The Lycan Prince’s Wolfless Slave (Academy Romance) novel Chapter 56

Chapter 56

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“It’s…so beautiful.” I whisper.

Roman leads me toward the front platform. He speaks to an attendant, and a few moments later, a small, dense cloud floats down to meet us. He steps onto it first and reaches out a hand to help me up. The surface feels like firm cotton candy, soft but solid enough to hold my weight. As we rise into the air, the view of the glass house opens up below us.

I feel a lump in my throat. I’ve spent so much time on the ground, scrubbing floors and hiding in shadows, that being up here feels like a different world.

“It’s truly enchanting,” I say, my voice cracking. A single tear escapes, and I try to wipe it away, but Roman is faster. He reaches out and brushes the tear from my cheek with his thumb.

“Don’t cry, Lyra,” he says softly. “You deserve much more than just a view. You deserve to feel this happy every day.”

We sit together on our cloud, sharing a box of pepperoni cheese pizza as we float through the glittering air. For a while, everything feels

sweet and perfect. Roman asks me about my wolf, and I tell him how I’ve been trying to turn since I was fifteen with no luck.

“Maybe you just need more time,” he says gently. “Everyone blooms at their own pace.”

“What’s it like for you?” I ask after a while of silence. “In the royal family?”

Roman sighs, and the light in his eyes dims for a moment. He looks at the other floating clouds. “It’s suffocating,” he says. “Every move is judged. Every word is a chess piece. It’s not a life, it’s a performance.”

He looks so unhappy that my heart tugs for him. He has all the power in the world, yet he sounds just as trapped as I am.

After some time, I notice the edges of our cloud beginning to turn transparent. “Is it disappearing?” I ask, my voice a little panicked.

Roman chuckles. “It’s melting. The machine regenerates new ones every few hours to keep the air clear. It’s how it works here.”

We slowly descend as the cloud dissolves, our feet touching the solid ground just as the last of the cloud vanishes.

I’m so happy and excited that I turn and put my arms around Roman’s neck, hugging him tightly. “That was the best thing ever! Thank

you.”

He hugs me back, then strokes my cheek softly. The intimacy of the gesture makes me nervous, and I quickly shift backward, putting some space between us. He clears his throat, looking a little flustered. “I have one more thing for us.”

He points up toward a high cliff beside the glass house. I look up and see several white horses grazing near the edge. Their bodies have glitter on them, and I can see small colorful horns on their foreheads.

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18:40 Wed, Jun 17

Chapter 56

“Those are called the flying unicorns,” Roman says, “We can ride them together if you want.”

I want to say yes, but then I remember how much time I’ve spent out here. “Roman, I’m not sure… Prince-

He puts a finger on my lips, silencing me. “Tonight is for both of us, Lyra. Don’t mention someone else’s name. Please?”

I look at him silently.

I suddenly realize how close he is when he raises his hand and brushes a few stray tendrils of silver hair away from my face. “Do you feel

this bond, Lyra? The one I feel for you?”

I freeze.

What bond? What is he talking about?

As if he can read the confusion on my face, he continues. “Since the first time I saw you, I’ve been drawn to you. I can’t stop thinking about you. I know you’re overwhelmed, and I’m prepared to wait until you feel the bond too.”

He starts to lean down, his eyes fixed on my lips.

My breath closes up. Oh no. Is he about to kiss me?

I’m about to shift my face away and tell him I can’t, a sudden, powerful presence hits us.

Roman is grabbed roughly by the collar and thrown away from me. He flies through the air and hits a nearby stone wall with a crunching

thud.

I gasp and spin around, my blood turning to ice.

Prince Kai is standing there. His chest is heaving, his clothes are disheveled, and his eyes are glowing a terrifying, murderous red. He looks like a demon who climbed out of hell just to find us.

“Oh no,” I whisper, my knees beginning to shake.

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