Chapter 20 CONFLICT IN COURT
The chamber was silent except for the faint crackle of wood in the hearth. The air smelled faintly of smoke and herbs, sharp and heavy, the kind used by healers when they’d run out of hope but refused to say it aloud.
Auren sat beside the bed, elbows braced on his knees, his fingers clasped so tightly, his knuckles had turned white. Haven lay before him, unmoving beneath the thin veil of sheets. Her skin was pale, almost translucent, and her breathing shallow but steady.
Today was the third morning since the trial. Three days since she passed out and the healers tried all they could to bring her back.
He’d replayed every moment of the trial in his mind. The roar of the dragon, her scream, the blinding burst of light when she stood against the flames. The way she’d looked at him from the arena, defiant and trembling and alive.
And then she’d collapsed.
Draven stood by the door, arms crossed, watching quietly. His eyes were heavy with the kind of exhaustion no sleep could fix.
“The physicians say her body’s entering a deep regenerative state,” he said. “She’s not dying, but she’s not waking either. Whatever power she drew upon… it’s what's keeping her still.”
Auren didn’t look at him. “She’s human. She shouldn’t have survived that fire at all.”
“Then perhaps she isn’t entirely human anymore,” Draven murmured.
Amelyn entered softly, carrying a small bowl of steaming water. Her eyes darted to her brother’s face and softened. “You haven’t slept,” she stated.
“I don’t need sleep.”
“Don’t be crazy. You do,” she insisted, setting the bowl aside. “She wouldn’t want to see you like this.”
Auren’s gaze flicked toward Haven’s still form. The faint shimmer of her mark still pulsing.
Rhaegar’s voice stirred faintly in his mind, quieter than usual. ‘You should be proud. She faced the flame and won. Few mortals ever could.’
“She shouldn’t have had to,” Auren muttered under his breath.
‘You gave consent,’ Rhaegar reminded him. ‘You tested her strength.’
Auren’s jaw tightened. “And now I’m watching her pay the price.”
Amelyn’s hand came to rest on his shoulder. “She’ll wake up, Auren. She has to.”
He didn’t answer.
He couldn’t. His eyes remained fixed on Haven’s face, memorizing every detail. The faint bruise along her jaw, the small cut at her temple, the way her hair spilled across the pillow.
He reached forward and brushed a stray lock from her cheek. His touch was feather-light, almost afraid.
“Come back ,” he whispered. But there was no response. No flicker of consciousness, no twitch of her fingers.
Only silence.
Draven stepped closer, his tone measured but low. “If she doesn’t wake in three days, the council will demand a declaration.”
Auren’s head lifted, and the look he gave him was enough to freeze air. “No one touches her. No one decides for her.”
Draven inclined his head but didn’t press. “There's a court meeting in five minutes. The council demands your presence."
Two hours later , Auren stepped into the courtroom, looking every bit of the king he was. The nobles rose to their feet , and only sat down when he had taken his seat.
“We asked Draven to get you two hours ago," Varyn said, voice laced with annoyance.
Auren smiled, the kind that sends chills down your spine. “Next time you demand rather than request for my presence, I'll be cancelling all council meetings for a month."
The men didn't dare oppose. The king was best left unprovoked.
“What do you all want?"
Lexus was the one who who stood up and cleared his throat. " Your Grace, we wish to inquire about the queen. Does she get to stay?"
Auren stared at him blankly like that was the dumbest question he had ever heard. Something in him stirred, and he had the urge to burn him to the ground.
Rather than do that, he leaned back, closed his eyes and calmed his raging beast. “Do you usually run mad, Lexus?"
“Pardon, Your Grace?"
“Because it's only if you run mad occasionally that you get to ask questions like that," he said, rising to his feet. " If that's the case then we'll have to see a healer. “She's my wife, of course she's staying."
The nobles looked at themselves and back at the king with displeasure. Varyn cleared his throat. “We don't want her, Your Grace.”
" Let me see the fucks I have to give about that.” He pretended to look around. " See? None.”
" But…”
" Haven is your queen and you will respect her accordingly, whether you want to or not.” With that he walked out of the room, leaving the room, and the nobles unsatisfied.
Draven met him outside the courtroom and bowed. “The guards at the borders caught a trespasser…”
" Take him to the basement,” he replied, not pausing in his movements.
" She says she wants to see you, Your Grace .”
Auren stopped in his tracks and turned around. " What for?”
Draven shrugged. " She didn't say. Just kept insisting that she wants to have a word with you.”
Auren let out a sigh, and headed for the grand hall. There stood Lyra, trying to fight off the guards holding her. Auren instantly recognized her and a smirk graced his lips.
" I'm impressed,” he says, going down the stairs till he finally got to where she stood. " I never actually thought you'd follow your sister here. Most mortals die while trying.”
Lyra rolled her eyes. “Where's my sister?" She demanded.
“You had a long journey, girl. You should have some rest. You'll see your sister after." He turned to Draven and nodded. “She's our guest, Draven. Make sure she's well taken care of."
With that he left the hall. Draven nodded at Kyra. “This way, My Lady.”
He led her to the guest quarters and showed her to a room. " Test here. The king will have you see your sister soon.”
He left before Lyra could say a word. Maybe she should just be patient. She fetched her dagger from her bag and held it close. If they had done anything to her sister, they'll have her to answer to.
CHAPTER 020: REUNITED
Pain was the first thing her mind registered at the first attempt to peel her eyes open. Hot searing pain tore through her entire body as she tried to open her eyes a second time.
She hissed painfully, and in an instant large hands were around her supporting her to sit up. She opened her eyes this time around despite the pain and groaned.
