Lysara moved swiftly through the palace corridors, her mind clouded with concern. Kael had vanished without a word, and now, she needed answers to his actions.
Reaching his chamber doors, she pushed them open without hesitation.
But instead of Kael, she found someone else.
Ivy.
Lysara stopped dead in her tracks.
The human girl stood near the bed, wrapped in a heavy cloak that was far too large for her,Kael's cloak. Her dark curls framed her delicate face, her wide eyes filled with confusion,and recognition.
Lysara's heart pounded. "You…" Her voice was sharper than she intended.
Ivy straightened, clutching the fabric around her. "You're Kael's mother."
Lysara's eyes darted over her, mind racing. What was she doing here?she thought
This was madness.
"What are you doing here?" Lysara demanded.
Ivy met her gaze, hesitation flickering in her eyes. "Kael brought me."
Lysara inhaled sharply. "He brought you?" Her voice rose in disbelief. "Here? Into the demon kingdom? Into the palace?"
Ivy eyes widen in shock. "I didn't know,he said I'm going to be safe here"
Lysara let out a sharp, humorless laugh. "Safe? In the Devil's Domain? That boy must have lost his mind."
Ivy's brows furrowed. "Kael wouldn't bring me here if it wasn't safe."
Lysara's gaze hardened. "You don't understand, do you? Do you have any idea what would happen if someone else found you here? If Malakar found you?"
Ivy swallowed but didn't back down. "Kael won't let anything happen to me."
Lysara shook her head, frustration curling in her chest. "You put far too much faith in him." She turned away, gripping the edge of a chair, trying to think.
Kael had defied his father in a way Lysara never thought possible. Bringing Ivy here was reckless,suicidal.
She turned back, making her decision. "Listen to me, girl. You must stay in this room. No one can know you're here."
Ivy hesitated. "But…"
"No arguments." Lysara's tone left no room for debate. "Kael has already put himself in enough danger. If Malakar finds you, he won't just punish Kael. He will end you."
Ivy's face paled, but she nodded.
Lysara exhaled, rubbing her temple. "I don't know what my son was thinking, but I.."
A pulse of energy filled the room.
The air shifted, heavy with power, and in an instant, Kael materialized before them.
His dark hair was tousled, his breathing uneven, as if he had been moving faster than his body could keep up with. His golden eyes scanned the room, locking onto Ivy first,making sure she was safe,before his gaze snapped to his mother.
"Mother." His voice was guarded.
Lysara narrowed her eyes. "Kael."
His jaw tightened. "I assume you've already started asking questions."
Lysara exhaled sharply. "What have you done? Do you realize the danger you've put her in?"
Kael stepped protectively in front of Ivy. "I know exactly what I've done."
Lysara scoffed. "Then you're a fool."
Before Kael could respond, the door to his chambers swung open once more.
Lucianna stepped inside.
Her emerald eyes swept the room,until she saw Ivy.
Everything stopped.
Ivy turned toward her, confused. Lucianna's gaze flicked between Kael, Ivy, and Lysara, realization dawning.
Kael's entire body went rigid.
Lysara muttered under her breath, "By the gods…"
And then Lucianna's expression darkened.
"What," she said slowly, voice chillingly calm, "is she doing here?"
Kael moved instantly, stepping between Ivy and Lucianna as if shielding her from an unseen attack. His golden eyes hardened, his stance tense.
"Lucianna," he said carefully. "This is not what you think."
Lucianna's gaze flickered over him before settling on Ivy again. "Not what I think?" she repeated, voice eerily composed. "Then tell me,what exactly am I looking at?"
Ivy, still unaware of who Lucianna was, took a hesitant step back. "Who…?" she started, looking at Kael for answers.
Lucianna's lips curled into a sharp smirk. "Oh, he hasn't told you, has he?" She tilted her head, feigning curiosity. "Allow me, then. I am Lucianna Valtherin." Her voice rang with authority. "Kael's wife."
"Lucianna!"kael called with gritted teeth.
"What"lucianna snapped back
Ivy's breath came in short, uneven bursts as the weight of Lucianna's words crashed down on her. Wife. She couldn't unhear it.
She stumbled back, her hands clenching the fabric of Kael's cloak wrapped around her. She suddenly felt sick wearing it.
"Tell me she's lying," Ivy whispered, her voice trembling.
Kael's throat tightened. "Ivy"
"Tell me she's lying!" she screamed, her voice raw with anguish.
Kael moved toward her, desperate to reach her, but she stepped back as if his touch would burn her.
"Ivy, please, let me explain," he said, his voice thick with desperation.
Ivy let out a bitter laugh, though it sounded more like a sob. "Explain?" Her eyes were wide with disbelief. "You brought me here, Kael! You…you held me, you kissed me, and all this time…" She shook her head violently. "All this time, you were someone else's husband?"
Kael's chest ached at the pain in her voice. "It wasn't my choice,and we just got married not long ago"desperate to explain himself
Ivy let out a ragged breath, her hands shaking. "But you still did it," she whispered. "You still stood before your kingdom and married her."
