Chapter 9 Secrets Unveiled

When Lila's vision cleared, the world around her had changed. The chamber was still intact, but it felt different now—darker, heavier. The walls seemed to close in on her, and she could sense the tension in the air like a living thing. The artifact still pulsed in her hands, its dark energy seeping into her skin, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted. Something had broken. Kai was standing beside her, his face pale, his eyes filled with a mix of confusion and disbelief. His fists were clenched at his sides, his shoulders trembling with anger. The words Darius had revealed were still echoing in his mind. His family had betrayed him. They had used him as part of a deal that had now led them all into this mess. And Lila could see that the pain of that betrayal was too much for him to bear.