Chapter 174

The ride back to Shadowmoon Academy was tense and silent.

Nyra rode at the front of the group, her silver hair streaming behind her, her moonlight eyes fixed on the dark road ahead. Corvin rode beside her, his expression grim. Behind them came Ragnar, Roderic, and Valeria, along with a company of soldiers. The prisoners Elias, Xavier, Nikolai, and the guards were bound and gagged, thrown into the most dangerous prison in the palace under the king’s direct supervision.

The King and Queen had stayed behind at the palace. Freya was still weak, still recovering, and they refused to leave her side. But they had given Nyra their blessing and their soldiers to hunt down Varek and bring him to justice.

One thing at a time, Nyra thought. First, the academy. Then, Selene. Then, Finn. Then, Varek.

She thought of Soren of his sacrifice, of his love and felt the grief rise in her chest like a wave. She pushed it down. There would be time to grieve later. There would be time to mourn. But right now, there was work to be done.

They reached the academy just as the first light of dawn began to creep over the horizon.

The gates were open. The courtyard was empty. But as they rode through, Nyra sensed something wrong a tension in the air, a stillness that felt unnatural.

“Something’s happened,” she said.

Corvin nodded. “I feel it too.”

They dismounted and made their way toward the dormitories. And then they saw Jasper.

He was lying on the ground near the entrance to the east wing, his body curled in on itself, his hands pressed to his stomach. Blood pooled beneath him, dark and thick. His face was pale, his eyes closed, his breathing shallow.

“Jasper!” Corvin ran to him, dropping to his knees. “Jasper, can you hear me?”

Jasper’s eyes fluttered open. He tried to speak, but no words came out—just a gurgle of blood.

“Get the healers!” Nyra shouted. “Now!”

Roderic and Valeria ran toward the healing wing. Ragnar helped Corvin lift Jasper, carrying him toward the infirmary. Nyra followed, her heart pounding.

Finn, she thought. Finn did this.

They reached the healing wing and laid Jasper on a bed. The healers rushed in, their hands glowing with magic, their faces grim. They worked quickly, stitching the wound, stopping the bleeding, pouring potions down his throat.

“He’s lost a lot of blood,” one of the healers said. “But the knife missed his vital organs. He’ll live.”

Nyra exhaled with relief. “Thank the goddess.”

“He’s asking for you,” the healer said, looking at Nyra. “He keeps saying your name.”

Nyra crossed to Jasper’s bedside and took his hand. His eyes fluttered open—weak, but aware.

“Nyra,” he whispered. “You’re back.”

“I’m back,” she said. “And I’m not going anywhere.”

“Finn.” Jasper’s voice was barely audible. “He’s the traitor. He’s been working with Varek from the beginning. He… he stabbed me.”

“I know. We know.” Nyra squeezed his hand. “You’re going to be alright. Just rest.”

Jasper nodded weakly and closed his eyes. Within moments, he was asleep.

Nyra turned to the others. “Where’s Marek? And Maureen?”

“Here!”

Marek and Maureen burst through the door, their faces pale with fear. They stopped dead when they saw Nyra.

“Nyra?” Marek’s voice was barely a whisper. “Is it… is it really you?”

“It’s me,” she said. “I’m back.”

Maureen burst into tears and ran to hug her. Marek followed, his stoic composure cracking as he wrapped his arms around both of them.

“We thought you were dead,” Maureen sobbed. “We thought we’d lost you forever.”

“I know. I’m sorry. But I’m here now.” Nyra pulled back and looked at them. “And there’s a lot we need to do.”

Selene was in her suite when Nyra found her.

She was packing—frantically, desperately, throwing clothes into a bag, her hands shaking, her face pale. She had heard the news. She had heard that Nyra was back, that Elias and the others had been captured, that everything was falling apart.

She had to get out. She had to escape before—

The door opened.

Nyra stepped inside.

Selene froze. The bag slipped from her hands. She stared at Nyra—at the silver hair, the moonlight eyes, the power that radiated from her like heat from a fire.

“You,” Selene breathed.

“Me,” Nyra said. She closed the door behind her. “Going somewhere?”

Selene’s mind raced. She could lie. She could manipulate. She could try to escape. But one look at Nyra’s face told her that none of it would work.

