Episode 7
1938 Words
By the time we reached the doors of the throne chamber, my thoughts were no longer organized enough to make sense. They were scattered, colliding, overlapping in ways that made it difficult to focus on anything properly, and the closer we got, the tighter my chest felt. It wasn’t just nerves anymore, it was something heavier, something that made me feel like I had stepped too far into something I didn’t understand and couldn’t step back out of.
Every step forward felt louder than it should have, even though the halls remained quiet. I tried to think of something, anything, I could say when those doors opened, but nothing sounded right in my head. Every version of an introduction felt ridiculous the moment I imagined it, and the more I tried, the worse it got.
A quiet breath left me as I tried to steady myself, but it didn’t help. My fingers curled slightly at my sides, my thoughts spiraling again until I felt a presence shift behind me. Lyo’s arms came around me from behind, pulling me gently back into him, his touch firm enough to ground me but not restraining.
“You’re thinking yourself into a panic,” Lyo murmured near my ear, his voice low and controlled, his breath brushing faintly against my skin in a way that made it harder to ignore him. “Relax. You’re not walking in there alone.”
“That doesn’t make it better,” I admitted under my breath, my voice quieter now, betraying the tension I couldn’t hide. “If anything, it makes it worse because now I have to represent… whatever this is.”
His grip shifted slightly, one hand resting at my waist, steady, deliberate, his thumb brushing faintly against the fabric there as if to keep me anchored. “You don’t represent anything,” he said, his tone firm but calm. “You just walk in as yourself. That’s enough.”
I let out a breath, shaking my head slightly. “You say that like it’s simple,” I muttered, glancing back at him briefly. “You belong here. I don’t.”
His gaze sharpened, and before I could turn away, his hand lifted, tilting my chin just enough to hold my attention. “You’re with me,” he said, his voice lower now, more deliberate, his eyes locking onto mine in a way that made my chest tighten. “That means you belong wherever I am. Don’t argue with me about that.”
Something about the way he said it made it harder to respond.
So I didn’t.
Instead, I exhaled slowly and turned forward again as we continued walking, passing guards who reacted almost exactly the same way every time they noticed me. First, the tension, then the confusion, then the realization when their eyes dropped to the mark on my neck.
“Do they all rehearse that reaction?” I muttered quietly, glancing at Lyo as another guard visibly stiffened before staring at me like I had just stepped out of something impossible.
A faint smirk tugged at his lips. “They’re not used to seeing something they can’t explain.”
“That makes two of us,” I said dryly.
We stopped in front of the massive doors.
“Open,” Kallix ordered, his voice sharp enough to cut through the silence, and the guards moved immediately, though their eyes flicked toward me one last time before they pulled the doors apart.
The moment we stepped inside, I forgot how to think.
The throne room was overwhelming in a way that made everything else feel small. The ceilings shimmered with embedded jewels, chandeliers casting light that reflected across polished marble floors, and the entire room carried a presence that felt heavier than anything I had experienced before. People stood throughout the space, dressed in elegance, composed, powerful, and their attention shifted almost instantly.
To me.
I swallowed, my throat dry as I kept my gaze lowered at first, not daring to look directly at the thrones just yet. The weight of their stares was enough.
“You’re fine,” Lyo murmured quietly, his hand settling at my waist again, steady, grounding. “Don’t overthink it.”
I nodded slightly and focused on the floor, letting my eyes trace the marble patterns beneath my feet as we walked forward.
We stopped.
“Your Majesty,” the others said as they bowed.
I hesitated, unsure if I should follow, but before I could move, Lyo’s hand pressed lightly against my stomach.
Don’t.
That’s what it felt like.
So I didn’t.
I looked up instead.
The King sat with effortless authority, his presence commanding the entire room without needing to move. His gaze locked onto me, sharp and unreadable, a silver glass resting in his hand. Beside him, the Queen radiated something entirely different, warmth, excitement, almost anticipation.
And then....
“Finally!”
She stood so quickly it startled me, her voice bright and full of energy. “Do you know how long I’ve been waiting to meet you?”
I blinked.
“I think you might be overwhelming her,” the King said lightly, though there was amusement in his voice.
“I don’t care,” she replied instantly, already moving.
Too fast.
Too close.
I nearly stumbled, but Lyo’s arm tightened around me immediately, steadying me before I could lose my balance.
She didn’t seem to notice.
“It’s so wonderful to finally meet you,” she said, taking my hands without hesitation, her grip cold but her expression warm as she looked at me like I was something she had been expecting. “I’ve been wondering where you’ve been all this time.”
“I....Your Majesty?” I managed, my voice uncertain as I tried to bow, but she stopped me immediately.
