Lycannar
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The Sky Prison was different from thest underground prison where I had once met my brother. This ce was stricter, harsher.
Thest prison had at least allowed him drinks, but this time, when the massive ck gate opened for me, the hefty gatekeeper in charge gave me only one sharp look. No special
treatment.
“Your cloak. Jewelry. Footwear. None of it goes in.” His voice was clipped.
I pulled off my cloak, unbuckled my boots, and removed the rings around my brows, the bracelet at my wrist, and the rest of the bands on my fingers. I left only two things. The ring
ankles. from my love, and the anklets around my
cing the rest in the box meant for safekeeping, I turned back to find the gatekeeper eyeing what I had kept.
“It’s my engagement ring,” I said, hating that I had to exin myself. “And the anklets… they keep my beasts bound.”
At that, his eyes flickered in understanding. If the anklets came off, the entire Demon Realm would have to prepare to subdue a monster. He stepped aside, and I entered.
The Sky Prison held nomon prisoners. Only royalty. And royals sentenced here rarely returned since it was a ce of no return. Too cold. Too isting. Even the strongest mind broke eventually.
I walked to the center of the vast hollow space and stared at the crystalline castle rising before <ol><li>me. </li></ol>
From outside, it looked beautiful, almost radiant. But within those walls, I knew only madness lived. Royals condemned, some for eternity, left to rot in silence.
I waited there, expecting my brother to be brought out, but time dragged on. Concern gnawed at me. Was he hurt? Or… had they already killed him?
The sound of heavy shackles broke through the silence behind me.
Swallowing hard, I turned. <fn0e92> Get full chapters from Find~Novel</fn0e92>
He came forward, wrists bound, ankles chained, every step a tter of iron. Seeing him like
15:55 <b>Tue</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>30 </b>
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that stirred something sharp in my chest. One thing I despised above all. My brother in chains.
When he reached me, I couldn’t speak. Couldn’t move. I had told our sisters he was fine, but seeing him now, I realized I had lied to myself. He was not fine. Not even close.
“You met her?” he asked suddenly. The question stilled my heart. Even in chains, he smiled, his first thought still of me.
Kiara’s words echoed in my head. She had said my brother must hate me, for killing our mother. Was it true?
“I can tell you met her,” he murmured with a teasing smile, nudging me with a bound fist. “Did you make love to her?”
I gave a faint smile. He leaned in and hugged me before pulling back to rub my hair like he used to.
“I should have known you were a smooth talker.” He groaned, then asked with a wink, “How did you win her over?”
I punched him lightly,ughing. He made a show of copsing, clutching his chest as though I had struck too hard, then sprawled on the ground, staring up at the sky until his smile faded.
The weight returned. Reality pressing down.
Exhaling heavily, Iy down beside him, both of us staring up at the endless dark sky.
For a long time, there was silence. Then his voice came, quiet.
“Father is ten thousand steps ahead of us, Apex. What will we do?”
“He’s going <i>to </i>break the portal between the Lycan Kingdom and here,” I said grimly. My brother turned his head toward me, stunned. “He believes separating us will force our decisions faster. That urgency will drive us to choose paths we’ve resisted.”
Hades let out a shaky breath.
“And my sisters?”
“They’re fine. Worried, but strong. They’ll hold until things are settled.” My voice was weary. “But I can’t shake this emptiness. If that portal closes… it will be worse.”
“You’ll be fine. You are a King.”
“I am your younger brother before I am a King. Without you… with no way <i>to </i>reach you…. I feel
15:55 Tue<b>, </b><b>Sep </b>30
powerless.”
He sat up slowly, fixing his gaze on me.
“Sit up.” I obeyed, meeting his eyes. “Something else is troubling you?” he pressed.
I lowered my gaze, running my fingers through my hair.
A
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“I feel uneasy. Like something big ising. And when it does… I’ll have no one beside me.”
“You have more power than anyone. Without you, I would have died five years ago. You saved us all the Abyss on that battlefield. Do you still doubt yourself?”
“I have too many limits, Brother,” I whispered.
“The Ashmeres? Is that what worries you?”
The name stopped me. My chest tightened. I shook my head slowly.
“They’re a threat… but maybe I’ve underestimated them.”
Silence. Then he said firmly,
“Don’t repeat my mistake five years ago, Apex. Do not underestimate any Ashmere. Especially one burning with vengeance.”
“Yeah.”
“Does anyone know your weaknesses?” he asked suddenly.
I froze, swallowing.
“My sisters. And… Zephyrine.” He thought on that, studying me. I shook my head, anticipating his doubt. “Zephyrine would never betray me like that.”
“Keep your gates shut,” Hades said atst, his tone low as a warning. “If you feel tension in the air, don’t ignore it. Keep your people inside the kingdom. And my sisters, if anything happens to them, Apex, I won’t forgive you. You know that.”
I nodded with a quiet sigh.
“No one will attack you blindly,” he continued. “Apex is a mystery. If I were Varyn Ashmere, if I hated you and wanted you dead… I wouldn’t strike rashly. I’d wait. I’d want to know your exact position first.”