Chapter 19

AS THE CHAMBER shifted, the golden light dimmed while the walls melted away like liquid metal. Zar’Ryn tensed, his hand instinctively moving toward his blade, but the bond pulsed faintly—awhisper of reassurance from Elara. He glanced toward her, catching her wide-eyed expression as the room reshaped itself into something unexpected.

The harsh lines of the trial chamber softened, replaced by warm, intimate surroundings. Alow table with cushions sat in the center, surrounded by the glow of a flickering fireplace. The air was heavy with the scent of rich spices and sweet fruits, and the table was laden with an array of Vettian and human dishes, each one perfectly arranged and steaming as though freshly prepared.

Zar’Ryn frowned, his amethyst gaze darting across the space. “What is this?” he asked, his voice low and steady.

Elara stepped closer, her arms wrapped around herself as if to ward off the strangeness of it all. “I... Idon’t know,” she whispered, her tone trembling slightly. “It feels... safe. But why now?”

Before Zar’Ryn could answer, the bond pulsed again, stronger this time, filling him with her unease. He crossed the room in two strides and pulled her into his arms. She stiffened at first, then melted into him, her hands clutching the back of his armor as though he might disappear.

“It is safe,” he murmured, his deep voice softer now. “You are safe.”

She nodded against his chest, but when she pulled back, he saw the glimmer of tears in her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she said, brushing at her cheeks. “I don’t know why I’m crying.”

“There is no need for apologies,” he said firmly. He cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs brushing away the tears that streaked her skin. “You are tired. You are overwhelmed. Let this moment be a reprieve.”

Elara managed a faint smile, her hands covering his for a brief moment before she leaned up to kiss him. The bond flared, warmth and reassurance flooding between them. Zar’Ryn held her close, his lips soft but commanding against hers, as if trying to imprint his presence into her very being.

When they parted, she let out a shaky breath, her cheeks flushed. “Perhaps this is meant to be a break,” she said, her voice steadier now. “We should take it.”

Zar’Ryn nodded, his expression easing as he gestured toward the table. “Then sit. Eat. Regain your strength.”

They settled onto the cushions, their initial hesitation giving way to a surprising sense of peace. The food was exquisite, each dish perfectly spiced and balanced, and they shared small, quiet laughs as they sampled from each other’s plates. Zar’Ryn fed her slices of sweet fruit, his fingers lingering against her lips as she smiled up at him. Elara returned the gesture, her laughter growing softer, more intimate, as the bond between them pulsed with warmth and connection.

As the firelight flickered, their closeness deepened, and the world seemed to shrink until only the two of them existed. The crackle of the flames mirrored the electric tension that sparked between the two, each moment drawing them nearer, each breath heavy with unspoken longing.

Zar’Ryn’s eyes locked on hers, the violet depths glowing with a fire that had nothing to do with the blaze nearby. His hand lifted, fingers brushing her cheek with an unexpected tenderness that sent a shiver down her spine. Slowly, deliberately, he slid his hand to the back of her neck, his touch firm yet gentle, pulling her closer until their breaths mingled in the charged air betweenthem.

The first press of his lips against hers came as a question, tentative and full of restrained desire. Elara answered with a soft sigh, her hands rising to rest against his chest, her fingers splayed as if to absorb the heat radiating from his skin. His low growl of approval vibrated through her, asound that sent a thrill rushing through herbody.

Their kiss deepened, the earlier hesitation vanishing as passion surged to the surface. Zar’Ryn’s other hand found her waist, his fingers tightening possessively, anchoring her against him. She melted into his embrace, her body molding to his as if they had been crafted for one another. Her hands slid upward, exploring the hard planes of his chest, her nails grazing his skin lightly. His growl deepened, reverberating through his broad frame, aprimal sound that sent her heart racing.

“Elara,” he murmured against her lips, her name a reverent caress that made her tremble.

She could feel the restraint in his touch, the battle between his desire and his fierce need to protect her, to give her the choice to withdraw—even if it shatteredhim.

She pulled back just enough to meet his gaze, her chest rising and falling with the force of her breaths. “I’m not walking away,” she whispered, her voice steady despite the storm raging inside her. “Not from you. Not now.”

A flicker of relief crossed his face, quickly replaced by the unrelenting intensity of his gaze. His hand slid into her hair, tangling in the soft strands, while his thumb brushed along her jawline. “Then I will never let you go,” he vowed, his voice rough and edged with an almost desperate sincerity.

Their mouths met again, their kiss an explosion of pent-up emotion and need. Elara clung to him, her fingers digging into his shoulders as she surrendered to the storm he unleashed within her. His lips trailed from her mouth to her neck, his breath warm against her skin as he explored the delicate curve of her throat. She tilted her head back, granting him access, her soft gasp urging himon.

The firelight danced around them, casting shifting shadows that seemed to echo their fiery passion. Time ground to a halt, the world narrowing to the shared rhythm of their hearts and the growing intensity of their bond. Every touch, every kiss, spoke of promises and desires too vast for words, aconnection that went beyond anything either of them had ever known.

In that moment, as the flames burned low and the night stretched on, nothing else mattered. They were two souls drawn together by fate, their barriers shattered, their hearts laidbare.

But just as the moment edged toward becoming something deeper, the light in the room shifted. The fire dimmed, and a faint whine filled the air. Zar’Ryn froze, his instincts on high alert as he pulled Elara closer.

“What’s happening?” she whispered, her voice trembling again.

Before he could answer, aholographic screen materialized above the table. Their bond surged, not with warmth but with cold, sinking dread. Zar’Ryn’s eyes narrowed as an image appeared—Elara’s face, younger but unmistakable.

Her hair was pulled back in a messy bun, her glasses dangling toward the end of her nose. She stared intently through a microscope when a young human male came up and plucked them off her face and grinned at her. Another scene flashed where the two were walking hand-in-hand. Then another, eating a meal together and sharingfood.

“No,” Elara whispered. “No, no, no!”

A dozen different scenes flashed by of the two of them in various stages of their relationship until finally they were in bed together. Elara’s face glowed softly, happily. And then the bedroom door flew open and a half dozen males pushed their way into the room, laughing and jeering.

“You won, Benson. You won the bet,” one of them proclaimed. “You’re the first to fuck her.”

“That’s right.” He threw back the covers, exposing Elara. With a cry, she scrambled to pull them back over her nudity. “Now pay up.”

For a long moment, the image of her anguish hovered in the air. Pain. Humiliation. Shock. And utter devastation.

The hologram faded, leaving only silence and the echo of Elara’s sharp, ragged breaths. Zar’Ryn turned to her, his chest tightening as he saw her wide eyes filled with tears, her face pale as though she might shatter.

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