The Eternal Castle gleamed under the evening lights. Golden chandeliers lit up the marble halls as music and laughter filled the air. It was a celebration—Arinay's birthday, and the anniversary of Mytheria's founding.
Everything was perfect.
And yet, something felt off.
Arinay stood near the center of the hall, his gaze scanning the crowd. He smiled and greeted his people, but his thoughts were elsewhere. Where were his Queens? All ten of them had vanished hours ago, saying they were preparing a surprise. But even now, he couldn't sense their auras—not even the faintest presence. That alone was enough to worry him. They were too powerful to simply vanish.
In another wing of the castle, a lavish room glowed with soft magic light. The ten Queens were gathered there, each more beautiful than the next. They helped each other dress, teasing and laughing like sisters. Their personalities were different—some quiet, some fiery, some playful—but they shared two things in common: they deeply loved Arinay, and they were close friends who enjoyed teasing each other.
"I wonder how Arinay will react this time," one Queen giggled, spinning before the mirror.
Another smirked as she adjusted her dress."He'll faint. Or maybe he'll just smile and act calm—like always."
"Maybe this time, we'll break that calm expression of his," another chimed in, adjusting her necklace.
Chronastra flipped her long dark hair, her eyes shining with mischief. "Let's see if he notices I changed my earrings."
Elystraea smiled softly. "He always notices everything about us."
But suddenly, both Chronastra and Elystraea froze. A chill swept through them. Their laughter stopped.
Something was wrong.
Back in the hall, Valtheria walked toward Arinay.Her long silver hair cascaded like moonlight, dancing behind her with every step, while her piercing purple eyes—usually calm and sharp—now held a mix of warmth and something softer… something deeper, unreadable.
"Your Majesty," she said, bowing slightly. "Would you share this dance with me?"
Arinay looked around once more. "Valtheria, have you seen my wives?"
She smiled gently, but there was a flicker in her eyes. "They're preparing your surprise. Just for a little while… be mine again."
He hesitated, then gave a slow nod. "You never give up, do you?"
The music shifted as they stepped onto the marble floor. All eyes turned to watch as the King and his most loyal commander danced together.
As they moved in perfect rhythm, memories came rushing back to him.
He remembered the countless battles they had fought side by side. The blood-stained nights, the long talks under starry skies, the quiet comfort of her presence. She had always been there. Before the throne. Before the crown. Before the wives.
And yet… even now, holding her hand… something was missing.
He stared into her eyes, seeing the warmth and longing there, and his heart twisted with guilt.
Why couldn't he return those feelings?
Why… even now… did his heart ache for the others?
He swallowed, the music slowing as if time itself respected the moment. The room faded away. All that remained was her—the woman who once meant the world to him.
But no matter how hard he tried, the warmth wouldn't come.
A memory from the past shimmered in Valtheria's mind.
It was a time when Arinay was just a traveler—not a king, not a ruler of realms. They had been journeying together, side by side.
One evening, by a quiet river, Arinay had accidentally walked in while she was bathing.
Instead of being upset, she had laughed.
"Enjoying the view, Arinay?" she had teased, water glistening on her skin.
He had turned completely red and stumbled away, flustered. Her laughter had echoed behind him like sunlight through leaves.
Those were simpler days… before the Queens came into his life, one after another. And with each new bond, her time with him had slowly slipped away
The music stopped. As the final spin landed her in his arms, Valtheria leaned in for a kiss.
"Don't," he said quietly.
Her breath caught. "Why…?"
"I care for you, Valtheria. Always have. But not in the way you want me to. My heart… belongs to them."
Her face fell. Her hands shook. "I was here first. I stood by you when you had nothing. When no one else even knew your name. But they… they came and took you away from me."
The pain in her voice was sharp, raw. People around the hall watched in stunned silence.
"I never stopped loving you," she said. "But you never even saw it."
Several weeks ago before celebration in a shadowed chamber, she had stood before a cloaked man in a forgotten ruin. He handed her an obsidian prism glowing with runes older than time itself.
"This artifact holds a magic circle I created," he said, voice low. "It's one of a kind. Meant to suppress not just your king… but his spirit queens as well. All it needs is your desire."
She had hesitated then. Her heart still torn.
But then the man whispered, "Take him back from those ten thieves who stole him from you."
She had gripped the artifact with shaking hands.
And she had said yes.
A loud crack echoed across the hall. Glowing circles of magic spread across the floor. Guests began screaming as barriers of light shot up around them.
Arinay felt a sudden pull beneath his feet—a trap circle.
"Chronastra!" he shouted. "Elystraea!"
But there was no response.
In two separate dimensions, sealed away in complete darkness, the two strongest spirits—Elystraea, the Queen of Spirits, and Chronastra, the Astral Blade—struggled against the glowing chains that bound them. These weren't ordinary barriers—they couldn't be harmed or blocked like other spirits. They were beings of pure astral essence, and so, they had been sealed with chains imbued with hundreds of rare, ancient spirit-binding magics. Not even death could free them—only desire strong enough to match the ritual's strength.
Chronastra's eyes flared. "No matter where I am, I will return to him."
Elystraea's voice trembled with fury. "This seal won't hold me forever."
Back in the hall, confusion turned to panic. Some guests rushed toward the doors—only to find them sealed shut. The grand celebration had turned into a cage. A few screamed, others dropped to their knees, paralyzed by fear, unsure of what had just happened.
Arinay stood trapped in a circle of magic. His queens were not there. His power, fading.
And Valtheria… Valtheria stepped closer.
Her eyes shimmered with tears—not sadness, but something far more dangerous.
Joy.
"Finally…" she whispered, "I have you to myself."
Her voice trembled as she raised the glowing prism in her hand.
"You're mine now… my Arinay. After all these years… I won."
Tears streamed down her cheeks as her lips curved into a broken smile.
It wasn't guilt.
It was triumph.
Heartbreak.
Obsession.
And Arinay, unable to move, could only watch as the one he trusted most shattered everything he had built—with desire for him in her eyes.
To Be Continued…