3. Don’t say I didn't warned you.
The silence in the training hall was almost deafening as the door shut, sealing them in together. Maya’s chest tightened, her mind racing with the implications of what the guard had said. The Council considered her a threat? And Kai, a prince? She didn’t know what was more alarming—the idea that the rulers of this strange world were out to get her or that the man standing beside her was royalty. She felt a hundred questions rising in her throat but bit them back, focusing on the one that mattered most.
“Kai,” she began, keeping her voice steady, “if they think I’m a threat, what exactly are they planning to do to me?”
He looked at her, eyes dark and unreadable. “The Council doesn’t negotiate with outsiders. They see anything foreign as a disruption to our way of life, something dangerous. They’ll try to remove you if they think you’re destabilizing the system here.” His tone softened, but his gaze didn’t waver. “Which means, Maya, they’ll either imprison you—or worse.”
A shiver ran down her spine. “Then why did you bring me here in the first place? You knew I’d be seen as a threat.”
Kai’s jaw clenched. “I didn’t have a choice. When I found you, you were on the verge of death. I couldn’t just leave you there.”
“So, what’s the plan now?” She crossed her arms, trying to look braver than she felt. “Are you going to hand me over to them?”
A flicker of anger crossed his face. “I’m not going to let them hurt you, Maya. But it’s not as simple as just keeping you hidden. You’re still adjusting to our world’s energy—without full adaptation, the Council will see you as weak and vulnerable. They’ll strike faster than you can imagine.”
“Then let’s keep training,” she shot back. “You said I needed to level up to your system. Teach me faster. I’ll prove I’m not some weak human.”
Kai’s gaze softened, his expression shifting from anger to something she couldn’t quite place. “You don’t understand how dangerous that would be. Forcing an adaptation is brutal, Maya. It’s not just physical endurance; it’s mental, emotional. Your body might resist, and if it does, it could destroy you from the inside out.”
She swallowed, feeling the weight of his words. But the idea of sitting back and doing nothing was worse. She looked him straight in the eye, determination hardening her voice. “I don’t care how hard it is. I’d rather die trying than sit here and wait for them to decide my fate.”
Kai sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You’re as stubborn as they come.” He took a deep breath, his face settling into a look of reluctant resolve. “Fine. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
They returned to the platform in the center of the room, the same one where she’d felt the strange energy humming through her veins earlier. Kai’s hands rested lightly on her shoulders, his touch warm and grounding, yet firm.
“Listen to me, Maya,” he said, his voice calm but intense. “This time, I’m going to channel more energy into you. Your body will feel it—deeply. You’ll have to resist the urge to panic, even if it hurts. I need you to stay calm and focused.”
She nodded, steadying her breath. “I’m ready.”
He gave her a long, searching look before beginning. Maya felt a faint pressure building in her chest, then a surge of warmth that spread through her limbs like molten fire. She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms as the sensation grew stronger, searing hot and intense.
Her breath caught in her throat as the warmth turned into a sharp, pulsing ache that gripped every nerve in her body. She wanted to scream, to thrash against the pain, but she forced herself to stay still, focusing on Kai’s face as he murmured instructions.
“Breathe, Maya. Feel the energy, don’t fight it. Let it flow through you.”
She took shallow, shaky breaths, her vision blurring as the intensity of the sensation grew. She felt as if she was on the verge of breaking, her mind straining to keep up with her body’s need to escape.
But then, slowly, the pain began to change. It softened, turning into a strange, humming warmth that filled her with a new strength. It was as though her body was absorbing the energy, aligning itself with it. She opened her eyes, and for the first time, she felt… powerful.
Kai’s expression relaxed, a hint of relief in his eyes. “You did it.”
She exhaled a shaky breath, her heart racing as she absorbed his words. “I… I actually did it?”
“Not completely,” he cautioned. “This is just the beginning. But you’re stronger now, and if we keep training like this, you’ll be able to hold your own soon.”
Maya nodded, a flicker of hope igniting within her. But before she could say anything else, the doors to the training hall burst open. Three figures stood there—two guards flanking a man dressed in dark robes, his face partially obscured by a hood. His gaze was cold, calculating, and the air seemed to grow heavy with his presence.
“Kai,” the robed man said, his voice smooth yet edged with authority. “The Council has ordered that you present the human at once.”
Kai stepped forward, positioning himself slightly in front of Maya. “Councilor Riven,” he said, his tone respectful but defiant. “With all due respect, the human is under my protection. She is no threat to our world.”
Councilor Riven’s gaze shifted to Maya, and she felt a chill creep down her spine. His eyes were as cold as his voice, assessing her with a level of scrutiny that made her skin prickle.
“A human under your protection?” he echoed, a slight sneer in his voice. “You think you can protect her from the Council’s decisions, Prince Kai? Do you truly believe that your rank grants you the authority to defy us?”
Kai’s jaw tightened, but he held his ground. “She is here because I brought her here. She poses no threat, and I intend to ensure she adapts to our world’s energy so she can coexist peacefully among us.”
Councilor Riven’s eyes narrowed. “You presume too much, Kai. The Council has deemed her presence a danger. And as a human, she has no place in our world.”
Maya felt a surge of anger rise within her, but Kai shot her a warning glance, his expression urging her to remain silent. Riven’s gaze lingered on her, his sneer deepening.
“Perhaps you’ve forgotten, Kai,” he continued, “but humans are weak, fragile. They are not capable of surviving in our world.”
Kai’s eyes flashed with defiance. “Maya has already begun to adapt. I will see to it that she completes the process safely. If the Council wishes to judge her, let it be after she’s proven her strength.”
Riven’s lips twisted into a mocking smile. “Very well, Prince Kai. You have until the end of the lunar cycle. If, by then, the human has not demonstrated her worth… she will be eliminated.”
The Councilor turned to leave, his guards following close behind. But as he reached the doorway, he looked over his shoulder, his cold gaze locking onto Maya. “Consider yourself lucky, human. The Council’s patience is thin. I suggest you make good use of the time you’ve been given.”
As the doors closed behind him, the oppressive tension in the room lingered, thick and stifling. Maya’s hands clenched into fists, her heart racing as she processed what had just happened.
She turned to Kai, her voice barely a whisper. “What did he mean by the end of the lunar cycle?”
Kai’s expression was grim. “It means you have thirty days, Maya. Thirty days to prove that you can handle the energy of our world, or they’ll come for you.”
Maya swallowed, feeling the weight of the Council’s ultimatum pressing down on her. Thirty days wasn’t long, not with the intensity of the training she’d just endured. But there was something in Kai’s eyes—a spark of determination that mirrored her own fear.
“Then we don’t have a choice,” she said, her voice filled with resolve. “We train, and we make every second count.”
Kai nodded, his expression fierce. “Every second, Maya. Because if we fail…” He didn’t need to finish the sentence. The Council’s threat hung in the air like a dark cloud, a reminder of the perilous path they now had to navigate.