Lia’s heart was pounding as the seconds stretched into eternity—or so they thought. She stood there, fists clenched, watching Aurora walk away from the room and others to, her entourage in tow, slithering off like snakes in the grass. But even as the tension dissipated, one thing remained.

  Edrix.

  His eyes were locked on her with that cold, calculating gaze, as though he were watching a piece of prey. And Lia?

  Lia wasn’t about to back down.

  "Fucking coward," she muttered under her breath, but loud enough for him to hear. She didn’t give a damn. He was the one who was watching. He was the one who stood there, making her feel like she was being dissected.

  Edrix took a step forward, his posture oozing authority, the air around him thick with tension.

  “You’re the fucking problem, Lia.”

  His voice was calm, almost bored, as though he was commenting on the freakin weather.

  Lia didn’t flinch.

  She didn’t even blink.

  “You think I’m scared of you, Edrix?”

  She stepped forward, her boots clicking on the floor, the only sound breaking the silence.

  “You can take your little games and shove them up your ass. I don’t give a shit about your power, or your reputation. I’m here to win. You? You’re just another obstacle.”

  Edrix’s lips twitched into a smirk, but his eyes remained cold. Dead serious.

  “You think you’re playing the game?”

  His voice dropped lower—more dangerous.

  “This isn’t a freakin' game, Lia. This is real. And you’re out of your depth.”

  Lia clenched her fists so tight her nails dug into her palms.

  “You wanna talk about real? Let’s talk about how you walk around here like you own everyone. Like you fucking matter. Newsflash, Edrix: I’m done being your pawn.”

  She wasn’t going to back down.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  She wasn’t going to let him see her weak.

  Edrix didn’t move.

  His gaze was still fixed on her with an intensity that made the room feel suffocating. He took another step forward, closing the distance between them—

  —But Lia didn’t budge.

  “You think this is over?”

  Edrix’s voice was a whisper now, but it held more menace than she could ever handle.

  “This is only just beginning, Lia. You’ve got no idea what you’re up against.”

  “Oh, I know exactly what I’m up against,” Lia growled, meeting his gaze head-on.

  “But you? You’re just a scared little boy hiding behind that damn reputation of yours.”

  Edrix’s jaw tightened as his eyes flicked toward the ground, his fingers twitching as if he were trying to control himself. But the tension in the room only thickened, hanging like a storm about to break.

  And then—

  She saw it.

  The shift.

  In that moment, something changed in Edrix’s expression.

  It wasn’t anger.

  It wasn’t even frustration.

  It was something far more dangerous. It was interesting. He was intrigued.

  And that, Lia realized, was much worse than anything. He didn’t see her as just a nuisance anymore.

  He saw her as a challenge.

  “You don’t know what you're getting yourself into,” Edrix said, his voice low, like a predator circling its prey.

  “But don’t worry—I’ll make sure you learn. I’ll make sure you know your place.”

  “Yeah? Well I’m not your freakin' puppet,” Lia snarled, stepping forward, her chest heaving with rage.

  The adrenaline still coursed through her veins, and she wasn’t about to let him intimidate her.

  “You wanna see how far I’ll go? You’re about to find out.”

  The crowd had long since cleared out, but the energy in the room buzzed, sharp like electricity, violent and volatile.

  Edrix’s eyes locked onto hers, and for a moment—just a moment—Lia thought he might hit her.

  But instead, he simply stepped back.

  His posture relaxed, almost casual.

  “We’ll see, won’t we?”

  His lips curled into that trademark smirk that made her want to punch him in the face.

  “We’ll see just how much you can handle.”

  Lia didn’t say a word.

  Her chest was still heaving.

  Her fists were still clenched.

  She was done with being controlled.

  Done with being the joke.

  And if Edrix thought she was just some girl he could break?

  He was in for a hell of a surprise.

  He turned to leave, his figure disappearing out the door with a final, lingering glance over his shoulder.

  “The game’s not over yet, Lia.”

  His voice echoed off the walls.

  And just like that, it hit her.

  The realization.

  The weight of what was coming.

  This wasn’t about school.

  It wasn’t about who could lead or who could claim the throne.

  It was about something far more dangerous.

  This was war.

  And Lia Madison?

  She wasn’t gonna freakin lose.

  Edrix Charles saw a threat. Now he sees a rival. And that changes everything.

  It was about drawing blood and showing teeth.

  Because what’s coming next?