CHAPTER 70: CHAPTER 71 – THE BLADE BETWEEN US

📜 Recap – The Chains That Bind Us

Last time, our fractured alliance stood at the very edge of collapse. Kai, still reeling from the revelation that the very people he trusted most had been weaving lies into his destiny, faced an impossible choice: break the chains of loyalty that held the group together—or tighten them, knowing they might strangle him later.

Main story

The confrontation inside the ruined council chamber was more than words; it was war without swords. Lyra’s voice trembled between fury and heartbreak as she accused Velis of playing both sides, while Astra tried to broker peace, reminding them that the true enemy still waited beyond their borders.

Yet the most dangerous moment came when Yuri revealed the hidden contract—the one binding Kai’s life to the fate of the empire’s cursed crown. Every heartbeat after that was heavy with the knowledge that betrayal might not be a matter of "if," but "when."

By the end, uneasy truces were formed, not out of trust, but out of necessity. The group marched forward under a fragile pact, chains still clinking—not of iron, but of promises, debts, and unspoken fears.

Now, with ash in the air and war at their heels, the question lingers: will those chains hold them together, or drag them all into the abyss?

The rain didn’t just fall—it sliced through the night like silver threads, stitching together the torn edges of a city that had seen too much blood. The courtyard smelled of wet stone and smoke, its silence broken only by the steady hiss of water against steel.

Kai stood at its center, boots sinking slightly into the mud where the cobblestones had cracked. His cloak hung heavy, droplets clinging to the frayed edges. In his right hand, his sword rested against his thigh—not raised yet, but ready.

Across from him, Lyra stood with the poise of someone who had been forged in battle. Her blade was already drawn, tilted slightly downward in a deceptive display of calm. The rain traced silver lines down her cheek, catching the faint light of the fractured moon.

For a long time, they didn’t speak. Their silence wasn’t awkward—it was sharp, dangerous, the kind of silence that could kill if you let it stretch too far.

When she finally broke it, her voice was almost gentle. "You’ve changed, Kai."

"No," he said, his tone as cold as the rain. "I’ve just stopped pretending."

The wind shifted, bringing with it a metallic tang—blood, fresh and warm. Kai’s jaw tightened. Somewhere nearby, Astra was locked in a fight she might not win. Velis’s movements could be heard faintly, like a wolf circling prey. And Yuri... he didn’t need to see her to know she was there, watching from the dark, her loyalties folded so many times they were impossible to read.

"You never used to keep secrets from me," Lyra said, taking one slow step forward.

"You never used to try to stab me in the back," he replied.

Her laugh was short, without warmth. "Is that what you think this is?"

"I think," Kai said, shifting his stance, "that you’re here to test which of us has the sharper edge."

The first clash was sudden. Lyra lunged, and Kai met her with a swing that sent sparks flying in the rain. The sound of metal striking metal rang out, a harsh echo swallowed quickly by the storm. They moved in tight circles, blades flashing between them, each strike a mix of skill and memory.

She drove him back with a feint he’d taught her years ago. He countered with a parry she’d once praised him for. Every blow carried weight—not just the strength of their arms, but the history between them.

"Still too slow," she taunted, twisting her blade toward his shoulder.

"Still too arrogant," he shot back, sidestepping and catching her weapon with his own in a lock that brought them face to face.

Her eyes burned, not just with battle, but with something deeper—anger, grief, and maybe, just maybe, regret. "You don’t have to fight me, Kai."

"Then stop giving me reasons to."

She broke the lock and spun away, her cloak flaring like a dark wing. Rain pooled in the deep lines of the courtyard, splashing under their boots as they clashed again. This time, Kai pressed forward, each strike harder than the last, forcing her back toward the courtyard’s crumbling wall.

But Lyra didn’t stumble. She met him blow for blow, her movements sharp and precise. She was fighting to win—not just survive.

The tension snapped when the courtyard doors slammed open. Velis appeared, sword drawn, rain dripping from her armor. Her gaze locked not on Kai, but on Lyra.

"Step away from him," Velis ordered. Her voice was low, but it carried the weight of someone who had already decided how this would end.

For one heartbeat, the three of them stood frozen in a triangle of steel and mistrust. And Kai realized something—no matter how this night ended, the blade between them wasn’t just made of metal. It was made of choices, betrayals, and the lies they’d told themselves to survive.

Bonus Scene – The Rain Remembers

The fight had ended hours ago, but the rain still hadn’t stopped. It clung to the city like a memory it refused to wash away.

Kai sat on the edge of a broken stone bench, head bowed, one hand resting on his sword hilt. His breaths were steady, but each exhale carried the weight of a thousand unspoken things.

Lyra approached without her blade, her boots soft in the mud. For once, there was no challenge in her stance. She stopped a few feet away, arms crossed loosely over her chest.

"You’re bleeding," she said.

Kai didn’t look up. "So are you."

Her lips curved, not in amusement but something closer to acknowledgment. "You always did have a talent for matching my wounds."

The rain dripped from her hair, catching the lantern light from the distant gate. She looked tired—more than tired. The sharp lines of her face were softened, not by kindness, but by exhaustion.

Kai didn’t know why she stayed there instead of walking away. Maybe she didn’t know either.

"You remember the first time we sparred in the rain?" she asked quietly.

Kai’s gaze flicked up. "You slipped. Fell flat on your back."

"I let you win," she said.

For a moment, they just stood there, letting the silence stretch between them. The storm’s steady rhythm was the only thing keeping the world from falling apart.

Finally, she stepped closer, close enough for the rain running off her sleeve to land on his knee. She reached out, not to touch his face, but to press two fingers lightly to the side of his sword hand.

"You could’ve killed me tonight," she murmured.

Kai’s eyes didn’t waver from hers. "And you could’ve killed me."

"Maybe next time," she said, turning away before he could read her expression.

As she walked into the shadows, Kai realized the truth—the fight had ended, but the war between them was far from over. And sometimes, the blade between them cut deepest when it wasn’t drawn at all.

Next Chapter Preview – "Ashes on the Throne"

The rain may have ended, but the city’s streets still glisten with the aftermath of blood and betrayal. By dawn, whispers spread faster than the wind—whispers that Kai’s name is now etched on a royal kill order.

But before he can even breathe, the palace summons him. Not for execution... but for an audience with the Queen herself.

Lyra will be there too—standing at the Queen’s right hand, eyes cold, lips curved in that dangerous half-smile that hides every secret. She’s no longer just an opponent in the shadows. In the next game, she’s wearing a crown’s protection.

Velis warns Kai that stepping into the throne room will be stepping into a trap. Astra thinks it’s the perfect chance to turn the Queen’s paranoia against her. And in the corner of the war table, a single sealed letter lies unopened—addressed to Kai in a handwriting he hasn’t seen since the day his life was burned to ash.

The next move isn’t about survival.

It’s about deciding who burns first.

⚔️ One throne. Two blades. A city ready to burn.

Every choice Kai makes from this point will carve scars into the world around him. The Queen is moving her pawns, Lyra has chosen her side, and every shadow in the city seems to be whispering his name.

📚 Add this book to your library—because what comes next isn’t just another Chapter, it’s the turn of the blade that could end a kingdom. You won’t want to miss the moment alliances shatter and the first true heir to chaos steps forward.

💬 Your theories matter. Drop them below—Who’s playing who? Will Kai step into the Queen’s web willingly, or is he already laying his own traps? And what’s in that letter with the handwriting from his past?

🔺 Vote with your Power Stones if you want to see more betrayals, more blood, and more moments where even the strongest harem bonds are tested.

🔥 The crown isn’t safe.

And neither is anyone who dares to wear it.