Chapter 123: _Fragile Twink Prince Elian’s POV
Elian sat numbly on the edge of the bed, staring at the translucent system screen hovering before his eyes. Lucian’s voice still echoed in his ears, sharp and bitter, laced with a hurt Elian didn’t know how to soothe. His chest tightened again, that gnawing ache of guilt clawing its way into his stomach. [Oh, relax. If you keep sulking like this, your pretty-boy pout is going to set a new record for "most tragic twink face" in Evaros.] "Shut up," Elian muttered under his breath, scrubbing both hands down his face. [No, you shut up and look at this, Fruitcake.] The system box blinked once, then expanded like unfolding pages of a book. [> New Skill Unlocked! Bond Resonance (Passive) You are now able to resonate with your fated mates. The stronger their seduction and possessiveness levels toward you, the higher the chance of unlocking a resonance bond. Current Active Resonance: Kyren Nochthane – Sovereign of the Dark Lands Bond Effect: You can feel and process his emotional states in real time.
Elian sat numbly on the edge of the bed, staring at the translucent system screen hovering before his eyes. Lucian’s voice still echoed in his ears, sharp and bitter, laced with a hurt Elian didn’t know how to soothe. His chest tightened again, that gnawing ache of guilt clawing its way into his stomach. [Oh, relax. If you keep sulking like this, your pretty-boy pout is going to set a new record for "most tragic twink face" in Evaros.] "Shut up," Elian muttered under his breath, scrubbing both hands down his face. [No, you shut up and look at this, Fruitcake.] The system box blinked once, then expanded like unfolding pages of a book. [> New Skill Unlocked! Bond Resonance (Passive) You are now able to resonate with your fated mates. The stronger their seduction and possessiveness levels toward you, the higher the chance of unlocking a resonance bond. Current Active Resonance: Kyren Nochthane – Sovereign of the Dark Lands Bond Effect: You can feel and process his emotional states in real time.
Additional Ability: While within 200 feet of Kyren, you temporarily gain 10% access to his innate power set.]
Elian blinked, stunned. "...What the heck?"
[Exactly what it looks like. Congratulations, you’re basically WiFi-connected to the hottest, most deranged man on the continent. Don’t say I never gave you anything.]
’WiFi... what?’ Elian asked mentally, completely lost.
[Ugh, pretend I didn’t say that.]
His mouth went dry. "So... if Kyren gets angry, I..."
[You’ll feel it. If he’s horny, you feel that too. Lucky you. And if he’s nearby, your little noodle arms get a teeny boost of his rogue king murder-powers. Basically, you become a baby Kyren for a hot second. Isn’t that cute?]
Elian’s eyes widened. "Wait... you said only if he’s within 200 feet?"
[Correct. Past that distance? Poof, nothing. You’re on your own, Fruitcake.]
Elian groaned, falling back onto the bed with his arm covering his face. "This... This is insane. How am I supposed to explain this to Lucian or Axel?"
[You don’t. In fact, you can’t.]
The system’s voice suddenly sharpened, losing its usual mocking tone.
[This ability is exclusive to you. It’s tied to me. If they find out, they’ll start asking questions. And guess what happens if people start poking around your adorable little cheat code of a system?]
Elian swallowed hard. "...Nothing good."
[Ding ding ding. Gold star for my Fruitcake.]
Silence settled in the room, heavy and suffocating.
Elian stared up at the ceiling, his mind racing.
Kyren already overwhelmed him enough in person... now he’d be carrying pieces of Kyren inside himself? Every shiver of anger, every dark thrill, every sharp edge of desire?
It was too much. It was—
[Oh, stop panicking. You’ll thank me when you’re about to get skewered by a witch and suddenly your cute little eyes flash crimson and your opponent wets themselves. "Ahhh, look! It’s mini-Kyren!"]
"System," Elian groaned. "Please."
[No, seriously. Imagine Lucian’s face when he sees you channel Kyren’s intimidation aura by accident. Priceless. Almost worth letting it slip. Almost.]
Elian’s stomach twisted. No.
He couldn’t.
Lucian already looked at him like a betrayal in the flesh, and Axel—
The door suddenly creaked at that thought.
