CHAPTER 64: CHAPTER 65: SHATTERED OATHBOND

Recap of Chapter 64

Tensions boiled over in Chapter 64 as alliances began to fracture and long-simmering secrets finally clawed their way into the light. Kai found himself in a precarious position—torn between the seductive whispers of power offered by Velis and the quiet but persistent loyalty of Lyra. Their clash wasn’t just physical; it was emotional, raw, and deeply personal.

Yuri, ever the unpredictable wildcard, made her move—leveraging not just information but intimacy in her attempt to secure a deal with Kai. Her bargain wasn’t made with words alone. She played on his weaknesses, daring him to choose chaos under the guise of freedom. The tension between them sizzled, a mix of manipulation and mutual understanding that neither of them could fully explain—or escape.

Meanwhile, Astra’s resolve began to crack. The secrets she’d buried, the sins she thought she’d paid for, all surged back with the arrival of a mysterious emissary. Her panic, usually masked beneath a composed façade, hinted at deeper, darker stakes that even Kai hadn’t anticipated.

Lyra, too, began to evolve—no longer just a support to Kai, but someone capable of standing against him when needed. Her confrontation with Velis revealed a side of her that had been growing all along: protective, fierce, and unwilling to let the man she cared for fall into ruin—even if it meant hurting him to save him.

As Chapter 64 ended, a storm brewed—literal and metaphorical. With Astra vanishing into the night, Velis whispering madness into Kai’s ear, and Yuri offering everything for nothing... the threads that once held their fragile unity together now began to fray, one deliciously

Chapter 65 - Scene I: The Veins of Power

Kai stood frozen in the war room, the glowing glyphs across the stone table humming with restrained energy. Velis sat across from him, legs crossed with deliberate elegance, sipping from a goblet of blood-red wine as if she hadn’t just fractured the entire alliance with her betrayal. Yuri leaned against the wall, arms folded, her expression unreadable—but her eyes never left Kai.

"You’re quiet, Kai," Velis purred, tilting her head. "Is it because you finally understand what game we’re playing?"

Kai clenched his jaw. "You played your hand too early, Velis. Now everyone’s watching."

"Exactly," she said, standing smoothly. "Now they know I have cards."

Before he could answer, the chamber doors opened. Astra entered with Lyra at her side. The air shifted. Lyra’s presence brought a sudden coldness, the way it always did when she was trying not to feel. Her eyes scanned the room, pausing on Yuri, then Velis, before finally resting on Kai.

"I warned you," she said softly, voice wrapped in ice. "Velis never plays to lose."

Velis laughed, moving to Astra’s side like a cat circling prey. "And yet you keep coming back, Lyra. Don’t pretend like you haven’t enjoyed the chaos."

Astra’s golden eyes flared. "Enough."

Lightning cracked in her palm, not summoned, but bled from her. Even Velis paused. The room darkened.

"This war isn’t about your seductions or your shifting loyalties," Astra said. "It’s about the heart of the realm. If any of you still care."

Yuri pushed off the wall. "Funny. Coming from someone who kissed Kai in the middle of a collapsing stronghold while soldiers died below."

Lyra turned sharply. "You saw that?"

"Everyone did," Yuri said flatly. "And that’s the point, isn’t it? All of us tangled in each other’s bedsheets while pretending to fight for something greater."

Kai stepped forward, his voice low. "Then let’s stop pretending."

He placed both hands on the war table. The glyphs surged, reacting to him.

"The final gate is opening whether we like it or not. If we don’t figure out where we stand, we’re not going to survive what’s coming next."

Velis smirked. "Finally. Some fire from the boy who used to flinch at shadows."

"Keep pushing me," Kai said. "You’ll see what’s left when the fire burns out everything else."

A heavy silence fell. Then Lyra took a slow step forward and placed her hand beside his on the table.

"I’m with him," she said.

Yuri groaned. "Of course you are."

But then—after a beat—she walked forward too.

"Whatever. I’m not letting Velis win."

Velis raised a brow. "Win? Darling, I already have."

Astra didn’t move for a long time. But when she did, it was to cross to Kai’s side—not with affection, but conviction.

The glyphs flared gold.

Kai looked around at the four dangerous, volatile, powerful women now aligned with him. Maybe.

"I’m not sure if I’ve just formed an alliance," he muttered, "or lit a fuse."

⚔️ Next Chapter Preview – Chapter 66: "The Bargains We Bleed For"

Just when the group begins to settle into their fragile truce, an unexpected summons arrives—sealed with a royal sigil none have seen in decades. A message from Kai’s forgotten past, from a kingdom that should no longer exist, threatens to unravel the uneasy alliance and expose secrets Kai thought buried.

Velis, always ten steps ahead, proposes a dangerous infiltration mission that would require Kai and Lyra to pose as bonded lovers in enemy territory. But Lyra’s heart is already trembling from Astra’s stolen kiss... and Yuri’s bitter jealousy only worsens when she realizes Velis is manipulating them all into a corner.

Meanwhile, Astra receives a vision—one so devastating, she dares not speak of it aloud. A burning world. Kai on his knees. And her own blood on Velis’s hands.

Tensions rise. Temptations build. Loyalties blur.

And just beyond the veil, something ancient stirs.

Chapter 66 will thrust our tangled crew into a test of desire, betrayal, and survival like never before. Someone will make a sacrifice. Someone will cross a line. And someone... might not return.

Prepare for heat, heartbreak, and a turning point that will change the story forever.

🔥 Can’t get enough of the heat, heartbreak, and high-stakes mind games?

Then don’t vanish into the shadows—step deeper into the fire.

If Kai’s world has you gasping for more—more kisses that burn, more betrayals that sting, and more alliances teetering on the edge of madness—don’t just read. Become part of the chaos.

📚 Add this story to your Library so you never miss a single twist.

💬 Drop a comment and tell me: Who’s lying? Who’s in too deep? And who do you secretly ship even when you shouldn’t?

🔺 Power Stones fuel this inferno. Vote if you want more bonus scenes, hotter confrontations, and the kind of content that can only come from your support.

Let’s not just watch the world fall apart—

Let’s burn it beautifully. Together. 🔥