Silence ruled the hall.
Not the peaceful kind—the suffocating kind that pressed against ears and hearts until breathing felt too loud.
Wish stood frozen at the foot of the meditation throne, her right hand still half-lifted in the air, trembling where the Solar King's fingers hovered inches away. Her pulse thudded so loudly she was sure everyone could hear it.
The Solar King studied her hand.
Then her face.
His fingers closed around her wrist.
Not rough. Not gentle. Controlled.
A blade materialized out of thin air—pure light shaped into an edge that hummed with power. Before Wish could process what was happening, he drew it across her palm in one swift motion.
Pain flared sharp and immediate.
Wish winced, sucking in a breath through her teeth.
At the exact same moment, on his right hand in the identical location, a thin cut appeared. Blood welled on both their palms—hers red, his gleaming gold.
Before either drop could fall, light surged from his fingers. It wrapped around both wounds, warm and tingling. Flesh knit together beneath the glow. Pain vanished, leaving behind only a faint sting and the ghost of heat on her skin.
Wish stared at her hand in disbelief. Not even a scar remained.
He let her wrist go, his expression unreadable.
"I don't care what she did," he said, his voice carrying across the silent hall. "But no one is to touch her again."
Confusion rippled through the crowd. Nobody knew what had just happened. Nobody had seen the test—the way his wound had mirrored hers perfectly. The soul entanglement confirmed.
The Solar King's brow furrowed. Annoyance flickered across his features, followed by something colder. More calculating.
He stepped forward, descending one step.
The crowd held its breath.
"The ritual is canceled." His words fell like stones into still water. "Effective immediately. No more sacrifices."
Gasps erupted. Nobles exchanged frantic glances. Guards shifted uncertainly.
The Solar King's golden eyes swept across the hall before landing on the king and the five platinum elders. "You will answer to me. All of you. I want to know why this ritual started, who authorized it, and how long innocent lives have been offered while I meditated." His voice dropped, becoming something dangerous. "Dark magic was used. On my throne. In my presence. Someone will explain."
The king's face went pale. The elders looked like they wanted to sink into the floor.
The Solar King turned back to Wish. He leaned down slightly, his voice lowering so only she could hear. "Don't worry. You'll be safe now."
Wish's face exploded with heat. Red crept up her neck, flooded her cheeks, burned the tips of her ears.
Maybe it was how close he was—close enough that she could see flecks of deeper gold in his eyes.
Maybe it was the way he said those words, so assured and absolute, like safety was something he could simply decree into existence.
Her tail reacted before her brain could stop it.
Soft white fur exploded outward like a startled cloud, fluffing to nearly double its size in pure defensive instinct. The movement was so sudden, so violent, that it brushed directly against his leg.
She froze.
Horrified.
Her ears burned hotter. "I—I didn't mean to—!"
The Solar King looked down at the offending tail.
Then back at her face.
A long pause stretched between them.
"Control it," he said, raising one eyebrow.
She scowled, mortification making her want to melt into the floor. "I am trying to control it!"
The tail twitched.
Wiggled.
Betrayed her entirely by fluffing even more.
The corner of the Solar King's mouth curved—just barely. A hint of something that might have been amusement.
Then he turned, his robes swirling as he walked down the steps with slow, steady movements that commanded attention without demanding it.
"Get down from there," he said over his shoulder.
Wish nodded quickly, following behind him while internally cursing her traitorous tail with every step.
Stupid fluffy piece of—just stay down! Why are you like this? I swear if you embarrass me one more time I'm shaving you bald. Do you hear me? Bald! I don't care if it's genetics, I'll find a way. Just—please—stay. Down.
The tail continued its happy wiggling, completely immune to threats.
If not for the deity's presence, Wish knew the entire crowd would be laughing at her right now. She could see it in their eyes—the barely suppressed smirks, the way some people bit their lips or turned their faces away. Only the Solar King's oppressive power kept them silent and respectful.
She reached the bottom of the steps, her legs shaky from adrenaline and leftover fear. The crowd parted automatically, creating a path.
She found herself standing awkwardly to the side, clueless about what came next, what any of this meant, or what she was supposed to do.
A girl stood near her—snow-white hair cascading down her back, delicate fox ears twitching atop her head.
Her tail was slender and elegant, nothing like Wish's embarrassingly puffy disaster. The girl glanced at Wish with bright, curious eyes but said nothing.
The Solar King stopped at the center of the hall, his presence still radiating that crushing weight of power. He looked once more at the king and elders. "Come. Now."
Then he walked toward the massive doors, his steps echoing in the silence.
Only when he finally exited the hall did the pressure lift.
The crowd exhaled as one—a collective release that sounded almost like a gasp. Bodies sagged.
Some people actually fell to their knees, not in worship but in sheer relief. Others pressed hands to their chests like they were checking if their hearts still beat.
The king and the five platinum elders followed after the Solar King like students called to the principal's office, their faces drawn and pale. Not one of them looked back.
The hall filled with a hollow silence.
People tried to compose themselves—straightening clothes, wiping sweat from foreheads, clearing throats. Like they'd forgotten how to exist normally and were relearning the basics. How to stand. How to breathe. How to be anything other than terrified.
At first, no one moved.
Then the murmurs began.
Low at first, rippling through the crowd like stones skipping across water. Voices grew bolder. Sharper. Thick with curiosity and confusion.
"Did you see—"
"—canceled the ritual—"
"—who is she really—"
Hands pointed at Wish. Dozens of them. Eyes fixed on her from every direction.
She furrowed her brows, crossing her arms defensively. What now? What did I do this time?
Before her, a translucent screen materialized out of nowhere, glowing softly with blue text.
[Host has successfully completed the challenge.]
[Calculating rewards...]
[Next challenge...]
Before she could finish reading, a slap came from nowhere.
Pain exploded across her cheek—sharp, burning, shocking in its suddenness. Her head snapped to the side from the force. Her vision blurred. Her ear rang with a high-pitched whine.
For a second, she couldn't process it. Couldn't understand why her face hurt, why the world had tilted, why her cheek felt like it was on fire.
Then the realization hit.
Someone had just slapped her.
Hard.
Her eyes watered reflexively. Her hand came up slowly to cup her stinging cheek, fingers trembling as they pressed against the hot, swelling skin.
She turned her head, blinking away the tears, trying to focus on who had just hit her.