CHAPTER 99: TWO BEST FRIENDS

Auren’s eyes widened, his grip tightening around Elyndra’s wrist, "What are you doing?"

His breath came heavier now, his focus splitting between her and the growing unease crawling up his spine. His other hand lifted instinctively, fingers flicking through the air as though reaching for something that should have answered his call.

Nothing did.

A cold realization slid through him.

The feathers weren’t responding.

He clenched his jaw, eyes flicking from Elyndra’s hand to her face. There was a change in her expression, from anger and frustration, her eyes and eyes started smiling, mockingly.

Then her laughter burst out in the bathroom.

It ricocheted against the tiled walls... sharp, cruel and empty, filling the space with a sound that carried no warmth at all. It bounced off the mirrors, swallowing the last faint hum of magic that had once answered Auren’s call.

"Oh, Auren..." she said between amused breaths. "Did you really think it would be that easy?"

She hooked one finger into her own cheek and tugged it downward playfully, stretching her smile into something ugly and mocking.

"I was just playing with you... dummy."

Something in Auren shifted.

For the first time, the calm drained from his eyes.

"Where," he said, his voice low and trembling with restrained fury.

Then louder, "Where is she?!"

His chest rose and fell sharply now, breath coming fast as he stepped toward her, hands clenched at his sides.

And Elyndra only smiled wider.

Because she wasn’t hiding anymore.

She was enjoying it.

"Here?" she said lightly, pressing a finger against Seraphina’s chest. "You must really think she’s still inside, huh? That I’d be dumb enough to trap her in her own body?"

Auren’s eyes narrowed, fury burning behind them but his head tilted slightly, thoughtful instead of reckless.

’If she isn’t in her own body... then she has to be close’, he told himself.

’I could reach her before. That means she can’t be far...’ His gaze flicked briefly around the room, scanning the air, the walls, the silence itself.

Elyndra noticed.

And laughed again.

"Oh, don’t bother," she teased. "This room? It’s just flesh and stone."

Her eyes glinted, "She’s not here."

Auren met her gaze without flinching.

"You’re bluffing," he said slowly. "I know my own power. My feathers don’t reach across worlds. If I touched her at all... then her soul is still close."

The amusement in Elyndra’s expression wavered.

Just a fraction.

Auren took a slow step forward.

"You didn’t scatter her," he continued. "You didn’t erase her. And you didn’t send her far enough."

Elyndra’s smile returned but it was thinner now.

"You do love guessing games," she hummed, her voice cloyingly sweet.

"Unfortunately for you... guessing isn’t saving."

Auren didn’t answer.

His gaze dropped from her eyes, scanning over her shoulder, her neck, her sleeves—every inch of her as if he were searching for something that didn’t belong there.

His grip tightened, then shifted.

He dragged her arm upward and pushed the sleeve back roughly.

Elyndra blinked, then she laughed.

"What are you doing?" she teased. "Going straight to the next step already? Should I start undressing for you?"

Auren’s jaw tightened. His attention hadn’t faltered once.

He wasn’t looking at her.

He was looking right through her.

"Just tell me," he ground out, his voice low with restraint. "Before I snap your head off your shoulders."

"This head?" Elyndra tilted it slowly, mockingly, exposing her throat as if inviting the threat.

Then she stepped closer... much too close.

Rising onto her toes, she leaned toward his ear, her breath ghosting against his skin as she whispered, dangerously soft, "The head of the woman you want?"

The word carved through him.

She pulled back with a small, satisfied hum and straightened, watching his face with sparkling amusement.

"Oh," she added casually, covering her mouth as if she’d just remembered something trivial, "if you meant my original head..." Her smile widened.

"Oops. You’re a little late for that." She laughed softly.

"Lucian already shattered that body from head to toe. Crushed it so completely that there wasn’t a single piece left worth remembering."

Her eyes gleamed as she tilted her head again.

"And now," she cooed, "this is the only face I wear..."

A slow smile spread across her lips, "forever."

That single word shattered something inside him.

The calmest pegasus in this world finally broke.

Auren moved without thinking, his hand flying up, fingers locking around her throat as he twisted sharply, instinctively, like snapping the neck of a beast rather than a woman.

"Then I’ll force you out!" he snarled.

"Stop—!" The door burst open.

"What are you doing?!"

Lucian’s voice cut through the room like ice cracking across a lake.

"Remove your hand. Now."

Auren froze mid-motion, breath ragged, his grip still tight as fury burned through his chest. His eyes flicked toward the doorway, panic and conflict crashing into each other inside him.

"She’s not Seraphina anymore," he said hoarsely. "It’s her wearing her face."

Lucian stormed forward, his presence instantly dropping the temperature in the room.

"And you think I don’t know that?!" he snapped. "If you shatter it... if you lose control... she wins... and we will lose Seraphina with her."

Auren’s jaw clenched violently.

His hand trembled where it still pressed against Elyndra’s throat, fury and helplessness tearing at each other inside his chest. He wanted to argue. Wanted to shout that breaking the body might be the only way left. That letting this go on was worse.

But Lucian was right. Painfully right.

Auren loosened his grip inch by inch, like ripping his own claws out of her skin. His hand finally dropped to his side, fingers curling into a fist so tight his knuckles turned pale.

Elyndra sucked in an exaggerated breath the moment she was free, placing one hand lightly over her neck as if offended rather than harmed.

"Oh, come now," she sighed. "That was almost exciting."

Lucian stepped in front of Auren instinctively, placing himself between them and her, his body a barrier made of ice and resolve.

"You will not touch her again," Lucian said coldly.

Elyndra smiled.

A slow, indulgent smile.

"Ah... I must admit," she murmured, rubbing her neck as if she were merely sore and not almost murdered, "I’m a little jealous of this little phoenix."

Her gaze drifted lazily between them, "She’s loved by not one... but two."

Lucian still.

Elyndra’s lips curved further.

"And to make it more amusing..." she added softly, "they just happen to be best friends." She lifted a hand to her mouth in mock surprise.

"Oops."

The word fell lightly, like poison.

Elyndra then grinned, satisfied. And in that smile... She knew she had already won something.