The night was heavy. Fog curled around the valley like fingers trying to strangle the world.
Lucien and I crouched behind jagged rocks overlooking the main trail.
"They're close," he whispered.
I could feel it too. My mark pulsed violently against my neck, responding to every heartbeat. Danger had a scent—cold, precise, and merciless.
"Darius," I said. "He's coming for me."
Lucien's jaw tightened. "Yes. And this time, it's personal."
Before I could react, movement flickered in the mist. Shadows. Silent, calculated, armed. Assassins. Not ordinary soldiers.
Lucien whispered, "On my mark."
The first wave hit. I reacted instinctively. Energy burst from my mark, a white-hot flare that knocked the attackers off their feet. Rocks shattered, trees splintered, wind screamed.
Lucien's movements were fluid, lethal. Every strike precise.
Then I saw him.
Kaiden. Standing at the edge of the mist, eyes fixed on me. His expression… unreadable. Concern? Anticipation? Something more dangerous.
"Selene," he called softly, almost lost in the chaos.
I froze. The mark pulsed harder.
Lucien noticed instantly. "Don't—don't get distracted!"
I didn't listen. My eyes met Kaiden's, and for a moment, time seemed to stop. The energy surged uncontrollably, reacting to him. My hands glowed.
"Focus!" Lucien shouted.
But my body had its own agenda.
The ground quaked as power exploded outward, throwing the assassins back. Rocks and debris flew. One landed dangerously close to Lucien. My heart skipped.
Kaiden moved without hesitation. Faster than thought. He caught my wrist mid-air, grounding me.
"Breathe," he said. Calm. Commanding. Alive.
The surge faded. I trembled, chest heaving. My mark dimmed, leaving a soft glow.
Lucien shook his head, exasperated. "You can't keep letting him interfere!"
Kaiden didn't release my hand. "He reacts to me," I whispered.
"Yes," Kaiden said quietly. "And it's dangerous. Not just to them… to you."
My chest tightened. "Then why… why do I feel safer with him?"
Kaiden's gray eyes softened. "Because I'm the only one who can keep your power in check. For now."
The fog thickened. Assassins regrouped in the distance.
Lucien growled. "We need to finish this before reinforcements arrive."
Kaiden nodded. "Agreed."
And in that moment, three of us—Selene, Lucien, and Kaiden—stood together, an uneasy, electrifying trinity of power, tension, and unspoken attraction.