79!

LIAM

“Liam!” I heard Brianna scream my name but it was too late. There is no way I'm going to let Thane slip through my fingers the way he did on the battlefield.

“All hail the King,” his voice echoed through the dense forest, a mocking tone lacing his words.

“Show yourself Thane!” I yelled, dismounting my horse with urgency. The ground felt uneven beneath my feet, the adrenaline coursing through my veins making it hard to focus. I could hear the rustle of leaves, the snapping of twigs, and the unmistakable sound of his breath, close yet elusive.

“It’s funny how you are King only because your Father is dead,” he taunted from somewhere in the shadows. Anger bubbled beneath the surface. He didn’t just speak of my father’s death—he reveled in it.

“I’m guessing you won’t know, seeing that you planned his death with my traitious brother,” I shot back, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me.

“Adrain is a better man than you,” Thane replied, his voice dripping with disdain. I stopped moving, the air thick with tension. I could feel him, lurking just out of sight, the predator waiting for the right moment to strike.

“Normally I would be mad about that but I know better and sadly so do you,”I retorted, my instincts kicking in. I turned around in a swift motion, my side knife glinting in the dim light as I pressed it against his throat.

“How did you do that?” he stammered, his bravado faltering as I felt him tremble beneath the blade. The fear in his eyes was palpable, but he masked it with a defiant glare.

“Tell me why I shouldn't kill you here and now?” I demanded, my voice low and threatening.

“That’s because I'm not Thane,” he replied, a smirk creeping onto his face.

“What,” I blinked in confusion, my grip tightening on the knife. Before I could process his words, his legs hit my stomach with surprising force, knocking the breath from my lungs. I stumbled back, trying to regain my balance, but the world spun around me.

In an instant, I opened my eyes to see him transform into his wolf, his fangs bared and glistening in the sunlight. The air crackled with energy as he lunged towards me, muscle rippling beneath his dark fur.

“Stop!” I heard Brianna's voice. I looked up and the wolf turned to ashes.

“What was that?” She yelled as she ran towards me with Mason and Ethan.

“Are you alright?” Mason asked, helping me on my feet.

“I'm fine,” I shrugged my shoulders. “How did that thing get past our borders?” I asked.

“I don't think it's human,” Brianna said. “It disappeared when I shouted.”

“Right, so we couldn't have detected it?” I asked and Ethan nodded.

“We have to be more proactive if we are going to catch Adrian and Thane,” I said to them.

“You still think Thane is alive after what we just witnessed?” Mason asked and Ethan scoffed.

“Yes, I do. That may not be Thane but I know what I saw. Thane is still alive and he helped Adrian attack the Elite Guards,” he said with all seriousness.

“I'm not saying you are wrong, Ethan,” Mason spoke softly. “But what we just saw today is proof he might not be alive.”

“What about the scars and the injuries on our men?” Ethan asked.

“I held him Ethan, he felt real and then he disappeared,” I said to him.

“I disagree,” he said.

“I agree with Ethan,” Brianna suddenly spoke. “If Thane is alive then you have more problems than just him and Adrian,” she said.

“What do you mean?” I asked her.

“An illusion just happened, for that to occur some piece of Thane is alive somewhere or the illusion won't happen.”

“Are you saying there is a third person aligned with Adrian if Thane is really alive?” Mason asked.

“Someone as powerful as I am,” she said and I sighed heavily.

“Who can that possibly be? You are one in a generation. It's not possible,” Mason said.

“Well, not possible, just went out the window a few minutes ago,” Ethan said to him.

“We need to get the coronation over with and start with finding the trio that are against me,” I said as we walked out of the forest.

“It won't be easy,” Brianna said as she took my hands.

As we emerged from the forest, the sun dipped lower behind the mountains, casting long, jagged shadows over the land. Brianna’s hand in mine was warm, but her grip was tense, a silent reminder that even we don't know how deep this conspiracy ran.

“I know it won’t be easy,” I admitted, meeting her worried gaze. “But we don’t have a choice.”

“We always have a choice, Liam,” she said. “You could denounce Adrian and his supporters would have to bend the knee. Right?” She asked, looking at Mason and Ethan.

Before anyone could respond, a distant horn echoed from the direction of the castle. My heart sank. The horn wasn’t one of celebration—it was a warning. Mason and Ethan exchanged worried glances before breaking into a sprint. I kept Brianna close as we followed.

When we reached the castle gates, the scene that unfolded was chaos. Soldiers were scrambling, weapons drawn, and shouts filled the air. A large section of the outer wall was scorched black, smoke rising in thick plumes. I pushed through the crowd, demanding answers.

“Your Majesty!” Captain Rowe, one of my most trusted commanders, rushed over, blood trickling down his temple. “There was an attack. Shadows appeared out of nowhere, moving like wraiths. They took no form, just… darkness.”

“Did you just say, Shadow?” Brianna asked Captain Rowe.

“Yes, your grace and they keep disappearing,” he said.

“Thane trying to fight you in the forest was all a ruse. This was his endgame,” Brianna said.

“Yeah, Chaos.” I muttered.

“They were looking for something,” he continued, his voice strained. “Or someone.”

My stomach twisted. “Who?,” I whispered. But before the thought could fully form, a chilling laugh resonated through the courtyard.

From the shadows stepped a figure clad in dark, tattered robes. His face was partially obscured, but the eyes that met mine were unmistakable—pale, piercing, and full of malice. It was Thane, or some twisted version of him.

“You should have killed me when you had the chance, little King,” he sneered, raising his hand. Tendrils of dark energy slithered from his fingers, snaking across the stones like living shadows.

“Thane,” Brianna whispered, but there was something else in her voice: fear.

“Step back!” I shouted, but it was too late. The shadows leapt toward Mason and Ethan, engulfing them in a suffocating shroud. Their muffled cries sent a shiver down my spine as I lunged forward, only to be thrown back by an unseen force.

Brianna screamed, summoning a wall of golden light that splintered against Thane’s dark tendrils. The courtyard trembled as the two forces collided, sparks flying like stars.