Chapter 242: A Circle Unbroken
The torchlight of the Hollow flickered low, most of the town already fallen quiet after a long day. In one of the smaller chambers of Kael's tower, Lyria sat with Azhara, the firelight dancing across their faces. The elf leaned back in her chair, arms folded, while Azhara sat on the edge of her seat, her eyes restless, her fingers twisting nervously in her lap.
"You did it, didn't you?" Lyria asked softly, her voice even, but not without weight.
Azhara's cheeks flushed, her eyes falling away. "I… told him. And he kissed me, Lyria. He kissed me."
The words trembled in the air, as though even speaking them threatened to shatter the fragile moment.
Lyria exhaled through her nose, her sharp features unreadable. She stood, pacing slowly in front of the fire. "So it worked."
Azhara swallowed. "Yes. But now what? I don't want to steal him from you. I never wanted that. You love him, and I—"
"And you do too," Lyria cut in, stopping mid-step to look at her. "That much is clear. The question is what we do with it."
Silence pressed between them. Azhara's hands clenched tighter. "If this was too much—if it hurt you—say the word, and I'll step back. I'll bury it."
Lyria's lips pressed together, her expression stormy. But after a long pause, she shook her head. "No. That isn't what I want. It would be a lie. And Kael has lived with enough lies and half-truths. He deserves honesty, even if it cuts."
Azhara blinked, her chest aching at the quiet strength in Lyria's voice. "Then… do we tell him together? Or wait?"
Lyria hesitated, and for a moment the elf's composure cracked, showing the vulnerable woman beneath. "I don't know," she admitted. "Part of me wants to protect him from the weight of it. And part of me wants to throw it in his lap and demand he carry it."
Azhara reached out, her hand brushing Lyria's wrist. "You've carried so much for him already. Maybe this is something we carry together."
The elf stared at her hand, then at Azhara, and for the briefest of moments, the faintest smile curved her lips. "You're bolder than you look."
Before Azhara could respond, the door creaked open. Both women froze.
Kael stepped in, pausing mid-stride when he saw them. His brows lifted. "Well. This looks like a council of war. Should I be concerned?"
Lyria stiffened, straightening. Azhara nearly toppled from her chair, her face burning crimson. "Kael—"
He tilted his head, crossing his arms, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "You two were talking about me."
The silence that followed was damning. Azhara's eyes darted helplessly to Lyria, who stood like a statue, jaw tight.
Finally, Kael sighed, shutting the door behind him. He walked forward, slow and deliberate, until he stood before them. His voice, when he spoke, was quieter—more vulnerable.
"Tell me the truth. Whatever plan you two cooked up… whatever you've been hiding… say it. Both of you."
Azhara's voice cracked first. "We—we wanted to test you. To see how you'd react if I told you what I felt. To see if there was a place for me in—" She faltered, glancing at Lyria. "In your life. In both your lives."
Lyria's jaw worked. She met Kael's gaze head-on, sharp and unflinching. "It was my idea. If there's blame, it rests with me. I told her to go to you. To show you her heart. Because I wanted to see if you'd accept it—or reject it."
Kael blinked. For a long moment, he just stared at them both. The weight of the silence was unbearable.
Then, slowly, he chuckled.
The laugh started low, rumbling in his chest, then grew into a full-bodied laugh, raw and genuine, echoing off the stone walls. Both women stared at him, wide-eyed, as though he had lost his mind.
Kael wiped at his eye, still grinning. "Gods, here I thought the two of you were plotting assassinations behind my back. Turns out, it was this? A plan to test my heart? You should've just asked me."
Lyria scowled, though her lips twitched despite herself. Azhara blinked in shock, then covered her mouth, a nervous laugh spilling out as her tension broke.
Kael stepped closer, reaching out—one hand finding Lyria's, the other brushing Azhara's cheek. His voice lowered, deep and steady. "You two mean more to me than you realize. And if my heart is big enough to carry both of you, then so be it. I won't run from that. Not from you. Not from either of you."
For the first time, Lyria's composure cracked fully, her eyes shining with unshed tears. Azhara, trembling, leaned into Kael's hand, her breath shuddering.
The three of them stood together in the firelight, the laughter fading into quiet warmth. Bonds of friendship, trust, and budding romance wove themselves tighter, fragile but real.
For the first time, none of them felt like intruders in the other's heart. The circle was unbroken.