“Haven, are you okay?" Auren's worried voice reached her. She turned to the side and of course there he was.
Her throat felt raw, like she’d swallowed embers. “Don’t…” she tried to pull away from his touch, but her body betrayed her, trembling violently with the effort. “Don’t touch me.”
Auren didn’t move his hands. His grip was firm, steady, almost infuriatingly gentle. “You’ll fall if I don’t.”
“I’d rather fall,” she spat, her voice hoarse but sharp. “I’d rather die than have you near me.”
His jaw tightened. “You don't mean that "
She scuffed. " I do. Every single word.”
His eyes darken, but there was no flash of anger, no raised voice. Only that calm, infuriating composure. “Well, you already tried dying once, and it didn’t work out”
Her glare met his gaze, weak, but burning. “You think this is funny?”
Auren’s eyes softened for a fraction of a second, the gold in them gleaming faintly in the dim light. “No,” he said quietly. “But I think you’re stubborn enough to try again if I leave you unattended.”
Her breath hitched as he adjusted the pillow behind her back. Every movement sent sparks of pain through her body. The air between them grew heavier with unspoken things; anger, guilt, and that strange, unsettling thread that bound them together in spite of everything.
She turned her face away from him, blinking back tears that stung her eyes. “You should have let me die,” she whispered. “It would’ve been easier.”
Auren stilled. For a moment, something flickered across his face, guilt, maybe regret, but it vanished before she could name it. “I couldn’t,” he said simply. “I had to save you "
“You didn’t save me,” she snapped. “You doomed me to an eternity in hell with a freak like you.”
He rose slowly, towering over her frail form, expression unreadable. “You should avoid stressing too much. You are still reviewing.”
"Don’t pretend you care,” she bit out, trembling as she tried to push herself upright again. “You just need me alive because it serves you.”
He let her struggle for a moment, watching her body shake, then leaned in close enough for her to feel the faint warmth radiating off him. “You’re right,” he murmured near her ear. “I don’t care… not the way you think. But I won’t let you die, Haven. Not when your life is now tied to mine.”
Her breath caught, heart pounding as his words sank in. “Tied?” she echoed, her voice barely a whisper. She hated the way it sound
He straightened, his expression once again cold and unreadable. “You should get some rest, Nerisa will come to see you. I also have a surprise for you. Draven will deliver it.
And just like that, he turned and walked away, leaving her with a thousand questions and a storm of emotions clawing at her chest. The sound of his footsteps faded down the corridor, but his presence lingered like the echo of fire she couldn’t escape.
She shut her eyes and lay back against the headboard.
Few minutes later, the door burst open and Nerisa stepped in. Seeing Haven awake, she got so emotional, she rushed to her and pulled her into a hug.
“Jesus, My Lady. You nearly gave everyone a heart attack!” She said still hugging Haven. When she pulled away, her eyes were filled with unshed tears.
Haven opened her eyes, and let out a weak smile. " I'm sorry, Nerisa. I really thought I was going to die facing the dragon.”
" But you didn't,” Nerisa said with a smile. " You passed the test and survived the ritual. You are truly exceptional."
Exceptional.
Exceptional wasn't what she was. More like crazy. She still couldn't make sense of what was happening to her. The voice she keeps hearing in her mind, like someone in desperate need of help only she can offer.
Then there was the strange hue that her body emitted, twice in a row.
She clearly was slowly losing her mind in this place.
“Should I prepare a bath for you, My Lady?" Nerisa asked and she gave a slow nod.
Just as Nerisa turned toward the adjoining bathing chamber, the door to Haven’s quarters burst open again , this time with far less grace.
“Lyra?” Haven blinked, barely believing her eyes. Her cousin stood at the threshold, wild-haired and breathless, as though she’d sprinted across kingdoms to get there — and perhaps she had.
Lyra’s bright blue eyes widened when she saw Haven propped weakly against the pillows. “By the gods, you’re alive.” Her voice cracked, and before anyone could stop her, she crossed the room in a blur of motion and flung her arms around Haven.
Pain shot through Haven’s ribs, but she still managed to wrap one arm around her cousin. “Careful,” she whispered through clenched teeth.
Lyra pulled back immediately, eyes wide with guilt. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to hurt you. I just… you were gone, and no one knew if…” She stopped, swallowing hard. “With all the rumours about the other brides dying, I just couldn't hold myself. I thought I’d never see you again.”
Haven felt a lump rise in her throat. For a long moment, she simply stared at Lyra, the only piece of home that had found its way to this strange, cruel place. “How did you even get here?” she asked finally, voice low. “It’s not safe beyond Edenvale, Lyra.”
Her cousin looked away, a mischievous glint of defiance flashing in her eyes , so very Lyra. “I followed Old Tomas to Silver Pass ,” she admitted. “There, we met kind villagers who helped me across the border. The guards then arrested me and brought me to the king.”
Haven stared at her in disbelief. “You snuck into Drakorath? Are you insane?”
Lyra smiled sheepishly. “Probably. It’s kind of a family trait, isn’t it? Besides, nothing happened.”
Before Haven could reply, Nerisa cleared her throat, though there was amusement in her tone. “My Lady, if you intend to scold her, perhaps do so after your bath? You’re still very weak.”
Haven sighed and sank back against the pillows, exhaustion tugging at her. “Fine. But you,” she said, pointing weakly at Lyra, “are explaining everything after. Every single thing.”
Lyra nodded quickly, pulling up a chair beside the bed as Nerisa guided Haven toward the bathing chamber.
As the warm steam filled the room, Haven tried to steady her thoughts. Lyra was here. She’d come all this way for her. It should have made her feel comforted, but instead, dread coiled in her chest.