Kael ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "I had no choice, Ivy! My father…he forced it. He…"
"Oh, of course," Ivy cut in, her voice laced with anger and heartbreak. "It's always about your father, isn't it? He forced you? And what about me, Kael? What about us? Did you even think about what this would do to me?"
Kael felt like he couldn't breathe. "I thought about you every second, Ivy."
She let out a broken laugh, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Then why didn't you tell me? Why did I have to find out from her?"
Kael swallowed hard, guilt clawing at him. "I wanted to tell you. I wanted to protect you."
Ivy's body trembled with emotion. "Protect me?" she echoed. "You lied to me. You let me believe that despite everything, we still had a chance." She shook her head. "But you chose her Kael."
Kael stepped closer, his hands twitching at his sides. "Ivy, listen to me," he begged. "I love you. Only you. I swear it."
Ivy's breathing hitched. She wanted to believe him. God, she wanted to believe him so badly. But the image of Lucianna standing there, claiming him as hers, was burned into her mind.
"I can't do this," she whispered, shaking her head. "I can't be the other woman in someone else's marriage."
Kael's heart pounded against his ribs, panic rising. "You are not the other woman," he swore, his voice hoarse. "You are my mate, Ivy. You are the only one who truly belongs by my side."
Ivy sucked in a sharp breath. "Then why did you let them take that from us?"
Kael opened his mouth but had no answer. He had fought against his father in every way he could, but in the end, he had still been forced into a fate he never wanted.
And now, he was losing Ivy because of it.
He took one last step toward her, his voice dropping to a desperate whisper. "Please, Ivy. Don't let this be the end of us."
Ivy looked up at him, her expression torn between love and devastation.
And for the first time since he met her, Kael wasn't sure if she would ever forgive him.
Lucianna scoff.They were acting more like she is invisible
Kael,her husband,was standing there, pleading, begging for another woman. And not just any woman. A human.
Rage unlike anything she had ever known surged through her veins, her nails digging into her palms as she glared at Ivy, her emarald eyes flashing with barely contained fury.
"A human?" she hissed, her voice sharp as a blade. "You would throw me away for her?"
Kael's gaze snapped to her in frustration as his expression darked. "Lucianna"
"Don't say my name like that!" she snapped, stepping forward. "Don't look at me with pity like I'm some fool who didn't see this coming!" Her chest rose and fell rapidly. "I loved you, Kael! I loved you before you ever even noticed me. And now…now you tell me I mean nothing to you?"
Kael's jaw tightened. "I never wanted this marriage, Lucianna."
She let out a bitter, humorless laugh. "And yet, here we are. Married." Her voice trembled with barely suppressed emotion. "And do you know what hurts the most? It's not just that you don't love me. It's that I never once thought I would lose you to a human."
Ivy clenched her fists at her sides. "I never asked for this," she said, her voice quiet but steady. "I never wanted to be caught in the middle of your marriage."
Lucianna turned on her, her eyes flashing with venom. "Oh, spare me your innocent act. You had no right to him in the first place."
Ivy flinched at the venom in her tone, but she held her ground.
Kael took a protective step toward Ivy. "Lucianna, enough." His voice was firm.
Lucianna let out a bitter scoff. "Enough? Enough? You're standing there, protecting her like she belongs by your side,like I'm the outsider!" Her voice cracked. "I am your wife, Kael!"
A heavy silence filled the air.
Then, Lysara, who had been watching the storm unfold, finally stepped forward, her gaze flickering between the three of them.
"Enough of this," she said, her voice calm yet commanding. "There is no use in throwing accusations and anger around like weapons."
Lucianna turned to her, eyes burning. "You expect me to stay silent? To accept this?" She shook her head, voice trembling. "I am not some docile wife who will just share her husband with a human!"
Lysara exhaled, her expression unreadable. "And what do you think will happen if you continue like this, Lucianna?" Her voice softened, though it still carried weight. "Do you believe Kael will suddenly forget about Ivy? That he will love you because you demand it?"
Lucianna's lips parted, but no words came out.
Lysara turned to Ivy, her gaze gentler. "And you, child. Do you think staying here in the demon realm is something you can endure? You are in the Devil's domain. You are unwanted here. Unwelcome. Unprotected."
Kael stiffened at that. "She has me."
Lysara met his eyes with a knowing look. "And how long will that be enough, Kael? How long before the entire kingdom turns against her? Before your father finds out?"
Ivy swallowed hard. The reality of her situation was suffocating.
Lucianna took a shaky breath, wiping her eyes before looking at Kael, her voice barely above a whisper. "You were supposed to be mine."
Kael looked at her, his expression unreadable. "I never belonged to you, Lucianna."
The words landed like a killing blow.
Lysara sighed, rubbing her temple as she tried to balance the mess before her. "For now, all of you need to calm yourselves. Fighting will solve nothing." She turned to Kael. "You need to decide what happens next before this situation becomes irreversible."
Lucianna wiped her tears, her hands trembling.
She turned and stormed out, slamming the door behind her.
A crushing silence followed.
Ivy looked at Kael, tears brimming in her eyes,she didn't know what to say to him
Kael clenched his jaw, his entire body tensed up