Chapter 28: Love will Break the World

\- Maximus' POV -

I turned around, an unexplainable fire was crawling inside of me.

Caspian stepped aside, and there she was.

Her small figure stood in the doorway, nervous, her hands clutching each other in front of her. She wore a simple white dress given to patients in the Healing Wing. Her cheeks were pale, her lips pressed together, and her eyes avoided mine like she was too scared to look.

But when she lifted her head just a little, our eyes met.

Those beautiful silver eyes, damn it. I could feel everything in my body burned.

My heart was screaming inside me as if it desperately wanted to speak a truth I couldn’t grasp. But… why did those eyes feel so familiar? From the very first moment I saw them, I was damned. Trapped and unable to break free.

My wolf howled inside me, clawing, demanding I move.

"Master," Caspian said quietly, bowing before stepping back, knowing when to leave. He closed the door softly behind him, leaving only the two of us in the room.

For a moment, there was silence. Only her breathing... uneven and soft, and my own, rough and heavy.

Then she spoke, her voice was trembling.

"T... thank you... Prince Maximus."

I frowned slightly. "For what?"

Her hands tightened as she looked down at the floor. "For saving me... and for bringing me to the healer." Her voice cracked on the last words, and I could tell how much it cost her to even stand here and say that.

I didn't move. I didn't speak. I just stared at her, taking in every detail. The way her small fingers shook, the way her shoulders rose and fell with each nervous breath, the way her lashes trembled when she dared to glance at me.

She was fragile. Weak. Yet when she stood there, I couldn't look away.

When she finally dared to take a step forward, her legs betrayed her. The weakness from her recovery made her stumble.

I moved before I could think. Using my speed, my arms caught her instantly, pulling her against me.

Her petite body was soft against my chest. Warm. Her face pressed against me for only a second, but it felt like my entire world shifted.

Lyra gasped softly, her small hands gripping my arm as if to steady herself. "S-sorry... I didn't mean to—"

I cut her off. "Don't."

My voice came out low and rough, and she froze. I could feel her heartbeat against me, quick and uneven.

I tilted my head down, my eyes locked on her. She was so close. Too close. Her scent filled my head, roses and something sweeter, something I couldn't name. It was driving me insane.

"Be careful," I said, my tone colder than I meant it to be. "You're still weak."

Her silver eyes lifted slowly, meeting mine again. For a heartbeat, the world stopped.

She looked at me like she didn't understand me, like she was trying to figure out why I even cared. That look almost broke me.

I forced myself to let go, stepping back even though every part of me screamed not to. She stumbled slightly before finding her balance, her cheeks flushed pink.

"I just... wanted to thank you," she said again, softer this time, her eyes lowering.

I clenched my fists at my side. If I told her that I couldn't get her out of my head, that I wanted her more than I had ever wanted anything in my life, she would run.

So I stayed silent, even as my chest burned.

She turned a little, clearly preparing to leave, her hands still trembling.

"Lyra," I said before I could stop myself.

She froze at the sound of her name from my lips. Slowly, she looked back.

My throat tightened, but I forced the words out. "Rest. Don't... leave the palace without my permission."

Don't... ever leave me.

Her eyes widened slightly, confusion flashing in them. But she gave a small nod. "Yes, Prince Maximus."

Then she left. The door closed softly behind her, and the scent of roses slowly faded.

But the fire inside me didn't fade.

I stood there, staring at the closed door, my heart still pounding, my blood still hot. My hands shook with the effort of keeping myself still.

I wanted her.

Not just to protect her. Not just to keep her safe.

I wanted every part of her.

And I didn't care if it was wrong.

\- Third Person's POV -

Far from the royal chambers, deep in a place where no sunlight reached, a room glowed faintly with the unsteady light of candles. The air was heavy with the smell of herbs, mixed with something older, something strange and powerful.

At the center, a woman sat silently. Her beauty was almost unreal, her skin pale as snow, her eyes sharp as a blade.

The quiet broke when the door creaked open. Footsteps echoed softly against the floor.

"Reporting, My Lady Austia," said a woman in a healer’s gown as she stepped forward and bowed low. Her dark hair, tied but messy, slipped over her shoulder as she kept her head down.

Austia did not move. Her eyes stayed fixed on the candle flames. "Speak, Miraine."

Miraine lifted her head a little, her green eyes catching the dim light. "You were right. The girl… she is stronger than I thought."

Only then did Austia turn. A faint smile touched her lips, but her eyes... suddenly turning pure white.

"She must be," Austia said softly, her voice smooth but cold. "She is the chosen one."

Miraine quickly lowered her gaze again. "Yes, My Lady."

"But…" Austia’s smile vanished, her voice dropping to a dark whisper.

"One love," she breathed, "will break the world."

The candles flickered hard, and the room seemed to grow darker as her words hung in the air like a curse.