Chapter 66: Betrayal
Everything fell suffocatingly silent after Gunther’s declaration of strategy.
Lirian was near the shattered window, her fingers touched over the cool glass as she stared out at the crumbling remnants of Gabriel’s castle.
The sky was overcast, the clouds looked heavy and gray.
The memory of Gabriel’s arrest played on an endless loop in her mind: his face, stoic as the soldiers dragged him away, his last words.
Her throat tightened.
How could he expect her to stay alive when her every breath felt like agony without him?
Gunther’s voice broke through her reverie. "Liri, are you listening?"
She turned, showing her hollow expression. "What?"
"We’re going to split up," Gunther said firmly. "Johann and I will create a diversion while you and Rathian—"
"Wait." Lirian looked at Rathian, who stood too still by the doorway, his face unusually pale.
Something about him made her stomach twist. "What’s wrong with you?"
"Nothing," Rathian said quickly, but his eyes darted away.
Lirian narrowed her eyes, her instincts screaming at her.
She stepped closer, "Rathian, if there’s something you need to say, now’s the time."
He hesitated, shifting on his feet like a guilty child. "It’s nothing. We should focus on the plan—"
"Rathian," she snapped, her voice like ice. "Look at me."
His head jerked up, and the look in his eyes made her heart plummet.
She stepped back, shaking her head. "No... no. Don’t tell me you—"
"I didn’t have a choice!" Rathian’s voice cracked, the guilt spilling out in waves.
"They came to me weeks ago—Daria, Raphael’s men—they threatened my family, Lirian! I didn’t know what to do. I thought I could keep you safe if I just..."
Lirian’s chest was shattering.
Her ears roared as his words tumbled over one another, but the only thing she could hear was her own pulse, pounding like war drums.
"You betrayed me," she whispered, the words seemed so audible but heavy with disbelief. "You sold us out to the crown?"
"I didn’t sell you out!" Rathian protested, his hands trembled as he reached for her.
"I tried to protect you! They promised they wouldn’t hurt Gabriel, that they just wanted him out of the way—"
"Stop!" Lirian’s voice rose, her fists clenched at her sides.
The frost that always hunted her blood surged, her breath puffing out in visible clouds.
"Don’t you dare justify this. You knew what they’d do to him. You knew,, and you still let it happen!"
Gunther stepped between them, his hand raised as if to steady her. "Liri, calm down."
"Calm down?" She laughed bitterly, her voice starting to shake.
"He’s the reason Gabriel’s in a cell right now! He’s the reason Raphael’s forces are circling this castle like vultures!"
"Lirian, I—" Rathian began, but she cut him off.
"Get out," she spat, trembling with fury. "Get out of my sight before I do something I’ll regret."
Rathian’s face crumpled, but he didn’t argue.
He turned and stumbled out of the room, his shoulders hunched as though his guilt had finally broken him.
When the door closed behind Rathian, silence swallowed the room once more.
Lirian turned away, wrapping her arms around herself as the frost began to subside.
She felt cold, not from her magic but from the painful ache in her chest.
"Liri..." Johann’s voice was softer now, his hand resting lightly on her shoulder.
"Don’t," she whispered, barely holding together. "Don’t tell me it’s going to be okay. It’s not."
Her brothers exchanged a look, but neither said anything.
They knew better than to offer empty reassurances.
"I trusted him," Lirian continued. "I thought... I thought if anyone would stand by me, it would be Gabriel’s and his people...but how could they, how could Gabriel when his own people set the traps."
Gunther sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"Rathian made a terrible choice, but he’s not our priority right now. Gabriel is. We can’t afford to lose focus."
"I know," she said, wiping at her eyes angrily. "I know. But how am I supposed to trust anyone now? How do I know the rest of you won’t—"
"Stop it." Gunther’s tone was sharp, cutting through her spiral of doubt.
"You know we’d never betray you, Liri. You’re our sister. Gabriel’s our friend. We’re in this together, no matter what."
Johann stepped closer as well.
"And we’ll make sure Rathian doesn’t get in the way again. You don’t have to carry this alone."
Their words were meant to comfort her, but Lirian couldn’t shake the feeling of dread that had taken root in her heart.
That night, as the castle fell into an uneasy quiet, a knock came at Lirian’s door.
She opened it to find a young courier, trembling and wide-eyed.
"A message for you, Lady Lirian," he stammered, handing her a folded piece of parchment.
She took it with trembling hands, her heart pounding as she recognised Gabriel’s handwriting.
Once the courier left, she sat on the edge of her bed and unfolded the letter, her eyes studied the words hungrily.
-My dear, wife,
I don’t know if this letter will reach you, but I have to try. There are things I need you to know before it’s too late.
First, I’m sorry. Sorry for every cruel word, every moment of weakness that pushed you away. You deserved better from me, and I failed you.
Second, you must not risk yourself for me. Raphael has already made up his mind, and I don’t want you to suffer for my mistakes.
If you charge into this blindly, you’ll only put yourself and your brothers in danger. Please, Lirian—stay alive. If not for yourself, then for me.
Finally, I need you to remember this: no matter what happens, you are stronger than anyone I’ve ever known.
You have a fire inside you that nothing and no one can extinguish. Hold onto that, even when it feels like the world is crumbling around you.
If this is goodbye, then let it be with no regrets. I love you, Lirian. I always have.
Gabriel-
Lirian’s hands shook as she clutched the letter, her tears falling onto the ink and smudging the words.
She pressed the parchment to her chest, her heart ached with a pain so profound it felt as though it would swallow her whole.
"I won’t let you die," she whispered to the empty room. "I won’t let this be goodbye."