“I… I was just—”

“Don’t.” Nyra’s voice was cold. “Don’t lie to me, Selene. I know everything. I know about your alliance with Finn. I know about your scheme to expose me. I know about the lies you told Soren when he lost his memories.”

Selene’s face went pale. “How—”

“I’m the Daughter of the Moon. I see everything.” Nyra stepped closer. “I saw you, Selene. I watched you from the Moon Court. I watched you manipulate Soren, poison his mind, turn him against me. I watched you scheme with Finn and Varek. I watched you try to destroy everything I love.”

“I was trying to survive!” Selene’s voice cracked. “You don’t understand—”

“I understand perfectly.” Nyra’s eyes blazed. “You were jealous. You were ambitious. You wanted Soren for yourself, and you were willing to destroy anyone who got in your way. Including me.”

“I loved him!”

“You loved his crown. You loved the power he represented. But you never loved him.” Nyra’s voice was sharp. “If you had loved him, you would have wanted him to be happy. You would have let him go when he chose me. But you couldn’t do that, could you? Because you don’t know how to love. You only know how to possess.”

Selene’s composure shattered. “You think you’re so perfect? You think you’re so righteous? You lied to everyone! You pretended to be a man! You deceived the entire academy!”

“I lied to survive. I lied to protect myself from people like you.” Nyra stepped closer. “But I never lied to hurt anyone. I never manipulated anyone. I never tried to destroy anyone’s life. That’s the difference between us, Selene. You destroy. I protect.”

Selene stared at her—at the power in her eyes, at the strength in her stance. And for the first time, she felt true fear.

“What are you going to do to me?” she whispered.

Nyra was silent for a moment. Then she spoke.

“Nothing.”

Selene blinked. “What?”

“I’m not going to hurt you. I’m not going to kill you. I’m not going to exact revenge.” Nyra’s voice was calm. “I’m going to let the law handle you. You conspired with enemies of the realm. You helped kidnap a princess. You committed treason. The King will decide your fate.”

Selene’s face went white. “They’ll execute me.”

“Perhaps. Perhaps not. But whatever happens, it will be justice—not revenge.” Nyra turned toward the door. “You’ll be taken to the palace and held until your trial. I suggest you use that time to think about what you’ve done.”

She walked out, leaving Selene alone in the room.

Selene sank to the floor, her body trembling, her mind reeling. For the first time in her life, she had lost. Completely and utterly lost.

They gathered in the war room—Nyra, Corvin, Ragnar, Roderic, Valeria, Marek, and Maureen.

“Finn is still out there,” Nyra said. “He stabbed Jasper and fled. We need to find him before he escapes the realm.”

“He could be anywhere,” Roderic said. “He knows the academy, the forest, the roads. He could be halfway to the border by now.”

“Then we need to move fast.” Nyra looked at Ragnar. “You know him better than anyone. Where would he go?”

Ragnar’s face was pale. He had been silent since they arrived, his scarred face a mask of pain. He had heard what Finn had done the betrayal, the lies, the stabbing. He had heard that the boy he loved was a traitor.

But he still couldn’t believe it.

“I don’t know,” he said quietly. “I thought I knew him. But now… I don’t know anything.”

Nyra’s expression softened. “Ragnar—”

“No.” Ragnar’s voice was firm. “I need to do this. I need to find him. I need to hear the truth from his own lips.”

“And if the truth is what we think it is?”

Ragnar was silent for a long moment. Then he spoke.

“Then I’ll do what needs to be done.”

Nyra nodded slowly. “Then think. Where would he go? Where would he hide?”

Ragnar closed his eyes. He thought about Finn—about the long nights they had spent together, the secrets they had shared, the plans they had made. He thought about the places Finn had mentioned, the places he had loved, the places he had felt safe.

And then he remembered.

“There’s a cabin,” he said. “In the northern forest. It belonged to his mother, his real mother, before she died. He used to go there when he needed to think. He said it was the only place he ever felt at peace.”

Nyra nodded. “Then that’s where we’ll go.”

She looked at the others at Corvin, at Roderic, at Valeria, at Marek and Maureen. They all nodded, their faces grim.

“Let’s move out,” Nyra said. “We have a traitor to catch.”