Elian sat up instantly, the system screen vanishing with a blink as the door opened.
"Axel?"
The Beta stepped in, his golden brown hair slightly ruffled, his usually calm features set into a frown. His eyes flicked briefly around the room, as though scanning for danger, before they landed squarely on Elian.
"You’re safe," Axel said, almost like he was reassuring himself. "Good."
Something about the relief in his tone made Elian’s chest warm. Axel shut the door behind him before striding closer, his hand brushing briefly against Elian’s arm as though checking his physical state.
Elian blinked. "What happened? Lucian didn’t really explain."
Axel exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "There was an intruder in the western gardens. And not just any intruder... a witch."
Elian’s breath caught.
Axel nodded grimly. "Lucian and Aurora fought him, but he slipped away before we could corner him. A few guards got caught in the aftermath. One of them... didn’t make it."
Elian’s stomach lurched.
"A witch? Here? In the palace?" His voice cracked.
Axel’s hand rested briefly on his shoulder, grounding him. "That’s why I’m here. If there’s a witch bold enough to break into Lunaria’s palace, then you’re their likely target." His eyes softened as he met Elian’s. "Your survival is their main threat. You know that, right?"
Elian’s lips parted but no words came out.
[Well, isn’t this romantic? Mr. Golden boy Beta comes rushing in like a knight, ready to protect his fragile twink prince from the big bad witches.]
’Not helping!’
[Who said I was trying to help? I live for the drama.]
Elian ignored the system, focusing on Axel instead. "So what now? Do we—do I need to leave the palace?"
Axel shook his head. "No. That’s exactly what they’d want—forcing you out, making you vulnerable. You stay here, where we can control the variables."
There it was again. That calm, steady confidence that made Axel feel like a wall at his back.
Lucian’s fire often burned too hot, Kyren’s darkness pressed too close, but Axel?
He was steady. Reliable.
Elian’s chest ached. "And Lucian? Is he—?"
"He’s fine." Axel’s tone softened further. "Rattled, but fine. He’s worried about you. We both are."
Elian looked away, guilt clawing at his insides again.
If Lucian was worried, why did he storm off like that? Why did his words still sting like open wounds?
[Because mate bonds are basically emotional landmines. Step too close and—boom—hurt feelings everywhere.]
’Shut up.’
Axel lowered himself to sit on the edge of the bed beside him, his golden gaze steady. "Elian... if anything happens again, you tell me. Immediately. No secrets."
Elian’s throat tightened at the word "secrets".
If only he knew.
[Awkward. Very awkward. Should I play dramatic violin music?]
"No secrets," Elian echoed, forcing a small smile.
Axel’s hand brushed his again, lingering just a second longer than necessary. His expression softened, the Beta mask slipping enough to let something warmer peek through.
But then—
The system pinged violently in Elian’s mind.
. [ALERT! ALERT! Foreign mana signature detected! Within range—inside the palace!]
Elian jolted, his heart skipping a beat.
"Axel," he breathed, his voice barely a whisper.
But Axel had already stiffened, his head snapping toward the door, his eyes flashing golden as a low growl reverberated from his chest.
And then...
A shiver tore through Elian’s body, his vision blurring as something hot and dark coursed through him. His fingertips tingled, his breath hitching.
His reflection in the mirror across the room flashed back at him and what he saw were crimson eyes.
Not his own but... Kyren’s!
Elian clutched at the sheets, his heart hammering as panic surged. He could feel it—the Bond resonance—Kyren’s aura bleeding into him, sharp and suffocating, thick with rage and hunger.
"E-Elian?" Axel’s voice came sharply, snapping his attention back. "Your eyes—"
Suddenly, the door handle rattled violently.
Then...
The door slammed open, a wave of freezing air and corrupted mana blasting through the room like a hurricane. Shadows bled across the marble, twisting and curling, and a figure stepped inside.
A hooded silhouette, dripping with magic so foul it made Elian’s stomach twist.
The witch.
"Elian!" Axel snarled, throwing himself in front of him.
The intruder lifted his head, revealing eyes glowing sickly green, a twisted smile curving his lips.
"Found you," the witch hissed, causing Elian’s blood to run cold.