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Chapter 61
The ice-covered hall was massive, bigger than the academy's main auditorium. Pillars of frozen shadow stretched up to a ceiling lost in darkness. And at the center, on a throne that seemed to be carved from crystallized night itself, sat a figure that made them all stop breathing.He was enormous, easily twice the height of a normal person. His skin was pale blue, like someone who'd died of cold, but his eyes burned with white fire. A crown of ice and shadow rested on his head, and when he moved, frost spread across the floor."Mortals," the figure said in a voice like breaking glaciers. "You dare enter the presence of Mordain, Frost King of the Deep Caverns?""We seek the legacy of Glacius," Draven said, trying to keep his voice steady."Do you?" Mordain rose from his throne, and the temperature in the hall dropped so fast their breath turned to ice crystals. "And what makes you think you deserve such power?""We've passed all the trials," Lyra said."Have you?" The Frost King's laug
Chapter 60
Draven stared at the other version of himself. It was like looking in a mirror, except this Draven stood straighter, smiled more easily, and had eyes that didn't carry the weight of constant doubt."You're not real," Draven said."No," the other Draven agreed. "But I'm not an illusion either. I'm who you could become. If you stopped lying to yourself.""I don't lie to myself.""Don't you?" The other Draven walked around the room, his movements confident and sure. "You tell yourself you're weak. You tell yourself you don't deserve your friends' loyalty. You tell yourself you're not a real hero.""Because it's true.""Is it? Or is it just easier than accepting responsibility for your own power?"Draven didn't answer. He was thinking about the pendant hidden under his shirt, burning warm against his chest."Ah," the other Draven said, noticing his expression. "Now we're getting somewhere. Tell me about the pendant.""What pendant?""The one you've never told your friends about. The one t
Chapter 59
The fight was brutal but short. Five against four, but Sera knew all of Daemon's moves. She'd trained with him since childhood.When it was over, three Shadow Moon operatives lay unconscious on the floor. One had fled back through the passage. And Daemon was pinned against the wall by Jin's earth magic, blood trickling from a cut on his forehead."You always were the better fighter," he said to Sera with grudging respect. "But this isn't over.""Yes, it is," Sera replied, breathing hard. "I'm done with the family business.""Family isn't something you can quit," Daemon warned. "Mother will come for you herself.""Let her try."Daemon looked at Draven, Jin, and Lyra. "You have no idea what you've gotten yourselves into. She's not just a spy. She's the heir to the most dangerous criminal organization in the kingdom.""Shut up," Sera said."They deserve to know what they're protecting," Daemon continued. "She's killed more people than you can count. Stolen more gold than most kingdoms po
Chapter 58
The footsteps were getting closer. Sera stood with her daggers drawn, facing the passage entrance. But her three friends were behind her, and Draven could see the doubt in their eyes."How do we know this isn't part of your plan?" he asked."You don't," Sera replied without turning around. "But you're about to find out."Five figures in black robes emerged from the passage. They moved with the same fluid grace as Sera, but there was something colder about them. More deadly."Princess Selene," the leader said, pulling back his hood to reveal a face that shared Sera's sharp features. "You missed your scheduled report.""Hello, Daemon," Sera said. Her voice was steady, but Draven could see her hands shaking slightly."Brother?" Jin whispered."Crown Prince of the Shadow Moon Sect," Sera confirmed. "And my commanding officer."Daemon's eyes swept over the three friends standing behind Sera. "I see you've grown attached to your targets. Mother warned me this might happen.""They're not tar
Chapter 57
They walked through the warm passage in silence. Nobody wanted to talk about what the dragon had said about deeper truths. But the words hung between them like a threat."My feet are finally warming up," Jin said, trying to break the tension."Mine too," Lyra agreed. "This is the first time I've felt warm since we entered these caves.""Don't get too comfortable," Sera warned. "The warmth probably won't last."Draven glanced at her. She'd been acting strange ever since the dragon mentioned the Chamber of True Hearts. More nervous than usual. More secretive."Sera, what aren't you telling us?" he asked."Nothing important," she replied quickly. Too quickly."Come on," Jin said. "We just shared our deepest fears back there. What could be worse than that?"Sera stopped walking. "Trust me. You don't want to know.""Yes, we do," Lyra said firmly. "We're a team, remember? No more secrets.""Some secrets exist for good reasons," Sera replied.Before anyone could argue further, they reached t
Chapter 56
The stairs led them down into a massive cavern that took their breath away. Ice formations covered every surface, but these weren't the rough, natural shapes they'd seen before. These were works of art - pillars that spiraled toward the ceiling, walls carved with intricate patterns, and in the center of it all, a raised platform where something massive lay coiled."Is that what I think it is?" Jin whispered.The creature on the platform was easily the size of three horses. Its scales were made of living ice, shifting and reforming with each breath. Wings folded against its sides like crystalline shields. And its eyes, when they opened, burned with ancient intelligence."An ice dragon," Lyra breathed. "A real one."The dragon's head rose slowly, studying the four intruders with those burning eyes. When it spoke, its voice was like the grinding of glaciers."Young warriors. You have passed the tests of truth and trust. But one trial remains before you may proceed to the deeper chambers.
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