Chapter 197 - The Protest In Lykos

Chapter 197 - The Protest In Lykos
ADELINE
He didn’t draw his weapon. He didn’t even lift his hand in defense. Instead, he moved lightly, avoiding my swings with careful precision, his voice steady through it all.
“Easy. You’re stronger than this. Don’t let it use you.”
“I can’t— stop!” I cried out, swinging again.
He ducked, the sword whistling past his shoulder. He moved with my rhythm, waiting, watching for the moment between my breaths when I hesitated.
Then, in one fluid motion, he reached behind him and yanked the long velvet curtain from the window. The fabric fell with a soft rush, catching the light like spilled ink.
I turned toward him again, my face pale, eyes burning faintly blue.
He stepped forward, and in a heartbeat, threw the curtain around my shoulders. The heavy fabric wrapped around my body, dampening the light that pulsed through my skin.
My movements faltered.
He caught my left wrist, the one holding the sword and his grip was firm but gentle.

“Let it go,” he said quietly, his voice almost a whisper against the crackling energy in the room. “Adeline, listen. It’s not you. You’re here… with me. Let it go.”
The pain flared again, sharp and blinding, and I let out a gasp, my knees buckling slightly. The sword slipped from my grasp, falling with a dull clang to the stone floor. The glow in the sword dimmed at once, leaving only faint traces of heat behind.
For a long moment, neither of us spoke.
He kept his hand on my wrist, feeling my pulse slow beneath his fingers. The curtain clung to my damp skin, shielding me from the chill and from his gaze, which stayed respectfully turned away.
“You all right?” he asked softly.
I trembled, catching my breath, then nodded faintly. “I… think so.”
Kieran exhaled, half in relief, half in thought. “What… what just happened?” he murmured, glancing at the sword where it lay motionless. “I… I don’t know. Maybe, Ivan would…”
The sudden sound of shattering glass broke through the quiet tension between us, a crash so sharp and close it made me flinch.
His head snapped toward the sound, every muscle in his body tightening in alert. Without a word, he strode out of the bathroom, boots whispering over the worn floor.
My heart pounding, clutched the curtain tighter around myself and followed, my bare feet damp against the cold stone.
“Your majesty?” I called softly.
He didn’t answer. He was already at the window, the faded drapes fluttering in the cool night wind that had carried the sound in. Outside, a swarm of torchlight flooded the courtyard below, hundreds of flickering flames moving as one, voices rising in unison, raw and furious.
I stopped behind him, my eyes widening. “What… what is that?”
His jaw flexed. He didn’t turn around immediately, only watched the chaos below with an expression caught somewhere between resignation and tiredness. “The people of Lykos,” he said finally. “They’re protesting.”
“Protesting?” I echoed, stepping beside him, my voice a mixture of confusion and dread.
“Mm.” He leaned slightly forward, the flicker of  light reflecting in his eyes. “They’re tired, Adeline. Of the spirit beasts. Of the deaths. Of living in fear every night while their King hides behind walls and the nobles feast in their glass towers.”
Down below, the chant grew louder “End the curse! Drive them out!”
My stomach tightened. “Drive who out?”
He hesitated before answering. “The witches. That's the main reason why they are looking for your mother, your brother and… you.”
My breath caught. “The witches? Ivan and I are also witches.”
He nodded slowly, expression grim. “Duchess Eloise is a witch, probably Ivan is also a witch… you, coming back to life count you as one… and what happened at the wedding.” His eyes narrowed to the mark on my wrist.
“And the Helix mark,” He added, but the way he looked at me was questioning. “The people believe it’s the witches who bring the beasts. That their magic corrupts the land and calls darkness to Lykos.”
“But… that’s not true,” I said, my voice trembling slightly. “Witches protect the balance… They help. They won’t be running from the beast if they were the one.”
His eyes flicked to me briefly, the faintest shadow of sadness in us. “Not everyone sees it that way.”
I looked again at the angry crowd, faces lit by evening sunlight, shouting in fear and fury. There were families, merchants, some even servants, all shouting the same words. “Send them to Vaeloria! Banish the witches!”
I swallowed hard. “So… they want to drive them to Vaeloria?”
“Yeah, that’s where they truly belong,” he said. “The King’s been pressured for years to act. Tonight, it looks like the people aren’t waiting for his word anymore.”
A cold silence settled between us, broken only by the distant roar of the mob and the crackle of fire.
For a long time, neither spoke.
Finally, I whispered, “You think this will stop the spirit beasts?”
His lips twisted slightly, not quite a smile. “No. It’ll only give them someone to blame.”
Before I could answer, a loud knock came from the door, harsh, urgent. The sound startled me; I jumped, clutching the curtain closer around my chest. He moved instantly, his demeanor shifting, alert, sharp.
He turned to me, voice low but firm. “Stay here.”
I blinked. “What—”
“Don’t come out,” he interrupted gently but with authority. He grabbed the clothes and tossed them toward me. “Get dressed. Quickly. And whatever happens—” He hesitated, looking at me for a heartbeat longer, his eyes softer now. “Don’t leave this room until I return.”
The pounding at the door grew louder. Someone called from the hall muffled, but anxious.
He straightened, all traces of warmth gone. In a single stride, he crossed to the door, his cloak catching the light. Just before he left, he glanced back once as if to make sure I was real and then slipped out, closing the door firmly behind him.
I stood frozen for a long moment, listening to the fading echo of his footsteps. The curtain around my shoulders slipped a little, and I pulled it back up, staring at the mark on my wrist.
Outside, the crowd roared again, a wave of fury rising against the walls of the palace.