CHAPTER 65: CHAPTER 66 – “THE BARGAINS WE BLEED FOR”

Recap of Chapter 65:

In Chapter 65, the fragile alliance between Kai and the women in his orbit teetered dangerously on the edge of chaos. Velis, ever the mastermind of mischief and seduction, pushed buttons with precision—fanning flames that were never truly extinguished. Astra, scarred by prophecy and desire, acted on impulse, delivering a kiss to Kai that sent shockwaves through the group and cracked open unspoken truths.

Lyra, the loyal warrior whose emotions run deeper than her blade cuts, struggled with rising jealousy and confusion. Yuri, once the voice of reason, let her frustrations ignite. Her emotions—normally chained in discipline—broke free in ways that surprised even her. Trust, already brittle, bent under the weight of tangled desires.

In the midst of the tension, Velis made her move—subtle yet seismic—manipulating conversations, alliances, and emotions like an expert puppeteer. She offered truths layered with half-lies and positioned herself dangerously close to Kai once again.

Kai, caught in a storm of passion, betrayal, and half-made promises, finally took control. He forced clarity—commanding unity, if only temporarily. His leadership crystallized not from power, but necessity. The group, shattered by desire and suspicion, agreed to one final plan.

But just as they began to breathe, to settle into that uneasy calm, a raven arrived.

A letter sealed with blood-red wax.

A name from Kai’s past—Halveron—whispered through the chamber like a curse.

The kingdom was supposed to be dead. Kai’s throne destroyed. His crown forgotten.

And yet... someone was calling him back.

Main Story – Chapter 66: The Bargains We Bleed For

The raven didn’t caw or claw at the window. It simply stared, its silver eyes burning with an unnatural stillness. A shadow with wings. A message from the grave.

Kai opened the tower window without a word. The bird dropped the scroll into his palm, then vanished like smoke.

No flap of wings. No farewell cry. Just gone.

The scroll felt heavier than it should—its wax seal blood-red and cracked with age. But what made Kai’s hand tremble wasn’t the seal.

It was the crest.

A two-headed lion impaled by a twisted sword—Halveron’s royal insignia.

His family’s mark.

His mark.

Lyra stepped forward first, her hand automatically reaching for her blade as if the parchment itself were cursed. "What is that?"

Kai’s voice was hollow. "A letter from the dead."

Velis, perched lazily on the armrest of a velvet chair, smirked. "Or the undead. We’ve seen stranger."

Astra entered quietly behind them, her eyes catching the sigil before she could blink it away. "That symbol... It was burned out of existence."

Kai broke the seal. One sentence. Written in deep crimson.

"Your crown awaits, False Prince. Return before it’s taken by another."

Yuri stormed across the room and yanked the letter from Kai’s hand, scanning it as her brow furrowed. "Is this some sort of power play? A fake?"

"No," Kai murmured. "It’s worse. It’s a call home."

Lyra’s eyes narrowed. "You said Halveron was destroyed."

"It was. I made sure of it."

"But someone still dares to summon you?" Astra asked, stepping closer. "They’re claiming there’s something left of your kingdom. Your throne."

Kai looked out the tower window. The sun was beginning to dip, casting a bloody hue over the horizon. "Someone knows I’m alive—and that I didn’t die with the rest of my family."

Velis twirled a strand of hair around her finger. "Or someone’s using your legacy to bait you back."

"You’re going, aren’t you?" Lyra asked, already knowing the answer.

Kai nodded. "I have no choice."

"Then neither do we," Astra said firmly.

Yuri folded her arms. "Let me guess—we’re all supposed to follow His Majesty back to the ashes of his empire? Another haunted ruin, another brush with death?"

Kai turned. "No one’s forcing you."

Velis chuckled. "But we’re all going anyway."

The room pulsed with energy—anticipation, dread, longing. All tangled together.

Lyra looked at the war map that lay on the table. The section marking Halveron was faded, the ink barely clinging to the parchment. "If it’s real... if the throne is still standing... what then?"

Kai didn’t answer right away.

Because he didn’t know.

He remembered the cries of his people as the shadows swallowed their homes. The screams of his sisters. The silence of his mother’s eyes when the last fire died.

And the rage that came after.

Astra approached him gently. "We’ll protect you."

Kai gave a dry laugh. "I’m not the one who needs protection."

