Chapter 268: A King’s Offer

Zyren simply stared at it without making any move to take it from Jared, who seemed unwilling to part with it even as he opened the box he had placed on the table.Inside, for everyone to see, was a small necklace inlaid with black jewels. It gleamed faintly beneath the candlelight, the dark stones catching a glint of red from the wine on the table.

To Aria, it looked completely ordinary. She instantly assumed she had been wrong—perhaps it wasn’t what she feared—seeing Zyren lean closer to it with no apparent harm to his body. He even went ahead to pick it up, lifting the delicate chain between his fingers as if weighing its worth, the jewels glinting in his pale palm.

Jared continued to speak, his tone confident but edged with a strange hesitance. "We’re not sure what exactly it can do, but we do know it’s powerful," he said, leaning back into his chair as he watched Zyren inspect the necklace.

The table fell into silence. No one dared to interrupt whatever was going on—especially when it seemed Zyren was on the cusp of making a decision. His expression was calm, unreadable, the faintest flicker of interest crossing his crimson eyes.

A moment passed before he finally spoke. Placing the necklace carefully back into the box, he turned his head toward Aria.

The suddenness of his gaze startled her. She was the last person she expected Zyren to focus on.

"Do you want it?" he asked.

Aria froze, her eyes widening slightly. The question caught her completely off guard. She didn’t understand his intentions—why he would hand over something that could possibly be dangerous or powerful to her so freely, without a trace of hesitation.

She paused only for a heartbeat before shaking her head.

Zyren simply nodded, seemingly satisfied with her response, and turned back toward Jared who sat opposite him.

"I’ll accept it," he said, his tone composed and final. "But I’ll remind you that Lady Aria is free to use or not use her powers. I won’t command her to."

The statement hung heavy in the air.

But before Zyren could lean back, Jared raised his voice. "I’m sure that a messenger of light belonging to the temple would not just stand by while others slowly die and are killed by monsters!"

His tone was sharp, meant to provoke guilt.

Aria’s jaw tightened. She merely shrugged her shoulders, meeting his gaze with a cold glare. "Some will argue that werewolves are also beasts," she said flatly.

Her words cut deep. A low growl erupted from several of the werewolves seated nearby. Jared’s golden eyes flared bright with anger, the faint outline of his fangs flashing between his parted lips.

Still, Aria didn’t look away. She stared right back at him—unyielding.

Across the table, Zyren chuckled, a low, amused sound that echoed through the hall. His mirth was cold but genuine, as though her defiance entertained him. Rising to his feet, clearly in a good mood, he made it obvious he was leaving.

But instead of taking the box with him, he slid it smoothly across the table toward Aria.

"Keep it for me, will you?" he said, his crimson eyes catching hers briefly, the faintest flicker of amusement—or perhaps something more dangerous—within them.

Aria’s eyes widened once again. She could feel the weight of his gaze before he turned away and walked out of the hall.

As Zyren left, the other vampire lords rose to their feet. His departure marked the end of the meeting. Chairs shifted, soft murmurs filled the air, and yet, among them, several eyes still lingered on Aria.

Lythari, in particular, seemed to focus on her in a way that made Aria’s skin prickle. It was as though she had never truly looked at her before until this moment.

Aria too rose, her eyes lowering briefly to the box before her—still closed, yet pulsing faintly with significance. Whatever it was, it had clearly been left in her possession.

Her fingers brushed against the box as she lifted it from the table, feeling its subtle warmth beneath her skin.

When she glanced toward Clara, hoping for a sign or some silent explanation, Clara merely shook her head. She rose from her seat without a word and walked away.

The werewolf council soon followed, their movements calculated and deliberate.

Aria hurried after them, not wanting to be left behind. But before she could reach the door, King Jared stepped directly into her path, blocking her way.

Her pace faltered, and she raised her chin slightly, her tone calm but defensive. "Is there something I can help you with, King Jared?" she asked.

His response was not what she expected. His voice was lower, smoother than before—almost persuasive. "If you agree to leave the Vampire Realm, I can promise that you and your sister will be well cared for. I can even arrange a soul-binding contract ritual if it would make you feel safer."

Aria froze, her eyes widening. The implication behind his words struck her like a blow. He was serious—offering protection, a deal she once begged for and was denied.

And now, suddenly, she was valuable.

A slow, almost mocking smile curved on her lips as she stared at him. "Why should I?" she asked quietly, her voice edged with defiance. "Whatever you can give me, I’m sure Zyren can give me more."

She hadn’t expected to mean it—but to her surprise, she did.

Jared smiled faintly, though the gold in his eyes glimmered darker than before. There was something ruthless behind that calm demeanor, something colder and perhaps even crueler than Zyren’s overt dominance.

Worse still, Aria knew her powers were limited. "The only ability I truly have is to heal," she thought, a silent realization that made her heart tighten. At least her sister possessed offensive magic—something useful, something that could protect them.

But her against an entire werewolf pack? That would be suicide.

She knew it. In the werewolf realm, no one disobeyed the Alpha. To go against Jared meant going against thousands.

"I thought you wanted to kill him," Jared said suddenly, his voice breaking her train of thought.

Her head snapped up.

"What?"

He nodded toward the box in her hand. "That box you’re holding—it can do it. It can kill Zyren."

Aria blinked, forcing herself to appear shocked. She widened her eyes, feigned disbelief, and let her lips part as though she hadn’t already suspected as much.

Then she scoffed loudly. "You handed King Zyren an artifact that could kill him?" she asked, her tone layered with mock disbelief. "I don’t believe it."

Even as she spoke, her mind raced. The possibility burned in her thoughts. Could it really kill him?

For the first time in a long while, she felt a flicker of something dangerous—hope.

Hope that maybe she could end him before her heart betrayed her completely. Before she fell for that other side of him—the one that made her forget everything he had done.

"I’m serious," Jared continued. "It’s just inactive. I know the words to make it work. But for now, until the Zygons are completely eradicated, I need Zyren alive."

His words made her frown deeply.

"My powers can spot Zygons," she said, her voice edged with irritation. "And your soldiers, the vampire armies—they’re more than enough to kill them. Why would you need Zyren alive?"

Jared stepped closer to her then, his shadow falling over hers. "Because I have no idea how strong the leader of the Zygons is," he said. "For them to suddenly launch such a bold and open war on both realms means they have confidence that they can win."

His reasoning made sense—and yet it didn’t ease the tension in her chest.

She remembered the temple—how even the messengers had been seriously wounded by Zygon attacks meant to stop her from performing the rituals. The creatures were no longer hiding in the dark; they were striking openly.

"After Zyren dies," she said quietly, narrowing her eyes, "you intend to take control, don’t you?"

Her tone was calm, but the accusation was sharp.

Jared didn’t answer, but his silence was enough.

She exhaled, realizing what it would mean—a new war, another reign soaked in blood. And she wanted no part of it. Her mind drifted briefly to the west—to the rumored human cities fortified by walls, safe from the chaos of vampires and werewolves.

Maybe there, she thought, she could finally live free.

Different thoughts raced through her mind when she suddenly felt a touch at her neck—a soft, deliberate caress that made her jerk backward instinctively.

Her breath caught in her throat as she turned sharply to see Jared, his hand still half-raised, his expression smooth.

"I have a way for you to weaken the bond between you and him," he said quietly, his voice low and deliberate. "Just in case you’re interested. The last thing you need is a barbaric ritual bond clouding your judgment."

Aria’s heartbeat quickened, but her expression remained cold.

She took another careful step back, her gaze fixed on him.

She didn’t answer him—not yet.

But the idea had already buried itself deep in her mind.