Chapter 30

The halls of the fortress had grown colder, more oppressive, as if the weight of the empire's unrest was settling into the very stone. Tharx's demeanor had shifted, too-he was no longer the composed, commanding ruler that Aeliana had first met. He was harder, more distant, yet his actions had become increasingly erratic. His conflict with Draxis had reached a fever pitch, and Aeliana could feel the tension mounting in every interaction they shared.

The rebellion was no longer a whisper; it was a rising tide, and Draxis had skillfully positioned himself at the center of it all. Every word he spoke to the council, every subtle barb he directed toward Tharx, seemed to twist the minds of those around him, turning uncertainty into outright defiance. And through it all, Aeliana knew that she was one of Draxis's greatest weapons.

She sat in her chambers, staring at the pale light filtering through the narrow windows. The assassination attempt still weighed heavily on her mind, her heart quickening every time she remembered the whistle of the arrow, the near-death that had followed her into her every waking thought. The added guards stationed outside her door did little to reassure her. If Draxis's supporters wanted her dead, they would keep trying.

But the real threat wasn't just physical. It was the way Tharx's actions had become increasingly unpredictable, his focus slipping as he fought to maintain control. He was still the powerful ruler she had come to know, but now there was fear in his eyes, a growing desperation that even he couldn't hide.

She needed to confront him. She had to understand why he was acting this way-why he had grown colder and more distant, despite the moments they had shared, despite the flickers of something deeper that had passed between them.

When she entered Tharx's private chambers, he was pacing by the window, the dark sky of his world casting an eerie glow across his features. He looked more like a king at war than a ruler in control. His movements were tense, his hands clasped behind his back, as if he was trying to hold himself together by sheer will.

"Tharx," she said quietly, her voice barely cutting through the tension in the room.

He didn't turn around, but she could tell from the stiffness in his posture that he had heard her. "What do you want, Aeliana?"

"I want to know what's happening to you," she said, stepping closer. "You're changing. You've been acting... erratic. Ever since Draxis arrived, you've been pushing me away, sending mixed signals, and I don't understand why."

Tharx finally turned to face her, his eyes dark and unreadable. "What do you mean, you don't understand?" he asked, his voice edged with coldness. "You're in the middle of all of this, Aeliana. You're a human in an empire that does not trust you. Every step you take here is scrutinized, questioned. My advisors think you're a threat. Draxis thinks you're my weakness. Even you can see how dangerous this has become."

His words stung, but Aeliana held her ground. "And what do you think, Tharx? Do you think I'm a weakness?"

Tharx's jaw clenched, and for a moment, she thought he might turn away from her again, retreat behind the walls he had built so carefully. But instead, he stepped closer, his eyes flashing with a mixture of frustration and something deeper. "It doesn't matter what I think. What matters is that Draxis has poisoned the minds of the council. He's planted seeds of doubt in my empire, and they are growing faster than I can cut them down."

"So, what?" Aeliana asked, her voice rising with her frustration. "You think pushing me away will fix that? You think treating me like I don't matter will somehow make this all go away?"

Tharx's expression darkened. "You don't belong here, Aeliana," he said, his voice dangerously low. "This is not your world. You are human, and the longer you remain, the more danger you are in."

Aeliana stepped closer, her heart pounding with a mix of anger and desperation. "But I am here, Tharx. And I can't just pretend that doesn't matter. You brought me into this world. You made me a part of this. You can't just push me aside now that it's inconvenient."

His eyes flickered with something-guilt, perhaps, or fear. He looked away, his gaze fixed on the window once more. "It's not that simple," he muttered.

Aeliana felt her chest tighten. She had always known that her presence in Tharx's empire was precarious, but the way he spoke now, the coldness in his voice, cut deeper than any of Draxis's threats. "I'm not just some distraction, Tharx," she said softly, the hurt bleeding into her voice. "I know you care about me. You've shown me that, even if you don't want to admit it."

Tharx's head snapped toward her, his expression hard. "Don't make this about feelings, Aeliana," he said, his voice harsh. "This is about power. Control. My empire is hanging in the balance, and Draxis is doing everything he can to turn the council against me. Every moment I spend with you is another moment he can use to twist their perceptions. If I show any weakness now, it will be the end of everything."

"And what about me?" she asked, her voice breaking slightly. "Am I just a casualty of this war for power? Or am I something more?"

For a moment, the room was filled with heavy silence, the weight of everything unsaid pressing down on them both. Tharx's eyes softened, just for a second, but then the hardness returned, and he took a step back, putting distance between them once more.

"You are... important," Tharx said, his voice quieter now, but still guarded. "But this is bigger than you, Aeliana. Bigger than us."

Aeliana felt her frustration rise again. "Then what's the point of all this? Why did you protect me? Why did you let me into your world if you're just going to treat me like a liability?"

Tharx didn't answer right away. He stood there, his hands clenched into fists, his jaw tight. She could see the struggle in his eyes, the way he warred with himself over what to say. Finally, he spoke, his voice low and filled with something she couldn't quite name.

"Because I can't lose you," he said softly, almost to himself. "But I can't keep you, either."

Aeliana's breath caught in her throat at his words. She had known, deep down, that Tharx cared about her, but hearing him admit it-even in such a fractured, guarded way-was more than she had expected. And yet, there was still so much left unsaid, so much that he refused to reveal.

Tharx turned away again, his posture rigid, his eyes fixed on the distant horizon. "I will deal with Draxis," he said, his voice suddenly cold and resolute. "Whatever it takes. He is too dangerous to leave unchecked."

Aeliana stepped forward, her heart pounding with the weight of what he was suggesting. "What are you planning to do?"

Tharx's gaze didn't waver from the window. "I will remove him from power," he said, his voice hard. "By whatever means necessary."

The finality in his tone sent a chill down her spine. Aeliana knew that Tharx was not a man to be taken lightly, but the desperation in his voice, the way his emotions were unraveling, told her that he was prepared to take drastic measures-measures that could cost him dearly.

"You can't just-" Aeliana began, but Tharx cut her off.

"I must," he said firmly. "If I don't, Draxis will tear this empire apart, and he will not stop until everything I've built is ashes."

Aeliana stared at him, her heart heavy with the realization of just how far things had gone. Tharx was losing control, not just of his empire, but of himself. His desire to protect her, to hold his power, was driving him to the edge, and she could see the cracks forming in the walls he had so carefully built around himself.

"I don't want you to get hurt," she said quietly.

Tharx finally turned to face her, his expression softer, but still filled with a hard determination. "It's not me you should worry about, Aeliana. It's Draxis. And when the time comes, I will do whatever it takes to end this."

The weight of his words settled over her like a heavy cloak. She could see the truth in his eyes-Tharx was prepared to go to war, not just against Draxis, but against his own heart. And the cost of that war might be more than either of them could bear.

Aeliana wanted to reach out to him, to break through the coldness and fear that surrounded him, but she knew that whatever came next, Tharx had already made his decision. He would fight for his empire, for his power, and for her. But whether or not they would survive the storm that Draxis had unleashed remained to be seen