Luna. Chapter 143

(Lyra's POV)

The silence in the room felt heavy after everyone had raised their hands. Derek was already spreading maps across the table when my phone rang.

Unknown number. My stomach clenched.

"Answer it," Magnus said quietly. "We need to know what they want."

I pressed the speaker button. "Hello."

"Lyra." General Cassius's voice was coldly polite. "I trust you've recovered from your recent... accident."

"What do you want, Cassius?"

"A meeting. You, your mate, and myself. Tomorrow afternoon at the neutral conference center."

"So you can threaten us some more?"

"So we can discuss a mutually beneficial arrangement."

I looked around the room at the determined faces of my family and allies. "What kind of arrangement?"

"The kind that keeps your son safe and your family intact."

The threat was clear. I felt sick.

"Fine. When and where?"

"Two o'clock. Conference room B. And Lyra? Come alone. Just you and Alpha Blackwood."

The line went dead.

Derek immediately started talking about security protocols and backup plans, but I wasn't listening. I was thinking about the look in Kael's eyes when he'd been forced to make deals with the royal family before.

"We need a different strategy," I said suddenly.

"What do you mean?" Orion asked.

"I mean we can't go in there as a united front. Cassius will see right through it."

"So what do you suggest?"

I looked at Kael, seeing the understanding dawn in his eyes. "We give him what he expects to see."

"Which is?"

"A relationship falling apart under pressure. A couple blaming each other for their son's situation." My throat felt tight just saying it. "We make him think he's winning by dividing us."

Magnus frowned. "That's dangerous. If Cassius believes you're vulnerable—"

"Then he'll be more likely to reveal information. To gloat. To make mistakes."

Kael was nodding slowly. "It could work. If we can sell it convincingly."

"Can you?" Derek asked seriously. "Can you two pretend to hate each other when everyone knows how much you love each other?"

I met Kael's eyes across the room. We'd been through so much together. Lost each other, found each other again, built a family despite impossible odds.

"We'll have to," I said quietly.

"How convincing are we talking?" Kael asked.

"Completely convincing. Cassius has to believe that the stress has broken us." I took a shaky breath. "That means saying things we don't mean. Hurting each other in ways that will feel real."

"Lyra..."

"It's the only way to protect Asher. If Cassius thinks he can manipulate us by playing us against each other, he'll focus on that instead of more direct threats."

Sally spoke up from the corner. "This is going to mess with your heads. Pretending to break up, even for good reasons—"

"We know the risks," Kael said firmly. "But she's right. It's our best shot at getting information without putting anyone else in danger."

"What exactly are you planning to say to each other?" Derek asked.

I felt my chest tighten just thinking about it. "Things that will convince Cassius that our relationship can't survive this pressure."

"Such as?"

"Blame. Resentment. Accusations that this is Kael's fault for defying the royal family." The words felt poisonous even as I said them. "Maybe I'll accuse him of caring more about his pride than his family's safety."

"And I'll accuse you of not understanding the political realities," Kael added, his voice strained. "Of being naive about what we're up against."

"Jesus," Magnus muttered. "You two are really going to do this?"

"We have to. If there's any chance this gets Cassius to lower his guard, to reveal something useful about their plans or the children they're holding..."

"It's worth it," Kael finished.

But looking at him, seeing the pain already building in his eyes just from discussing it, I wondered if anything could be worth what we were about to do to each other.

"Alright," Derek said finally. "But we're setting up surveillance. Audio and visual monitoring of that conference room."

"How?"

"Leave that to us. The point is, even if you're pretending to be enemies, you won't be alone in there."

I nodded, feeling slightly better knowing the team would be listening.

"There's one more thing," I said quietly. "After tomorrow, after we do this... we might need some time apart. To recover from whatever damage we do."

"Lyra—"

"I'm serious, Kael. If we say the kinds of things that will convince Cassius, if we hurt each other that badly even as an act..." I swallowed hard. "It might take time to remember what's real and what was performance."

The room was quiet for a long moment.

"Then we'll make sure you both remember," Sally said firmly. "We'll be here to remind you that whatever you say tomorrow, whatever you do to each other, none of it is real."

"It'll feel real," I whispered.

"That's what makes it convincing," Kael said grimly. "And that's what makes it so dangerous."