The Reborn Luna: Claimed by the Billionaire Alpha

Chapter 14 – The Dagger's Price

Selene stood motionless, her breath ragged as she stared at the dagger in her grip. The once-dormant cavern was still, but she could feel something shifting inside her. The moment she had touched the blade, a bond had formed—one she had not asked for, but now could not break.

The Keeper remained silent, its silver eyes gleaming beneath its hood.

"You have passed the trial," it said, its voice low and resonant. "But power is never freely given."

Selene's fingers tightened around the dagger's hilt. The black metal pulsed faintly, almost as if it had a heartbeat of its own.

"What have I done?"

A whisper brushed against the edges of her consciousness. It was faint, barely there, yet it sent a chill through her spine.

"You have awakened me."

Selene's heart clenched. The voice was inside her mind—not her own, but something else entirely.

She gritted her teeth and turned back to the Keeper.

"What is this weapon?" she demanded. "What did I just bind myself to?"

The Keeper tilted its head slightly.

"That dagger was never meant for mortal hands."

The words sent a sharp chill through her.

"And yet, it has chosen you."

Selene inhaled deeply, steadying herself. "What does that mean?"

The Keeper's silver eyes burned brighter.

"It means you no longer belong to yourself."

A heavy silence settled between them.

Selene swallowed hard.

"This dagger… what exactly does it do?"

The Keeper took a step forward, gliding across the cavern floor as if weightless.

"It is called Nyx's Fang—a blade forged from the Abyss itself. It does not merely cut flesh. It cuts fate, consuming the life force of those it slays."

Selene's pulse quickened.

"It devours their souls," the Keeper finished.

Her grip on the weapon faltered.

"A cursed blade…"

She had heard of weapons imbued with magic, swords that could channel lightning or burn with everlasting fire—but this was different.

This was something darker.

And it was now bound to her.

Her gaze dropped to the dagger. Its blade remained as black as a starless night, but now that she was holding it, she could feel it—a hunger, a pull.

It wanted more.

More blood. More power.

Selene's stomach twisted.

"This can't be right," she whispered. "I didn't agree to this."

The Keeper gave a slow nod.

"You did not need to agree. The moment you touched it, the pact was sealed."

Selene clenched her jaw. "Then tell me—how do I break it?"

For the first time, the Keeper laughed.

It was a hollow, empty sound, void of warmth.

"Child… there is no breaking it."

Selene's breath caught.

No breaking it?

Her fingers trembled, but she forced herself to stay calm.

She had to think.

This wasn't just about her anymore. She still had a mission—to uncover the truth behind her father's disappearance, to stop the coming war.

This dagger… it was dangerous. But could it also be a weapon against her enemies?

Selene swallowed back her fear.

"I'll find a way," she said firmly.

The Keeper said nothing, only watching her with those silver eyes.

Then, without another word, it began to fade.

The cavern's light dimmed as the figure melted into shadow, leaving only its final words lingering in the air.

"We shall see."

Then—it was gone.

Selene let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

The cavern remained still. The lake, the pedestal—everything was exactly as it had been.

Except now, she was alone.

Alone, with the dagger in her grasp.

She exhaled slowly and turned toward the tunnel leading back.

It was time to leave.

She had what she came for.

But she couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed.

---

The Journey Back

The walk through the tunnels felt different.

Before, she had moved through the darkness with a sense of purpose, an unwavering determination to claim whatever power lay hidden here.

Now, she carried that power with her.

And it felt like it was watching.

Every so often, Selene would glance down at the dagger, half-expecting it to move, to whisper more words into her mind.

But it remained silent.

Still, the feeling of being watched never left her.

By the time she reached the entrance of the cave, the night sky had darkened even further, the stars shimmering like cold fire overhead.

A figure stood at the edge of the clearing.

Selene froze.

Then—relief flooded her.

"Rylen."

The young warrior turned at the sound of her voice. His sharp golden eyes scanned her up and down, taking in her torn cloak, the bruises forming along her arms.

"You're alive." His voice was tense.

Selene nodded. "Barely."

Rylen exhaled, running a hand through his messy brown hair.

"Do you have it?" he asked.

Selene hesitated. Then, she lifted the dagger slightly, letting the moonlight catch on its darkened blade.

Rylen stiffened. "That thing is… unsettling."

Selene nodded. "I know."

Rylen took a cautious step forward. "Are you alright?"

Selene hesitated.

She could still feel the dagger's presence, like a second heartbeat.

But she forced a smile. "I'm fine."

Rylen frowned but didn't push further.

"Then let's get out of here. The others are waiting."

Selene nodded, tightening her grip on the dagger.

The journey was far from over.

If anything, it had just begun.

Selene followed Rylen through the dense forest, her grip firm on the dagger strapped to her waist. The eerie silence of the trees made every step feel heavier, the weight of what she had just endured pressing down on her like a boulder.

