145

Lyanna’s POV

The metallic taste of blood lingered in my mouth as I lay still, listening to the faint footsteps of my captors moving outside the room. Every muscle in my body ached, and the stench of sweat and filth filled the air. They’d kept me in this dark, damp room for days, maybe even weeks. Time was a blur. I couldn’t even keep track of the days. It was so dark in here. I could have been in here fore months and I didn’t know. And every attempt of my escape always failed.

But today was different.

Today, I could feel it in the air—the shift in energy, the growing sense of urgency within me. My magic was slowly returning, and it made me feel relieved just a bit. These bastards thought they could suppress me with their shackles and spells, but they had underestimated me.

I focused on my breathing, keeping it steady, calming the fury bubbling under my skin. If I acted too soon, if I made one wrong move, everything would fall apart. I had to wait for the perfect moment, the moment they let their guard down, the moment I could unleash the full force of my magic.

I lay still, my wrists raw from the iron shackles that had kept me bound. The room was silent now, the footsteps having faded into the distance. The only sound was the steady drip of water from somewhere in the corner. I couldn’t hear any voices, no hushed conversations or mocking laughter from my captors. They must have assumed I was too weak to pose any real threat.

Big mistake.

I closed my eyes and concentrated, drawing energy from the earth beneath me, from the very air around me. The spells they’d placed on me had weakened, and I could feel my power returning, little by little. It wasn’t much, but it would be enough. I didn’t need much to take them down.

A low, menacing hum vibrated through my bones, and the shackles around my wrists began to heat up. I gritted my teeth, ignoring the pain, and focused harder. I imagined the chains melting, disintegrating under my will. I visualized my hands free, my magic unleashed.

With a sharp snap, the iron shackles broke apart, clattering to the ground. The sudden release sent a jolt through me, and I gasped, the surge of magic rushing back into my veins like a wildfire. I staggered to my feet, my legs trembling from days of confinement. I wasn’t at full strength yet, but I was strong enough.

Strong enough to kill.

I moved quietly to the door, my bare feet making no sound against the cold stone floor. They thought I was too weak to fight back, that I was just another witch they could control. I would show them how wrong they were.

The door creaked as I pushed it open, and I froze, listening. Nothing. My captors had grown complacent, too confident in their abilities to keep me contained. I could hear faint voices now, coming from somewhere down the hall. My heart raced, adrenaline pumping through my veins.

I slipped out of the room, keeping close to the wall, my senses heightened. There were two men outside, standing guard. They hadn’t noticed me yet. I gathered what little magic I had left, feeling it pulse in my hands, and whispered a spell under my breath. A thin, shimmering thread of energy shot from my fingertips, wrapping around the nearest man’s throat. His eyes widened in shock as he clawed at the invisible force choking the life out of him.

The other man turned, his expression one of confusion, but it was too late. I flung him against the wall with a wave of my hand, his body crumpling to the ground in a lifeless heap. Their deaths were quick, merciful compared to what they deserved. I didn’t have time for anything more elaborate. I had to get out, and fast.

I stepped over their bodies, my breath coming in short, ragged bursts. The hallway stretched out in front of me, dimly lit by flickering torches. I followed the narrow corridor, my mind racing as I tried to piece together where they might have taken me. Somewhere remote, isolated. They had been careful to hide their tracks, but they couldn’t hide from me forever.

Finally, after what felt like hours, I found the exit. The cold night air hit me like a slap in the face, and I inhaled deeply, an invincible weight lifting off my chest as I felt free. My muscles screamed in protest, but I pushed forward, ignoring the pain. I had to get back. I had to warn them.

Sophia.

Her name echoed in my mind, and a fresh wave of fear washed over me. They had taken me because they knew I was helping her, protecting her. Whoever was behind this attack wanted her out of the way—and they weren’t going to stop with me.

I stumbled through the darkness, my legs barely able to carry me. I couldn’t teleport yet, not in this weakened state, but I was close to the city. I could feel it, the hum of energy from the streets just ahead. I focused on Sophia’s apartment, her presence pulling me forward like a beacon.

By the time I reached their building, my entire body was shaking from exhaustion. I leaned against the wall, gasping for breath. I needed to see her, to warn her before it was too late. Gathering the last of my strength, I made my way up the stairs and knocked on the door.

The door swung open almost immediately, and Jenny stood there, her face pale with shock. “Lyanna? What—what are you doing here?”

I pushed past her, too weak to explain. Sophia was sitting on the couch, her eyes widening in surprise when she saw me. “Lyanna! What happened to you?”

I collapsed into the nearest chair, every muscle in my body screaming in protest. “They took me,” I rasped, my voice barely a whisper. “They took me because of you.”

Sophia and Jenny exchanged a look, both of them frozen in place.

“What do you mean they took you?” Sophia asked, her voice trembling. “Who took you?”

I shook my head, unable to explain everything just yet. My vision blurred, and I blinked, trying to focus. “We don’t have time. You need to know—they’re coming for you.”

Jenny knelt beside me, her hands hovering over mine. “Why didn’t Ian or Jacob tell us you were missing? They haven’t said a word.”

I looked up at them, trying to find the right words. “They didn’t know,” I said, my voice rough. “I couldn’t let them know. If they had, it would’ve put you in more danger.”

Sophia stood, pacing back and forth, her face pale. “This is too much. First the realm is attacked, now you—who is doing this? Why?”

“I don’t know yet,” I admitted. “But we’re running out of time. They’re trying to tear everything apart.”

Jenny stood, crossing her arms tightly over her chest, worry etched into her features. “What do we do now?”

I met her gaze, my mind racing. “We get ready. Because whoever’s behind this—they’re not going to stop until they’ve destroyed everything.”

I leaned back, closing my eyes for a moment, letting the weight of exhaustion pull me under. We weren’t safe yet, and the battle was far from over. But for now, at least, I was back where I belonged—ready to fight for the people who mattered most.

Sophia’s voice broke through the silence. “We’ll keep fighting, Lyanna. We’ll figure this out.”

I nodded weakly, too tired to respond.