The black throne heir

CHAPTER SEVEN - The Pull

I am still falling

The wind roars in my ears, cold and sharp. My gown snapping around my legs as the lights above smear into fractured streaks. my stomach drops hard, panic rushing fast and wild, my body bracing for pain that has not come yet .

Then something catches me.

Not hands.

Magic.

It could around my waist and back like invisible arms, firm and sudden, yanking me upwards so hard my breath leaves me in a sharp grasp . The fall stops instantly. Momentum reversing so violently my vision spins.

I am moving up.

The night blurs around me as the force lifts me, pulls me back to the balcony, towards stone and light. My body trembles, my heart pounding so loud it drowns the music below

Where is it coming from?

I stumble forward, barely upright, the magic releasing me as sudden as it came. My knees buckle and I drop to the balcony floor, hands bracing against the cold surface. The world tilts violently, everything spinning, light smearing, sounds muffled and distant.

I stumble forward

My vision blurs

I lift my head, trying to focus trying to understand what just happened. A face looms in front of me, features indistinct, edges soft and unreal, dark hair, familiar eyes.

"Kael," I whisper, the name slipping out before I could stop it.

The darkness rushes in

I am opening my eyes slowly, my head throbbing, pain pulsing behind my temples. The ceiling above me is unfamiliar, high and smooth, etched with faint glowing symbols that shifts gently as if breathing. The room smells clean and expensive.

I sit up too fast and regret it immediately as pain spikes sharply through my skull.

I sit up too fast and regret it immediately as the pain spike sharply through my skull.

My eyes dart around .

The bed is massive. The furnishings are dark and elegant. Everything is polished, intentional, untouched by disorder. Then I see it, the insignia on the wall, black and silver. A crowned sigil shaped like a blade and flame intertwined.

The Virelan crest.

Kael's family.

My heart stutters.

Why am I here.

I swing my legs over the bed, dizziness washing over me as I stand. The floor is cool beneath my feet. I take one step toward the door, then another, urgency tightening my chest.

I need to leave.

A sound freezes me.

Footsteps.

Approaching the door.

Panic spikes. I turn quickly and hurry back to the bed, lowering myself just as the handle turns. I lie still, eyes closed, breath shallow, heart racing.

The door opens.

I feel the presence before I hear the voice.

"Stand up," he says evenly.

"I know you are awake."

My eyes flutter open slowly.

Then fully.

Kael stands near the foot of the bed, posture relaxed, expression unreadable, dark attire immaculate despite the chaos of the night. His gaze is sharp, assessing, almost cold.

Shock locks my throat.

"W-w-why am I here," I stutter

He does not answer immediately. He studies me instead.

"What were you doing on the balcony," he asks.

"Why did you throw yourself off."

I shake my head quickly. "I did not. I felt something push me, magic , I was attacked."

He turns away, dismissive, already moving toward the window. "You should be more careful with your accusations."

"I am not accusing," I say, forcing the words out. "Someone wants me hurt."

He does not respond.

"Leave," he says finally.

The word hits harder than I expect.

I stand, legs unsteady, and take a step forward. My foot catches against a low stool and my balance tips dangerously. A sharp gasp escapes me as I start to fall.

A hand grips mine.

Strong and warm

He pulls me forward easily, steadying me before I hit the ground. For a heartbeat, I am too close, my breath catching, my pulse races unevenly, his eyes meet mine, something unreadable flickering there before his grip loosens.

I step back immediately.

"I am sorry," I say, bowing slightly, my voice tight.

I turn and leave.

The walk back to my hostel feels endless. My body shakes with leftover fear, my thoughts racing. When I finally push open the door to my room, my roommates look up instantly.

"Nyra," one of them gasps. "What happened."

Words spill out of me in a rush. The balcony. The fall. The magic. The room. Him.

They stare at me in disbelief.

"Kael saved you," another whispers.

"Are you serious."

I shake my head. "I do not know what he did, I only know I did not fall."

They exchange looks, theories flying, names whispered, fear mixing with awe.

Someone is watching me.

And someone does not want me here.

The words hang in the air after I say them.

Someone does not want me here.

For a moment, the room is quiet. Then Vera lets out a sharp breath and drops onto her bed dramatically.

"Oh please," she says.

"Of course someone does not want you here."

I blink. "What do you mean of course."

She props herself up on her elbows, eyes bright. "Have you seen how people look at you."

"I try not to," I answer, shrugging slightly while c*****g my head to the side.

"That is the problem," Mara cuts in, folding her legs beneath her. "You never notice. Everyone else does."

They lean in closer, their voices dropping like we are plotting something forbidden.

"I saw that brunette girl," Vera says, lowering her voice. "The one always hovering near Kael. Did you see her face tonight when he looked at you."

"I thought I imagined that," I admit.

"You did not," Mara says quickly. "I swear, if looks could burn holes, you would be ash by now."

Vera nods enthusiastically. "She stared at you like you stole something she already claimed."

I rub my arms, a chill creeping in. "She does not even know me."

"That never stops anyone," Vera says. "Especially here."

Mara tilts her head thoughtfully. "What about the red-haired girl from elemental theory. The one who kept challenging you during practice."

"The one who nearly lost control of her fire," I say slowly.

"Yes," Mara replies. "She hates being outdone."

Lysa snaps her fingers. "Or it could be someone we have not even noticed yet. Someone quieter."

"Ooooouuuuuuu," they all chorus in a low tone before letting out soft giggles.

They all look at each other, then back at me.

I let out a breath and shake my head. "I just wanted to learn. I did not come here to make enemies."

Vera laughs softly. "You came here powerful. That is enough."

The tension eases a little as Mara scoots closer, nudging my shoulder. "Still. You survived a fall. That deserves celebration."

"Survived thanks to Kael," Vera adds, wiggling her eyebrows.

I groan, "Please do not start."

"Oh we are starting," she says immediately.

"You faint in his room, he carries you, this is already legend material."

I feel my cheeks warm. "He told me to leave."

"That is practically romantic for someone like him," Mara says with a grin.

I roll my eyes, but despite myself, a small laugh escapes me. The sound feels strange after everything that happened.

For a few minutes, we talk over each other. About the ball. About the food. About the way the fairy guards glowed brighter when Kael's family arrived. About how ridiculous the elites looked pretending not to stare at my gown.

"You scared them," Vera says proudly. "I think that is my favorite part."

The laughter fades eventually, settling into something quieter.

As the room grows still, I lie back on my bed, staring at the ceiling. My roommates' breathing slows around me, the night pressing close.

But my mind refuses to rest.

Someone watched me tonight.

Someone aimed that arrow.

And someone will try again.

I close my eyes, the image of Kael's unreadable gaze flashing behind my lids, and wonder if saving me tonight has already tied me to something far more dangerous than the fall itself.