention.

"Lyra," he said softly, voice low, pulling her focus entirely to him. "You must understand... this isn't just about training. This is about survival, about control, about choices. The decisions you make here will echo far beyond these walls."

Lyra blinked at him, heart thudding. "Choices?"

"Yes," he said. "And some of those choices... will be between you and us."

Cassian's lips twisted into that irritating half-smile. "You've got two options, Thorn," he said, voice dripping with challenge. "Follow orders... or get burned. Your call."

Lyra's stomach flipped. Between the two of them, danger and desire mingled in a way she'd never experienced. She had survived the streets, the gangs, the thieves-but she had never faced this. Never felt this.

Aerion stepped closer, reaching toward her hand, stopping just short. "Trust me," he whispered. "I won't let them-anyone-hurt you."

Cassian's eyes narrowed, watching the exchange with a possessive glare that didn't go unnoticed.

Lyra realized in that moment that nothing would ever be simple again. Not the relic. Not the palace. Not the prince. Not Cassian.

Every step forward would be a battle. Every glance, every word, every touch would carry weight.

And deep down, she knew-this was only the beginning.

The reckoning had begun.