THE ARCANE HEIR

CHAPTER FOUR: THE JOURNALIST'S GAMBLE

A sharp ringing filled Selene’s ears as the explosion of energy faded. Her body trembled, her fingers tingling with the aftershock. The vault—once an untouchable sanctuary of lost magic—was now a warzone. Artifacts lay shattered, golden sigils flickered weakly, and the obsidian crystal at the room’s center pulsed erratically, its surface cracked from the force that had just erupted.

And Selene… she was still standing.

She should have been dead, vaporized by whatever ancient power had surged through her. Instead, she felt something different—something new. The whisper she had heard just before the explosion still echoed in her mind.

Awaken.

What had awakened?

“Selene!”

Xavier’s voice yanked her back to the present. He was in a defensive stance, golden energy flickering around him, his eyes burning with barely controlled power. Across from him, Lucian Vale stood unfazed, his silver hair swept back, his dark coat billowing from the residual force of magic. His smirk remained, but his gaze—sharp, calculating—was locked onto Selene.

“You’re full of surprises,” Lucian mused, his voice smooth and unnervingly calm. “That was not Xavier’s power.”

Selene’s breath came fast and shallow. “I—I don’t know what that was.”

Lucian tilted his head, intrigued. “Oh, but you will.”

Xavier didn’t give him the chance to elaborate. With a swift movement, he launched a blast of golden energy at Lucian. The billionaire barely flinched, raising a single hand. Shadows coiled around his fingers, absorbing the attack as if it were nothing more than a spark.

“You always were impatient,” Lucian sighed. “That’s why you’ve never truly mastered your birthright.”

Xavier gritted his teeth. “And you’re just a parasite who leeches off stolen magic.”

Lucian laughed. “A parasite? No, Xavier. I evolved. While you played at being a businessman, I learned the truth of what we are. And now, I intend to claim what’s mine.”

Selene could feel the tension tightening around them, an invisible storm of power coiling, ready to strike. But something was different now. Lucian wasn’t just here to fight. He was here for her.

He had seen what she had done—what she still didn’t understand.

She needed time to think, to figure out what had just happened to her. But time was a luxury they didn’t have.

She glanced at Xavier, his stance unwavering but his body taut with exhaustion. He was strong, but she could see the cracks forming. He had unleashed more power than he was ready for. If this fight continued, he might not last.

Her mind raced. Think, Selene. What’s your way out of this?

And then, an idea struck her.

A dangerous one.

A gamble.

Selene took a slow step forward, drawing Lucian’s attention fully onto her. “You want to know what just happened to me, don’t you?” she asked, keeping her voice even.

Lucian’s smirk deepened. “I won’t deny my curiosity.”

She swallowed, forcing herself to stay calm. “Then let’s make a deal.”

Xavier tensed beside her. “Selene, don’t—”

She didn’t look at him. If she did, she might lose her nerve. “I have information,” she continued, speaking directly to Lucian now. “Not just about what happened here, but about the Obsidian Order. About you.”

Lucian’s amusement flickered into something sharper. “Interesting. And what, exactly, do you think you know about me?”

Selene lifted her chin. “More than you’d like.”

Xavier’s hand clenched into a fist at his side. “Selene, stop.”

She ignored him. This was their only way out.

Lucian studied her, as if weighing her words. Then, with a slow smile, he said, “I’m listening.”

Selene’s stomach twisted. This was the part where she had to sell the lie. Or at least, part of it. “We both know Xavier has something you want. His power, his knowledge.” She took a deep breath. “But what if I told you I could give you something even better? A way to get to the Obsidian Order before they get to you?”

Lucian arched a brow. “You expect me to believe that a journalist knows more than I do?”

“I expect you to believe that I have sources you don’t,” she countered. “You’ve been at war with Xavier for years, but the Obsidian Order? They’ve been playing you both.”

Lucian’s expression remained unreadable, but she knew she had struck a nerve. He didn’t trust the Order. No one did.

“What exactly are you offering?” Lucian asked.

Selene hesitated. This was the moment. The point of no return.

And then she said it.

“I’ll work for you.”

Xavier inhaled sharply. “Selene—”

“I’ll bring you what I know. But in exchange, you let us leave. Alive.”

Lucian regarded her for a long moment. Then, to her surprise, he laughed. A low, rich sound filled with something unsettling.

“Oh, Selene. You truly are full of surprises.” His gaze flicked to Xavier, then back to her. “You would betray him so easily?”

Xavier’s jaw clenched. “She’s not betraying me.”

Selene didn’t correct him.

Because the truth was, she didn’t know.

Lucian let the silence stretch before nodding once. “Very well. You intrigue me, Miss Selene. I’ll allow you to leave—for now. But be warned.” His eyes gleamed with dark amusement. “If you lie to me, there will be consequences.”

With a flick of his wrist, the shadows around him dissipated. His mercenaries, still lingering in the ruins of the vault, lowered their weapons.

Selene released a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

Xavier, however, didn’t move.

Lucian gave one last smirk. “Until next time, Xavier.” Then, just as he had come, he disappeared into the darkness.

For a long moment, there was only silence.

Then—

“What the hell was that?” Xavier snapped.

Selene turned to face him. His golden eyes burned with fury, confusion, betrayal.

“I got us out,” she said evenly.

Xavier took a step closer, his energy still thrumming with residual power. “You bargained with Lucian Vale.”

“I bought us time,” she corrected. “We were losing, Xavier. You were outnumbered, outmatched—”

“I had it under control,” he growled.

“Did you?” she shot back. “Because from where I was standing, it looked like you were about to be killed.”

He exhaled sharply, dragging a hand through his hair. “So what now? You’re just going to hand him information?”

Selene squared her shoulders. “I don’t have to. He thinks I have something valuable. That’s enough to keep us alive.”

Xavier let out a bitter chuckle. “You don’t know Lucian like I do. He doesn’t play games, Selene. Eventually, he’s going to demand proof. And when that happens, what are you going to do?”

Selene didn’t answer.

Because she didn’t know.

All she knew was that she had made a gamble. One that had saved them—for now.

But the game wasn’t over. Not even close.

And if she was going to survive, she had to figure out what the hell had awakened inside her before it was too late.

Xavier shook his head, frustration etched across his face. “You don’t realize what you’ve just done.”

Selene met his gaze, unwavering. “Maybe not. But I do know one thing.” She lifted her chin. “Lucian Vale just made the biggest mistake of his life.”

Xavier studied her for a long moment. Then, reluctantly, he nodded.

“Then let’s make sure he pays for it.”