Chapter 243

Chapter 243
Vex's POV

I slammed my fist into the training dummy, channeling all my frustration into the blow. The enchanted material—supposedly indestructible—split down the middle, spraying luminescent particles across the empty training ground.

Dawn was just breaking over Solakus, painting the divine realm in shades of silver and pearl. I'd been here since the middle of the night, pushing my body past exhaustion, trying to beat the memory of failure out of my system.

The first trial. My humiliating defeat at Shank's hands.

I still saw it when I closed my eyes—the smug satisfaction on his face as he knocked me to the ground in front of everyone. In front of Lyrien. One moment I was confident, the next I was sprawled in the dirt, defeated in the first round by a man who called himself a god's descendant.

"Pathetic," I muttered, grabbing another dummy and dragging it into position. My muscles screamed in protest, but I ignored them. Pain was just weakness leaving the body, or so Barry had taught me during wolf training.

Two days. It had been two days since I'd seen Lyrien. Not that I was counting.

Who was I kidding? Of course I was counting. Every hour without seeing her silver eyes felt like an eternity.

But this separation was my doing, wasn't it? After my defeat, I couldn't bear to face her. What would I even say? Sorry I failed in the first round of the trials? Sorry I'm not worthy to be your champion after all?

The shadow magic in my blood—that unwanted gift from my father—stirred at my dark thoughts. I forced it down, focusing on my technique instead. Jab. Cross. Hook. My knuckles were raw despite the protective wraps.

"I thought the training equipment here was indestructible," came a voice from behind me.

I didn't need to turn. The scent of dragon fire and mountain air was unmistakable. "What do you want, Kael?"

"To see how the shadow-touched lycan is handling his defeat." His tone was neutral, but I felt the judgment all the same.

I turned reluctantly. Kael stood at the edge of the training circle, immaculate in formal dragon-clan attire—deep reds and burnished gold that screamed royalty. Meanwhile, I was drenched in sweat, wearing nothing but torn training pants.

"Come to gloat?" I grabbed a towel, wiping my face. "Or just to remind me how I lost to that self-important ass Shank?"

"Neither." He stepped into the circle. "I came to see if you're preparing properly for the next trial."

I eyed him suspiciously. "Why would you care about my preparation?"

"Because despite our... differences, we both care about Lyrien."

I scoffed. "Is that what we're calling it? Differences? I killed her. You're trying to bed her. Yes, very similar situations."

Annoyance flashed across his face. "You were under shadow influence. And as for my relationship with Lyrien—"

"I don't want to hear about it," I cut him off.

"What I was going to say," he continued with forced patience, "is that before discussing anything else, we need to address what happened before the trials began."

My muscles tensed. "What are you talking about?"

"Lysara. The other candidate of Aetheria's heir who tried to drive a wedge between Lyrien and Aetheria. You fell right into her trap."

The memory sent fresh shame through me. I'd been so desperate to prove myself worthy that I'd followed Lysara's summons without question, only to be magically restrained while she spread lies about Lyrien's readiness.

"How was I supposed to know she had ulterior motives?" I defended, though it sounded weak even to my ears.

"Perhaps by using the brain the gods gave you," Kael replied dryly. "She approached you, knowing your desperation would make you easy to manipulate."

His words stung because they were true. If not for Alaric exposing Lysara's plot, I might have been banned from the trials entirely. I owed the elven prince for that, at least.

"Where is Lyrien now?" I asked, suddenly realizing I hadn't seen her in the divine realm for days.

Something shifted in Kael's expression—a tightening around his eyes. "She returned to the mortal realm briefly."

"She went home? Without telling me?" The words escaped before I could stop them.

"Would you have gone with her if she had?" Kael challenged. "Or would you have continued hiding in the training grounds, avoiding her because of your wounded pride?"

I wanted to argue, but he was right. I'd been the one avoiding her, not the other way around. The thought that she'd gone back to the mortal realm—a place filled with memories of our time together before everything went wrong—sent an unexpected pang through my chest.

"Why are you really here, Kael?" I asked, tired of circling the point.

He studied me, as if assessing whether I was ready to hear what he had to say. Finally, he spoke.

"I'm here to propose an arrangement. One that might benefit all of us, but especially Lyrien."

"What kind of arrangement?"

"Lyrien cares for all three of us—you, me, and Alaric. In different ways, for different reasons. Forcing her to choose between us is causing her pain."

I frowned. "Alaric? The elven prince? What the fuck? When?" I knew Lyrien respected him, and I was grateful for his help, but I hadn't realized he factored into Lyrien's affections.

"When they were in the mortal realm. And I've proposed to Alaric, and now to you, that we consider a shared arrangement."

For a moment, I wasn't sure I'd heard him correctly.

"A shared arrangement," I repeated flatly. "You mean share Lyrien. Like she's some possession to be divided."

"That's not—"

"No." The word came out with such force that the nearby weapons rattled on their racks, my shadow magic momentarily flaring with my anger. "Absolutely not."

Kael remained calm. "You haven't even heard the full proposal."

"I don't need to. The answer is no." I stepped closer, my voice dropping to a dangerous growl. "Lyrien isn't some political bargaining chip or treasure to be shared between royal houses. She's my mate—my soul-bound. The connection we have is sacred."

"A connection you damaged when you drove a dagger through her heart," Kael reminded me coldly.

The words hit like a physical blow. "Which is why I need to earn her forgiveness, her trust again. Alone. Not as part of some bizarre arrangement with you and the elf."

"Alaric has already agreed to consider it," Kael said. "For Lyrien's sake."

That surprised me. The formal, proper elven prince agreeing to such an unconventional arrangement? But then, he had shown unexpected depth when he defended me against Lysara's accusations.

Still, I shook my head. "Then he's a fool. And so are you if you think I would ever agree to this."

Kael studied me with those ancient eyes. "Is it pride speaking now? Or genuine concern for what Lyrien wants?"

"How dare you question my feelings for her?" My voice had dropped to a dangerous whisper. "Everything I've done since breaking free of the shadow influence has been for her. Every moment of training, every sleepless night, every breath I take is to become worthy of her again."

"And if what makes her happy is having all three of us in her life?"

The question struck deeper than I wanted to admit. What if Lyrien did want this arrangement? What if forcing her to choose would only cause her pain?

No. I shook the thought away. This was manipulation.

"If Lyrien tells me herself that this is what she wants, then I'll consider it," I said finally. "But I won't hear it from you. And until then, the answer remains no."

Kael nodded, as if he'd expected nothing less. "Fair enough. But think on this, Vex—your possessiveness may end up costing you the very thing you're trying to hold onto."

With that parting shot, he turned and walked away, leaving me alone with the destroyed training dummy and thoughts more turbulent than before.

I resumed my stance and began to train again, each strike more forceful than the last. Two more days until the next trial. Two days to become stronger, faster, more controlled.

Two days to prove that I alone could be what Lyrien needed.