Tethered To The Six Princes Of Sylvarra

Chapter 5

It had only been forty-eight hours since they discovered I was the three stars bearer. Out of the three gifts, I could only wield one—the summoning of the fierce flame.

The other two, the power that could stop time, and the light as dangerous as it was wondrous remained beyond my reach. I couldn’t summon them.

My heart sank beneath the weight of that truth, Rhysand’s threat pressing heavily against my chest.

Suddenly, Rhysand quickened the pace of his horse. We covered miles swiftly, passing through different courts…one called the Trueborn Princes’ Court.

The building sat like a vision among the clouds, its walls crafted from glass so transparent it almost vanished into the sky. My gaze was drawn to a distant chamber within the court. A breathtaking sight unlike anything I had ever seen before.

It felt strange to admit, but maybe this was exactly why they had won the war—their powers. The power to build, to defend, to attack, and even to oppress. Yet, the most captivating power of all was the way they crafted their world.

The courts… the sapphire crystal skies. The stars, large and sparkling like stardust. Even the beautiful mist that cloaked the gate back at the entrance, shimmering like magic.

It was sickening, really, that I found myself admiring their world, when I should have been focused on one thing only…how to save my own life.

How to get out of this den of wolves alive. How to find Violet and Zach.

Every time my mind drifted to them, a weakness bloomed deep in my chest like my blood was being slowly drained away.

Inside the world of Sylvarra, there were courts—each enclosed by towering walls and guarded by massive gates.

Rhysand came to a halt before one such gate, its name etched boldly above: The Traitor Tattoo Princes’ Court.

Snowflakes drifted gently onto my face as Rhysand performed a silent gesture. The gate eased open soundlessly, like a well-kept secret.

The court glowed with soft, shimmering lights beneath the sapphire sky. As I followed him up the short marble steps, my eyes took in every detail.

The marble floor was more exquisite than any I had seen back in Varynthia—smooth, polished, reflecting the golden glow from the grand chandelier above.

I felt trapped within the walls of this place… its beauty stealing away every shred of fear I clung to in my mind.

It offered the ideal dreamworld I had always longed for, yet it wasn’t an illusion. Still, it robbed me of my own world, piece by piece.

“You’re not here to live like a princess,” he said, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade. “This isn’t a typical palace. There are no maids for you here.”

The echo of his words bounced off the empty halls. I saw no one else around.

But I was certain this court wasn’t his alone. Or perhaps this part—the one he had taken me to was just his quarters.

It could be.

Two women dressed in white uniforms with green collars passed by, I could tell they were maids of this court.

Their conversations stolen by Rhysand’s piercing glance. Their chatter died instantly, and they moved like ghosts…silent, ethereal, barely more than a breeze as they walked past us.

He had said there were no maids here. Perhaps he meant me…that I wasn’t here to live like a princess.

Hell no. After they burned down my castle, killed my father right before my eyes, and my siblings vanished like shadows. I wasn’t about to trust anyone.

Maybe I should end it all now the threat hanging over my life like a noose. Maybe I could slit his throat with one of my knives and escape this place for good.

I watched him carefully as he showed me the room I’d be staying in tonight. When his back was turned, I slipped my hand beneath my belly, gripping the knife I’d hidden there.

Before I could drive the knife to his throat, his voice thundered through the room, stealing my confidence—stripping away every ounce of hope I had for escape tonight.

“I wouldn’t try that if I were you,” he warned.

My fingers trembled around the knife’s handle. Had he seen me? I hadn’t even made a move yet.

Could he read my mind? My heart hammered faster.

“What do you think?” he smirked, eyes gleaming. “You think you can kill me that easily? I’m bonded to the Struggles Beast—the only true power dragon in Sylvarra. He can pierce your mind and warn me of every thought you have.”

My mouth fell open in defeat. I felt my life slipping away from me. I was definitely going to die here.

“D…dragon?” I stammered, but before I could ask more, the heavy flapping of wings filled the air. A dark dragon with blazing golden eyes swooped closer, the thick wind rolling in its wake.

“Now, take this warning carefully or don’t.” His voice was cold, unforgiving. “You cannot escape from here unless I throw you back to the wolves and let them decide your fate.

All you need to focus on now is preparing to show me how you stop time. If you fail the second try, maybe letting my dragon burn you alive will be the safest way to die.”

I swallowed hard, my fingers curling into fists to hold back the rising tide of terror.

How could I have forgotten one of the Tattooed Traitor Princes was bonded to a dragon?

My mother had warned me. Warned me fiercely, especially to beware the prince who had the dragon. Her voice echoed in my mind, trembling with urgency… before she stopped breathing.

And it was clear he wanted me to prove to him that I could stop time. And if he found out that I couldn’t yet… he would throw me out of here to the wolves den or worse, let his dragon burn me alive.

My heart drummed so loudly, I could hear it in my ears as the dragon perched on the edge of the thick balcony, right in front of the chamber.