In a private chamber, Kira met with the elders of her clan. They were Lion Clan's elite warriors who'd served three Kings and had faced countless conflicts.
"He's compromised." The eldest warrior said. "The human has made him weak."
"Or strong in ways we haven't seen before." Kira countered. "He united all five kings to rescue her. When's the last time that happened?"
"Never." Another admitted. "The kings haven't worked together since the fracturing."
"Exactly. Whatever she is, whoever she is, she's changing things. The question is whether we support that change or resist it."
"Supporting it could mean the end of the Lion Kingdom as we know it." The eldest warrior warned. "If Raziel keeps prioritizing her over his duties…"
"He's not prioritizing her over his duties. He's redefining what his duties are." Kira stood up and started pacing. "The old ways aren't working anymore. We've been at each other's throats for three hundred years. Maybe it's time for the change."
"Led by a human who might not survive the next trial?"
"Led by a king who's finally found something worth fighting for beyond territory and tradition." Kira stopped and looked at them. "I'm supporting them. Anyone who has a problem with that can challenge me directly."
No one did. Because Kira had been Raziel's second for a long time, and no one had ever managed to challenge her.
"Then we protect them both. Even from themselves if necessary."
In a neutral territory, four kings gathered without Raziel for the first time in decades.
"He's lost his mind over that human." Sylthis said.
"Agreed." Zephyr added. "His judgment is compromised. He could've gotten all of us killed in the deep shadows."
"But he didn't." Darius pointed out. "And we found that the first king still exists. That the legends are real and our understanding of history might be wrong."
"Or might be manipulation by a creature that had three hundred years to plan." Korran rumbled. "We can't trust anything Umbra says."
"Can we trust anything anyone says?" Sylthis's smiled.
Everyone went silent.
Alone in the throne room, Umbra was preparing for Nyx. Shadow servants emerged from darkness, carrying ancient texts, forbidden scrolls, sealed documents that had been hidden for centuries.
"It's almost time." Umbra told them. "The Lion King is falling. And very soon, the truth will come out."
He opened a scroll that showed a map of the original unified realm.
"Nyx Keller, you're going to tear down everything they've built, and you don't even know it yet.
When you'll return to me, I'll show you what they've been hiding. I'll show you the true Bonding Ceremony.
I'll show you why they killed every human who knew about it. Why they rewrote history to make all humans look like slavers. Why they've spent three hundred years ensuring no one ever discovered the truth."
Umbra stood up.
"Because if humans and beasts can truly bond as equals then the entire power structure collapses. The kingdoms will lose their reason for existing and the kings will lose their authority."
"And I…" Umbra smiled, "I will get exactly what I want."
Meanwhile deep in sleep, Nyx was dreaming.
She was standing in the throne room again, but it was filled with light instead of shadows. The walls showed her images she hadn't seen before. Nyx saw a ceremony between a human and a beast with their hands joined and magic swirling between them.
"The Bonding." Umbra whispered. "What it was meant to be before power hungry fools turned it into something ugly."
"Why are you showing me this?" Nyx asked.
"Because you need to know what you're fighting for."
"And what do you get from it?"
"Revenge? Justice?" Umbra stood beside her. "Or maybe just the satisfaction of watching the truth finally come to light."
"You're using me."
"Yes. But I'm also giving you the choice they've taken from you." Umbra looked at her. "So am I using you or am I setting you free?"
"Both."Nyx replied.
"Clever girl." Umbra smiled. "Now wake up. Your Lion King is having nightmares, and you're the only one who can calm him."
Nyx opened her eyes to find Raziel beside her, still awake. He was sitting near the wall with his eyes fixed on her like he was afraid she'd disappear if he looked away.
"You didn't sleep." She said.
"I couldn't. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw you in that throne room with Umbra. I saw you choosing to go back there. I saw myself losing you to something I can't fight or protect you from."
"You're not losing me."
"You're going back there after the trials. You promised him."
"I promised to hear what Umbra has to say. That's not the same as choosing him over you."
Raziel moved closer, and in the firelight Nyx could see the fear in his eyes.
"You're choosing truth over safety, knowledge over protection, and him over me."
"I'm choosing to make reasoned decisions instead of blind ones. There's a difference."
"Not to me."
Nyx pushed herself up despite the pain from her injuries. She moved close enough to cup his face in her hands, and looked at him.
"Raziel. Listen to me. I'm not choosing Umbra over you. I'm refusing to choose at all until I know what I'm choosing between. Do you understand?"
"No. Because you're walking back into danger when you could stay safe. You're trusting a creature who kidnapped you over a king who has risked everything to protect you, and I don't understand why."
"Because safe isn't always right. Because protection can become a cage, and because trust means letting someone make their own choices even when those choices scare you."
"And if your choices get you killed?"
"Then I die making my own decisions instead of living making yours." Nyx replied. "I know you are scared. But Raziel, if you force me to choose between safety and freedom, I'll choose freedom every time. Even if it kills me."
Raziel closed his eyes, leaning into her touch.
"I know, and that's what makes this so hard. Because I love…" He stopped and opened his eyes.
"You love what?" Nyx asked.
"Nothing. Forget I said anything."
"Raziel."
"Survive the trials first. Let me not name this yet. Let me just feel it."
Nyx understood. She also wasn't ready to name the thing growing between them. The attachment that felt like falling and flying simultaneously. The connection that terrified her because caring about someone made them a weakness, a vulnerability, a weapon someone could use against her.
"Okay." She whispered. "No names yet. Just this."
She kissed him. It was soft and gentle. The world around them seemed to stop as Razeil froze for a moment, surprised.
Then he responded slowly and carefully. His lips moved against hers tenderly. He cupped her face as if she were something rare and something he wasn't sure he deserved to touch.
When they separated, they both were breathing hard.
"Sleep." Nyx said. "I promise I'll be here when you wake up."
"Promise?"
"Promise."
Raziel finally lie down beside her. He maintained careful distance but was close enough that they could feel each other's warmth. Within minutes, they fell asleep.
And for the first time in days, neither had nightmares because they weren't alone anymore.
RESEARCH NOTES-
DIRECTOR ZHAO-
Nyx Keller has accomplished the impossible. She's made five rival kings work together. She's survived meeting an entity that shouldn't exist. She's turned the Lion King into someone willing to risk everything for her.
SYSTEM ANALYSIS - EMERGENCY UPDATE
SUBJECT STATUS: Recovered, stable
CURRENT LOCATION: Lion King's Den
WARNING:
If subject survives all trials and returns to Umbra as promised, probability of civil war increases to 78%. Recommend preparation for potential evacuation protocols.
END TRANSMISSION