“No, no,” she said quickly, shaking her head with a soft laugh. “None of that. You don’t bow to me.”
I froze slightly. “I don’t?”
“Of course not,” she replied. “What’s your name, sweetheart?”
“Elara,” I said.
Her smile widened. “Elara… beautiful. It suits you perfectly.”
I didn’t know how to respond.
“Althea,” she added suddenly. “Call me Althea. I prefer that.”
I glanced at Lyo.
He looked completely unbothered. “Alright… Althea,” I said slowly.
She beamed. “I like her.”
“I can see that,” the King replied, stepping forward. “You’ll have to excuse her enthusiasm.”
“I’m standing right here,” Althea muttered.
“I know,” he said calmly, extending his hand to me. “Welcome.”
I took it, still trying to process everything, then another presence stepped closer.
Orion.
“I can see why he chose you,” Orion said, his tone calm and observant, his gaze studying me more carefully than I was comfortable with, like he was trying to figure something out beneath the surface.
Chose? lol
“I don’t think I had much of a say in it,” I replied, laughing, though there was a slight edge to it as I met his gaze.
A faint smile touched his lips, subtle but knowing. “Perhaps not,” he said, glancing briefly toward Lyo before returning his attention to me, “but you’re here now, and that carries its own weight.”
Something about that didn’t sit right with me.
“And you’ll be taken care of,” he added, his tone softer, but not reassuring enough to settle the unease building in my chest.
“I don’t want to be a burden,” I said quietly, my fingers brushing against my arm as I looked away for a moment.
“You’re not,” he replied simply, his voice steady, like there was no room for doubt.
Then...
“You’re the successor.”
My head snapped up so fast it almost hurt. “I’m the WHAT!!!!” I asked, my voice tightening as confusion and disbelief hit all at once.
Silence followed, but it wasn’t empty. It felt heavy, like something had shifted without warning, and before I could process it properly, everything changed. Their eyes turned silver, every single one of them, the shift happening so suddenly it made my breath catch.
I stared, my pulse quickening as I looked between them, trying to understand what I was seeing. “What is happening?” I whispered, my voice barely steady.
No one answered.
The stillness was worse than anything else.
I reached for Lyo instinctively, my fingers gripping his arm as I looked up at him, searching for something familiar. “Lyo… what’s going on?” I asked, my voice quieter now, but edged with rising panic.
He blinked, and just like that, the moment snapped.
The silver faded. The tension dissolved.
Everything returned to normal like it had never happened.
“My apologies,” he said smoothly, his tone controlled as he addressed the King, though his hand didn’t leave my side. “I haven’t explained everything to her yet.”
That was an understatement.
“You’ll need to,” the King said, his voice hoarse yet understanding.
“Before the coronation,” Orion added, his gaze lingering on me a moment longer.
Coronation? What Coronation?
I turned sharply, my eyes narrowing slightly. “What are you all talking about?” I asked, my voice tightening again as I looked between them, trying to piece together something that actually made sense.
Lyo’s arm slipped around my waist, pulling me closer in a way that felt both grounding and deliberate, his voice lowering near my ear. “Not now,” he murmured.
“That’s not an answer,” I said immediately, pulling back just enough to look at him.
“It’s the only one you’re getting,” he replied, completely unbothered, his expression steady as if this entire situation wasn’t spiraling.
I narrowed my eyes at him, frustration rising.
“I like her,” Althea whispered, though not quietly enough.
“I agree,” Orion said, a hint of amusement slipping into his tone.
“I’m still standing here,” I muttered under my breath, though no one seemed particularly concerned with that fact.
“I’ll be staying with him?” I asked, turning back toward the King, needing at least one clear answer.
“Yes,” he confirmed without hesitation.
I pinched Lyo’s side, hardddd....
He didn’t react, not even slightly, though I felt the subtle shift of his breath as he leaned closer.
“Careful,” he murmured near my ear, his voice low, almost amused, his lips just brushing the edge of my hair. “You’re getting bold.”
“Someone has to be,” I muttered, though my voice softened just slightly.
His chuckle was quiet, but there was something deeper in it this time. “Good,” he said, licking his lips, his tone dropping just enough to make my heart race and c**t throb. “I like it.”
That did not help.
At all.
“I suppose that’s enough for now,” Althea said brightly, clapping her hands lightly as if she had just watched something entertaining. “We’ll talk soon, Elara.”
“I’m looking forward to it,” I replied, and surprisingly, I meant it, even if I had no idea what I was walking into.
As we turned to leave, my thoughts finally began to settle into something clearer, though not calmer, and one realization stood out above everything else.
Whatever this was…
It wasn’t temporary.
And I had a feeling it was only just beginning.
- Writer
