Into the Shadows

Chapter 4: Into the Shadows

The battlefield was silent now, the aftermath of destruction leaving nothing but the burnt remains of what was once a thriving kingdom. The Northern Lords’ attack had been swift and brutal, but they hadn’t succeeded in breaking Selene’s spirit. The victory was hers, but at a cost that felt heavier with every breath. Her soldiers—what was left of them—stood by, gathering the wounded and burying the dead, while the distant sound of retreating Northern forces echoed in the background.

Selene surveyed the wreckage, her mind not on the dead, but on what was to come. The Northern Lords would regroup, and they would strike again. She had no illusions about their tenacity. The war was just beginning.

Behind her, his footsteps were steady, but they grated on her nerves like the sound of steel scraping against stone. She could feel his presence, close but not comforting. It had been the same since they had crossed paths again—the same lingering distrust, the same battle of wills. They were not allies, no matter how many times he had saved her life.

"You've done well," he said, his voice low. There was no judgment in it, only a quiet acknowledgment of what they’d achieved together in this brief but deadly battle.

Selene didn’t turn to face him. She couldn’t. Not now, not with everything still so raw. “We haven’t won. Not yet.”

He didn’t argue, but the air between them thickened with unsaid words. “And when they return, you’ll need more than just strength.”

She stiffened. “What do you mean?”

He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous tone. “You may have the kingdom’s loyalty, but there’s more at play here. You’re going to need to play their game if you want to win. That means understanding who you’re really fighting. And that means Elara.”

The mention of Elara made Selene’s heart skip a beat, but she refused to show it. Elara was the key to everything—the truth behind the Northern Lords’ motives, and the one person who might be able to tip the scales in Selene’s favor. But there was a danger in going after her—one that went deeper than just the obvious threat of the Northern Lords.

“I don’t need your help to find Elara,” Selene replied sharply, her words colder than she intended. “I’ll go after her on my own.”

For a moment, there was silence between them, thick with the weight of his gaze on her back. She didn’t dare turn around to meet it.

“You think you can handle it alone?” he asked, his voice laced with doubt. “You don’t even know where she’s hiding. And even if you do find her, she won’t be easy to reach. The Northern Lords have control over her, and they’ll use her against you. You can’t trust anyone when they hold all the cards.”

“I don’t need anyone,” Selene shot back, her tone biting. “Not even you. I’ve handled worse.”

“You handled worse alone,” he said quietly, but with an edge that she couldn’t ignore. “This time, it’s different. You can’t just fight. You have to outthink them. Outmaneuver them.”

She turned to face him, her eyes narrowing. “And why would you help me?”

His gaze didn’t waver, but there was something in it—something that both unsettled and intrigued her. “Because whether you like it or not, we’re in this together now. You need me, whether you admit it or not.”

The words hit her like a slap, but she refused to let him see the doubt creeping into her mind. She had no room for weakness, not with everything at stake. Her kingdom depended on her strength—on her ability to stay focused, to remain ruthless.

“I don’t need anyone,” Selene repeated, her voice steady now, though her heart was anything but. She could feel the pulse of tension in the air between them, an undercurrent that threatened to pull her under. But she wouldn’t let it. She couldn’t.

He stepped closer, his presence closing the distance between them, and for a moment, she could feel the heat of his body against her own. It was like a magnet, pulling her toward him, and it made her blood run hot despite herself. But this wasn’t the time. This wasn’t the place. She had a mission, and she couldn’t let anything get in her way.

“Don’t make the mistake of thinking you’re alone in this,” he murmured, his voice dropping to a dangerous level of intimacy. “The longer you ignore what’s between us, the more it’ll haunt you.”

Her breath caught in her throat, but she quickly shoved the sensation down. This was no time for distractions. The enemy was still out there, and they would be coming for her again.

“I’ll take care of Elara on my own,” she said coldly, stepping away, refusing to meet his gaze again.

But as she turned to walk away, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was leaving something—someone—behind. The pull between them, the tension, was undeniable. But she couldn’t afford to lose herself in it, not now. Not when everything she fought for was at stake.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***