The Outcast Princess

a second chance

Lyra thrashed against the guards, her strength waning as the palace physician stepped closer. The vial of dark liquid gleamed in his hand, its contents sloshing ominously. Elara stood to the side, her smirk unwavering, as though she had already won.

“You won’t get away with this!” Lyra cried, her voice hoarse from screaming.

“On the contrary,” Elara said smoothly. “I already have.”

The physician grabbed her arm, and Lyra fought harder, but the guards’ grip was unrelenting. She watched in horror as the physician inserted the needle into her vein and pushed the dark liquid into her bloodstream.

A cold numbness spread through her body almost immediately. Lyra’s struggles weakened, her limbs turning heavy as her vision blurred. She collapsed onto the cold stone floor, her breaths shallow and labored.

“Goodbye, Lyra,” Elara said, her voice dripping with satisfaction.

As the room began to fade, Lyra’s mind raced. She wasn’t ready to die—not like this, not without fighting harder. Her lips moved in silent prayer, her heart crying out to the Moon Goddess.

“Please,” she whispered weakly. “Please, give me another chance. I’ll make it right. I’ll change everything. Just… please don’t let it end like this.”

The darkness consumed her.

---

When Lyra opened her eyes, she wasn’t on the cold dungeon floor anymore. Instead, she was standing in the royal gardens, the scent of blooming flowers filling the air. She blinked in confusion, her hands trembling as she looked around.

“This… this can’t be real,” she murmured.

The moonlight illuminated the familiar scene, and realization struck her like a lightning bolt. She had been here before—on the night Caden confessed his feelings to her.

Her heart pounded as she spotted him walking toward her, his expression warm and hopeful.

“Lyra,” he said softly, his voice filled with emotion. “I’ve been looking for you.”

She stared at him, her mind spinning. The Moon Goddess heard me… She really gave me another chance.

Caden stepped closer, his gaze searching hers. “I need to tell you something. I’ve been keeping it to myself for too long.”

“No,” Lyra whispered, backing away.

His brow furrowed. “What’s wrong?”

“You can’t,” she said, her voice trembling. “Please don’t say it.”

But he ignored her plea. “Lyra, I love you.”

Her breath caught. The words she had longed to hear in the past now felt like a curse. This was where everything began—his confession, Elara’s betrayal, her imprisonment. If she accepted him now, history would repeat itself.

“I can’t,” she said, shaking her head. “I can’t do this.”

Caden’s eyes widened in shock. “What? Lyra, what are you saying?”

She turned and started to walk away, her heart breaking with every step. “I’m sorry, Caden. I just… I can’t.”

“Lyra, wait!” he called after her, but she didn’t stop.

She barely made it out of the garden when the sound of heavy footsteps filled the air. She turned, her stomach dropping as she saw the guards rushing toward her.

“What’s going on?” she demanded, panic rising in her chest.

“Lyra of the servants’ quarters,” one of the guards said sternly, “you are under arrest for the crime of sorcery.”

“No!” she gasped, backing away.

The guards surrounded her, their expressions grim. “By order of the council, you are to be taken into custody immediately.”

History was repeating itself, no matter what she did. Even with the second chance the Moon Goddess had given her, she was still powerless to change her fate.

*Why?* she thought desperately as the guards dragged her away. *Why give me another chance if nothing is different?*

---

They threw her into the same dungeon cell as before, the familiar cold and dampness wrapping around her like a cruel embrace. Lyra curled into herself, tears streaming down her face as despair consumed her.

“I can’t escape it,” she whispered to the darkness. “No matter what I do, I can’t change my fate.”

Her thoughts spiraled as she replayed the events of both her lives. What was the point of being sent back if she couldn’t stop the inevitable?

She didn’t know how much time had passed when she heard the sound of footsteps approaching. She sat up, her heart racing.

The door creaked open, and for a moment, she expected to see Elara and Caden again, coming to finish what they had started. But it wasn’t them.

Kael, the palace’s rogue warrior and one of the Moon Goddess’s most feared outcasts, stood in the doorway. His piercing gray eyes met hers, and his lips curved into a sly smile.

“Get up,” he said gruffly.

Lyra stared at him in confusion. “What are you doing here?”

“Saving you,” he replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

She hesitated, fear and uncertainty warring within her. “Why would you help me?”

“Because I don’t like people who abuse power,” Kael said, stepping closer. “And I have a score to settle with Elara and Caden.”

Before she could respond, he knelt and began fiddling with the lock on her cell. Within moments, it clicked open, and he gestured for her to follow.

“Come on,” he said. “We don’t have much time.”

Lyra scrambled to her feet, her heart pounding. She didn’t know if she could trust him, but she didn’t have a choice.

They moved quickly through the dark corridors, Kael leading the way. He seemed to know the dungeon’s layout well, maneuvering through hidden passages and avoiding patrols with ease.

As they neared the exit, Lyra’s mind raced. She didn’t know what waited for her outside, but for the first time in what felt like forever, she had a glimmer of hope.

“Why are you doing this?” she asked again as they reached a narrow staircase leading upward.

Kael glanced back at her, his expression unreadable. “Let’s just say I believe in second chances.”

His words struck her, and she wondered if he knew more about her situation than he was letting on. But before she could ask, the sound of voices echoed from above.

“Guards,” Kael muttered, his jaw tightening.

“What do we do?” Lyra whispered, panic rising in her chest.

Kael smirked. “Leave that to me.”

He stepped into the open, drawing the guards’ attention. “Looking for me?” he called, his voice dripping with mockery.

The guards turned, their weapons drawn.

“Run,” Kael said over his shoulder, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Lyra hesitated for only a moment before bolting up the stairs, her heart racing. She didn’t know if Kael would survive the fight, but she couldn’t stop to think about it. She had to keep moving.