The days following Selene's visit sweep by in a blur of whispered secrets and restless nights. The image from Lyra's visions haunts her relentlessly—Kael bloodied, the black lotus glowing faintly over his chest, and those lips stained with her essence.
The festival's grand ballroom is a world apart from the chaos of the streets: crystal chandeliers scatter prismatic light over silk-clad nobles, their voices a mixture of polite laughter and guarded gossip. Yet all eyes seem drawn to one figure—Lyra Moonshadow.
She enters like a shadow of moonlight, her translucent gown shimmering with each step, tendrils of her silver-lavender hair cascading like a river of stars. Every gaze latches onto her, as if she were both a blessing and a curse.
Kael stands apart, near the balcony, the cold edge in his gray eyes slicing through the revelry. When their eyes meet, a current surges between them—electric, dangerous, and laden with unspoken challenges.
Selene's voice rises, soft and haunting, weaving through the music like a delicate spell. The siren's song wraps around Lyra's skin, stirring a tempest inside her—a mingling of thrill, fear, and raw desire.
Kael approaches with slow, deliberate steps, his hand reaching out to brush hers—a simple touch, yet charged with fire. The heat from his skin spreads beneath hers, igniting dormant desires and awakening fears that she cannot suppress.
Together, they step into the center of the ballroom, where the black lotus glows faintly between them—a living symbol of their cursed bond, the prophecy binding their fates in ways neither fully understands.
The ritual begins, their magic weaving together in an intricate dance of power and passion. Lyra feels the currents of desire and destiny intertwining, pushing her to the brink of surrender and control.
But as the last notes of Selene's song fade, a shadow moves among the crowd—a silent presence watching, waiting to unravel what they have begun.
Lyra senses it before Kael does—a ripple in the magic, a cold breath on the back of her neck.
The ritual's power surges and shatters the fragile veil of safety. Nothing will ever be the same.