"Arrogant as ever," Yuri muttered—but her voice lacked bite. There was concern in her eyes, hidden behind the sarcasm.

Kai picked up a small obsidian dagger from the desk and traced the edge thoughtfully. "We leave at dusk. Travel light. No banners. No sigils. If Halveron is truly alive... it’s crawling with enemies already."

Velis stood and stretched, her silhouette catching the fading light in all the right places. "And if it’s not?"

"Then we burn it again," Kai said.

The words hung heavy in the room.

The idea of returning to Halveron wasn’t just a journey—it was a confrontation with every nightmare Kai thought he’d buried. Every betrayal that cut too deep. Every ghost that never rested.

Yuri sighed. "At this rate, I’ll need more than weapons—I’ll need whiskey."

Lyra nodded grimly. "And a miracle."

Kai sheathed the obsidian blade. "Then let’s find both on the road."

🔥 Bonus Scene – "Flesh and Flame" (Velis & Lyra)

As the others left to prepare for the journey to Halveron, Velis remained behind in the dim candlelight of Kai’s war room. She trailed a finger along the edge of the obsidian table, eyes glinting with private amusement.

"I thought you’d gone," Lyra’s voice cut through the quiet like a knife.

Velis didn’t turn around. "And miss the thrill of you glaring at me from the shadows? Never."

Lyra stepped into the room, arms folded across her armored chest. Her usual restraint was nowhere to be found. "You’re playing a dangerous game with Kai."

"I always do," Velis said, finally facing her. "It’s the only way he learns."

Lyra’s lip curled. "He doesn’t need to learn. He needs people he can trust."

Velis smirked. "And you think that’s you? The knight with a heart she keeps locking in a cage? Tell me, Lyra—have you even admitted to yourself what you want from him?"

"I don’t need to," Lyra snapped. "I show it. Every day. I stand between him and death."

"And I stand beside him in the dark," Velis whispered, stepping closer. "We all bleed for him in our own ways. But some of us aren’t afraid to ask for a kiss back."

Lyra’s hand hovered near her blade.

Velis leaned in, her voice a velvet purr. "You think I’m the threat because I’m honest about what I want."

"You’re the threat because you enjoy the chaos."

"And you don’t?" Velis asked, tilting her head. "Don’t lie, Lyra. I saw the way your eyes burned when Astra kissed him. You wanted to stab her—or maybe stab him. But you didn’t."

Lyra’s fists clenched. "We don’t have time for this."

"We make time," Velis replied. "Because Kai isn’t the only one walking into Halveron with unfinished business."

The room fell into silence again. Heavy. Charged.

Then, Velis stepped back, a playful smirk on her lips.

"When this is over," she said, "we should have our own conversation. One without steel or shadows. Just truth."

Lyra’s voice was low. "Be careful what you wish for."

Velis winked and disappeared into the hallway, leaving Lyra alone with the flickering flame.

And her thoughts.

🔮 Preview – Chapter 67: "When Ghosts Wear Crowns"

The road to Halveron is not paved with stone—but with memories Kai swore he’d buried in fire.

As the group journeys into the lands long thought dead, their bond will be tested not by monsters or blades—but by the secrets each of them carries. Lyra struggles with guilt she’s never confessed. Yuri starts to question where her loyalty truly lies. Velis begins to hunger for something more than chaos. And Astra? Astra knows more about Halveron’s fall than she ever admitted.

But the deeper they go, the more unnatural the world becomes.

Whispers follow them in the wind. Shadows move in ways they shouldn’t. And somewhere beyond the twisted trees and cursed ruins, a crown waits—not for the rightful king, but for the one strong enough to claim it.

In the next Chapter, Kai will come face to face with the remnants of his empire—and not all of them are willing to stay dead.

Betrayals will resurface. Blood will be spilled.

And in the ruins of Halveron, someone Kai once loved may still be alive.

But not as he remembers.

🔥 Call to Action:

If your pulse is racing and your heart’s already aching, you’re not alone.

⚔️ Another ghost. Another seduction. Another step closer to ruin.

📚 Add this book to your library if you’re hungry for truth buried under blood and betrayal.

💬 Drop a comment—who’s hiding what? What’s Velis really after? And what is Halveron hiding in its heart?

🔺 Vote with Power Stones if you want longer Chapters, deeper secrets, and bonus Chapters where lines between love and war blur completely.

The crown is cursed. The game is rigged.

But we play anyway. Together. 🔥