SOLD TO SIX ALPHA'S

Chapter 11: The Third Seal

"He's coming for me."

My voice sounded smaller than I wanted.

The black symbol on my wrist pulsed beneath my skin.

Once.

Twice.

Then a sharp pain shot through my arm.

I gasped.

Kael immediately reached for me.

"Lyra!"

I pulled my arm against my chest.

"Don't touch it."

Kael stopped.

His eyes remained fixed on the black mark.

"This isn't supposed to happen."

"What isn't?"

"The third seal."

Elara stepped closer.

Her face had gone pale.

"Rowan has corrupted it."

I stared at her.

"Can it be reversed?"

She hesitated.

"I don't know."

That answer terrified me.

I looked toward the palace.

"Then we have to get him."

Kael shook his head.

"No."

I glared at him.

"He's dangerous."

"Exactly."

"He took the seal because of me."

"And that's why you're staying here."

I laughed bitterly.

"Everyone keeps telling me to hide."

Kael's expression softened.

"Because you're the most important person here."

I stared at him.

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

Then Zayne cleared his throat.

"We should probably stop arguing and figure out how to get inside."

Darius nodded.

"The palace is changing."

I looked toward the mountains.

He was right.

The silver palace that had appeared from the earth was slowly becoming darker.

Black veins spread across its walls.

Windows turned red.

The air smelled of smoke.

Elara looked frightened.

"Rowan is using the third seal to open the Shadow Gate."

"What is the Shadow Gate?"

"A doorway."

"To where?"

She looked at me.

"The place where the first Moonborn was imprisoned."

My stomach tightened.

"The first Moonborn?"

"The one who existed before me."

I stared at the palace.

"What happens if Rowan opens it?"

Elara's voice dropped.

"The darkness inside will enter our world."

Silence.

Kael immediately turned to his brothers.

"We go in."

I stepped forward.

"I'm coming."

"No."

"Kael—"

"You don't know what is inside."

"I know exactly what happens when I stay behind."

He looked at me.

"I become a target."

"Yes."

"I've been a target my entire life."

My voice shook.

"I'm done running."

Kael studied me for several seconds.

Then he nodded.

"Fine."

Zayne smiled.

"Finally."

We entered the palace together.

The moment I stepped through the doors, the third seal burned.

The walls whispered.

Princess.

I stopped.

"Did you hear that?"

Cassian looked at me.

"Hear what?"

"Someone called me."

The whisper came again.

Lyra.

This time, I knew where it came from.

"Downstairs."

Darius looked at Kael.

"How does she know?"

Kael's eyes narrowed.

"Her blood is guiding her."

We followed me through a long corridor.

At the end stood a massive black door.

Six symbols were carved into it.

Two were silver.

One was black.

Three remained empty.

I touched the door.

It opened.

A cold wind rushed over us.

Inside was a circular chamber.

Rowan stood in the center.

His back was toward us.

"Rowan."

He slowly turned.

His eyes were black.

Not silver.

Black.

"You came."

Kael stepped forward.

"What did you do to yourself?"

Rowan smiled.

"Nothing you wouldn't have done."

"You betrayed us."

"No."

He looked at me.

"I betrayed the lie."

My heart tightened.

"What does that mean?"

Rowan walked closer.

"You think Malric is your enemy."

"He is."

"Perhaps."

He stopped a few feet away.

"But he isn't the one who ordered your kingdom destroyed."

Elara stepped forward.

"Don't listen to him."

Rowan laughed.

"Still lying to her?"

My mother stiffened.

Rowan looked at me.

"Ask her who opened the palace gates eighteen years ago."

I looked at Elara.

"Mother?"

She couldn't meet my eyes.

My heart sank.

"You did?"

"No."

Her voice broke.

"I didn't."

Rowan's smile disappeared.

"Then tell her who did."

Silence.

Kael stepped between them.

"Enough."

Rowan raised his hand.

The black seal on my wrist suddenly blazed.

I screamed.

Kael grabbed me.

"Lyra!"

The room shook.

The three symbols on the door began glowing.

Two silver.

One black.

Then a fourth symbol appeared.

Everyone froze.

Kael looked at Rowan.

"You activated another seal."

Rowan smiled.

"No."

He looked directly at me.

"She did."

My blood ran cold.

The fourth symbol burned brighter.

A powerful force pulled me toward the door.

Kael held onto me.

"Fight it!"

"I am!"

The pull became stronger.

I heard Luna growling inside my mind.

Don't resist.

"What?"

This is what we're meant to do.

The fourth symbol flashed.

A wave of energy exploded from my body.

Kael was thrown backward.

The others crashed against the walls.

I stood alone before the door.

Then the voice of the Moon Goddess filled the chamber.

"Four bonds awakened."

I stared at the symbols.

Four.

But only three Alphas had been connected so far.

Kael.

Darius.

And now...

I looked at the remaining men.

Zayne's eyes suddenly turned silver.

He gasped.

A silver mark appeared across his palm.

He dropped to one knee.

"Lyra..."

The bond hit me like lightning.

I cried out.

His pain became mine.

His fear.

His desire.

His heartbeat.

Everything.

Zayne looked up at me.

For once, there was no teasing smile.

Only raw emotion.

"I can feel you."

I couldn't answer.

The fourth seal glowed brighter.

Rowan watched us.

His expression became strangely sad.

"You still don't understand."

"What?"

He looked at me.

"The more bonds you awaken..."

He smiled.

"...the closer you get to becoming the queen everyone fears."

Then the black door behind me began to open.

A deep roar came from the darkness beyond it.

Rowan stepped backward.

"Now you can finally meet the thing your mother was so desperate to hide."

The door opened completely.

Something enormous moved in the darkness.

Two ancient eyes opened.

And Luna whispered inside my mind:

Lyra...

That is not a monster.

That is your father.