Chapter 3 Chapter 3

Selena's POV

"It won't be you, Selena."

Those hurting words hit me harder than a physical blow. For a moment, I couldn't breathe nor speak. I just stared at him. Waiting. Waiting for him to tell me this was some terrible joke. Waiting for him to explain. Waiting for something, just anything.

But Kael simply stood there in a deep silence and looked cold. My chest beating non stop.

"What do you mean?"

He looked away. That even hurt more than if he had shouted.

"Look at me."

He turned back to me and I wished he hadn't. Because the man standing in front of me didn't look like the Kael I knew. The Kael I knew smiled when we were alone.

The Kael I knew stayed awake talking to me until sunrise. The Kael I knew promised me a future.

But this man looked like a complete stranger to me.

"What do you mean?" I asked again.

His voice was emotionless, when he spoke. "I mean exactly what I said."

I shook my head.

"No."

"Selena."

"No."

I took a step to where he's standing.

"No, because this doesn't make any sense to me." The bond between us was there.

I could still feel it, strong, alive and real. How could you fake something like that?

"You said we would figure this out, remember?"

"You said you loved me, Kael."

He looked broken. Just for a second, then it disappeared. My stomach dropped. Something was terribly wrong.

"Kael."

My voice became even more softer.

"What's happening?"

He looked at me for a moment, and said,

"If I tell you to run, will you do that?"

My breathing stopped.

"What?"

“Run, to where?”

"Will you leave the capital, Selena?"

I stared at him, confused. The question made no sense.

"What are you talking about?"

His eyes moved to the door. Almost like he expected someone to be listening. A strange feeling crawled down my spine.

A terrible fear, real fear. For the first time since I entered the room, Kael looked afraid. Not for himself, but for me.

"Kael?"

Before he could answer, the office door burst open. Ryder rushed inside breathing heavily. Even his face was pale.

"Your Majesty."

Kael turned around and looked at him.

.

"What happened?"

Ryder looked back at me.

"They arrived."

The room went completely silent. Every muscle in Kael's body loosen. My heart started racing to my chest.

"Who arrived?"

Nobody answered me.

"Kael?" I yelled. He was standing still, and still refused to say anything. Ryder sighed behind me.

"The council is demanding an immediate audience."

Kael cursed under his breath, and that alone shocked me. I had heard him angry before. I had heard him frustrated. And I had never heard him sound afraid.

"What council?" I demanded.

This time Ryder answered. "The Moon Council."

My blood ran cold, the Moon Council? The highest authority in the kingdom? People powerful enough to remove kings from their thrones. Nobody wanted to visit unexpectedly.

Kael closed his eyes, as if he already knew why they were here. That terrified me more than anything.

"What is going on?" I asked. Neither man was able to answer me.

"Someone should talk to me, please."

Kael finally raised his head and looked at me. The pain in his eyes was terrible, stronger this time. Then he said something that made my stomach drop.

"They know."

The whole room felt too small. I cried out loud.

"Know what?"

No one spoke. That makes my pulse quickened. Then Kael moved a step to me.

"Listen to me carefully, Selena."

Every instinct in my body screamed that I wasn't going to like what's coming next.

"If anything happens today—"

"Kael."

"Just listen."

His voice was more husky than usual. I fell silent. "If anything happens today, you leave the palace."

My heart pounded in my chest.

"What are you talking about?"

"Will you leave?"

"May I know why?"

His eyes held mine. Because he was trying to memorize me. The realization hit me from inside. My stomach dropped too deep.

No. People only looked at someone like that when they believed they might never see them again. A real fear exploded inside me.

"Kael."

A loud knock hit through the room, then another and a loud one. The office doors shook. A voice thundered from outside.

"Open this door in the name of the Moon Council!"

Everyone stood still, no one moved.

No one breathed loudly. Then the voice shouted something that turned my blood to ice.

"We know the witch is inside."