Chapter One Hundred and Two

Chapter One Hundred and Two
Eron's Pov

My father was quiet for a long time. The rain tapped softly against the stained glass windows, filling the silence between us.

Finally, he exhaled and stood, walking slowly toward the large map table near the wall. The flickering candlelight cast long shadows over the inked mountains and rivers marking our territory.

“Do you know what happens if this fails?” he asked, not turning around.

“Yes. I believe I'm fully aware of the consequences.” I said softly.

“If Kael crosses and the western lords retaliate, we’ll be caught in the middle. Our people will suffer. The alliances we have built will fracture. The council will call it treason.”

“I know.”

He turned then, eyes steady and sharp. “And you’re still willing to risk it?”

I met his gaze without flinching. “If it means ending the suffering of hundreds, yes.”

A faint smile touched his mouth. Not warm, not amused, proud, maybe, or resigned. “You’ve grown, Eron. You‘re no longer the little prince who had no chance in political affairs. This girl must have left an impact on you.”

“Maybe,” I said. “Or maybe I’ve just stopped looking away.”

He studied me for a moment longer before sighing. “I’ve had my doubts about Kael. He was always rash, always used his claws and fangs to deal with issues rather than listening to reason. But even I can’t deny the need for this. The markets have grown bolder lately, and the council’s hesitation has only made it worse. Perhaps a man like Kael is what it takes to burn them out.”

“So you’ll let him through?” I asked, hope flickering in my chest.

“I’ll speak with the council in the morning,” he said. “If they resist, I’ll make them see reason. This isn’t just Kael’s war, it’s ours too, whether we admit it or not.”

Relief washed through me, heavy and freeing all at once. I hadn’t realized how tense I’d been until that moment.

“Thank you, father.” I said quietly. “You won’t regret this, I'll make sure of it.”

He gave me a long look. “I hope not. For your sake, and for hers.”

There was something in his tone, not accusation, but concern. He’d seen how I looked at Sky once. Maybe he still did. But I wasn’t the same boy who used to sneak bread from the kitchens just so she could have something warm to eat. She wasn’t the same girl who’d hide in the shadows to survive.

As I turned to leave, he spoke again. “Eron.”

I paused at the door.

“She’s not yours to save anymore,” he said softly. “You know that, don’t you?”

The words hit harder than I wanted it to, forcing me to face the truth I pushed aside for so long.

“I know,” I said bitterly, without looking back. “But that doesn’t mean I’ll stop trying.” I left, my hands pushing the door open.

Outside, the rain had softened to a drizzle. The palace courtyard shimmered, torchlight reflecting in small puddles like molten gold. I walked toward my quarters, my boots splashing through the shallow water, mind still caught between duty and something far heavier.

Sky had asked me to help him, the man I’d once sworn to kill.

And I’d said yes.

Not for Kael. Not even for peace.

But because when Sky looked at me, I saw the same fire I’d fallen for months ago, the one that made me believe in something better, even when everything else had turned to ash.

I reached my chambers and pushed the door open. The room was quiet, the faint crackle of the hearth the only sound. I walked to the window, watching the mist roll over the forest below.

She said he’s changed.

Maybe he had. Maybe I was the one who hadn’t.

I thought about the way Kael looked at her, like he’d walk through hell to keep her safe. I hated it, hated that it wasn't me, but I understood it too well. Because I’d do the same if I was in the same situation.

My reflection in the glass looked tired, older than I remembered. And so was the reflection of her as she walked closer to me.

“Liliana.”

“Eron.” her voice was soft as she hugged me from behind, her hands spreading across my chest. “You are tired. Let me help you relax.”

She kissed my ear and whispered sweet nothings but I could barely care. My mind was still on the task ahead, the storm brewing.

“No,” I said without flinching. “I just need some time to think.”

She didn't say anything, didn't even protest or react like she usually would. She simply nodded and crawled back into the bed, covering herself almost immediately.

I couldn't afford to be distracted now, so I moved my attention from her to the open night sky.

Tomorrow, my father would face the council. There would be arguments, accusations, perhaps even threats. But I knew him, once he made up his mind, he wouldn’t bend easily. And for the first time in a long while, I felt something close to hope.

Maybe Sky was right. Maybe change was possible, even for men like Kael.

I turned from the window, the firelight catching the faint shimmer of rain still clinging to my cloak. “You’d better be right, Sky,” I murmured. “Because if you’re wrong… we’ll all pay the price.”

The storm outside had finally quieted, but inside, something else refuse to settle slow, steadily rising, inevitable.

A shift.

A promise.

And somewhere in the distance, the sound of a war waiting to be born.