She had expected to feel relief after leaving the cavern, but instead, something gnawed at her—the unsettling feeling that she was no longer alone.

She cast a glance at Rylen, his sharp golden eyes focused ahead. He had always been a warrior, trained to notice even the slightest shift in energy. If he sensed something was off, he didn't show it.

"Did anything happen while I was gone?" Selene asked, keeping her voice steady.

Rylen exhaled sharply. "We were almost found. The patrols have increased, and they're searching for something—or someone."

Selene's stomach twisted. "Do you think they know I went into the cavern?"

Rylen glanced at her. "They don't know for sure. But they suspect something. We need to move fast."

She nodded, tightening her cloak around her shoulders as a cool wind passed through the trees. The night was dark, but Selene could still sense the shift in the air—the tension growing thicker.

She didn't know if it was the dagger, or if something else was watching them.

But she felt it.

And she wasn't sure if she could ignore it any longer.

---

The Dagger's Whisper

They moved swiftly through the underbrush, careful not to disturb the twigs and leaves beneath their boots. The camp wasn't far, but the darkness made every second feel stretched.

Selene's thoughts drifted back to the dagger at her side.

"It cuts fate, consuming the life force of those it slays."

The Keeper's words echoed in her mind.

The blade was dangerous.

But what worried her most wasn't the weapon itself.

It was the fact that it had spoken to her.

The voice had been faint, almost lost in the cavern's echoes, but it had been there.

And it hadn't left her since.

As if on cue, a whisper brushed against her thoughts again.

"More…"

Selene froze mid-step.

The voice was stronger this time.

She gritted her teeth and shook her head, trying to push it away.

Not now.

She needed to focus.

Rylen noticed her hesitation. "What's wrong?"

Selene exhaled, forcing a small smile. "Nothing. Just… thinking."

Rylen didn't seem convinced, but he let it go.

For now.

But Selene knew this wasn't over.

---

The Attack

The camp was in sight when the first arrow struck.

Selene barely had time to react before shouts rang out from the trees.

Rylen cursed, drawing his sword as figures emerged from the shadows, their weapons gleaming in the moonlight.

"Ambush!" he shouted.

Selene's heart pounded. She reached for her own blade, but before she could unsheathe it, the dagger pulsed.

A cold rush surged through her veins.

"Let me in."

The whisper wasn't just in her mind anymore.

It was inside her.

Selene clenched her jaw, shoving the voice aside as she drew her sword.

The attackers charged.

She met the first one head-on, blocking his blade with a sharp clang. The force sent vibrations through her arms, but she held steady.

Another enemy lunged from the side. Rylen intercepted him, his sword flashing in the dark.

Selene twisted, using the momentum to slam her elbow into her attacker's ribs. He stumbled back, and she took the opening—her blade slicing across his arm, forcing him to drop his weapon.

The fight was brutal, quick, and chaotic.

But Selene's focus kept slipping.

Because she could feel it.

The dagger was hungry.

Every strike, every wound—it wanted more.

Her grip faltered for just a second.

And in that second, an enemy took advantage.

A blade came swinging toward her, too fast for her to block—

Then, something took over.

Selene barely had time to react as her hand moved on its own.

She didn't grab her sword.

She grabbed the dagger.

The moment her fingers curled around the hilt, the world blurred.

She didn't think. She didn't hesitate.

She moved.

The dagger sliced through the air like a shadow.

And the moment it struck flesh—

Selene felt it.

A pull. A hunger. A rush of power so raw it nearly knocked the breath out of her.

The attacker let out a strangled gasp, his body going rigid as a black mist seeped from his wound.

His eyes widened in horror.

Then—he was gone.

His body collapsed like dust, dissolving into nothing.

Selene staggered back.

Her breath came in sharp gasps, her vision swimming as the dagger pulsed like a second heartbeat.

She looked down at the weapon in her grasp.

The blade was no longer just black.

It was alive.

A dark energy swirled around it, almost breathing.

Selene's stomach twisted.

"What have I done?"

Rylen turned, his eyes locking onto hers.

And for the first time since she had known him—

He looked afraid.

---

The Aftermath

The battle ended in moments.

The remaining attackers, seeing what had just happened, fled into the night.

Selene stood frozen, her breathing uneven.

The dagger had stopped glowing, but she could still feel its hunger.

Rylen approached cautiously. "Selene…"

She swallowed hard.

"I didn't mean to," she whispered. "It just—"

Rylen held up a hand, stopping her. His golden eyes were unreadable.

But he had seen.

He had seen the way the dagger devoured that man's life force.

He had seen what it had done to her.

And now—he knew what she was capable of.

Selene looked down at the weapon in her hands.

She had gone into that cavern to find a way to save her people.

But now—she wasn't sure if she had found salvation.

Or something far worse.

And for the first time since this journey began

, she was truly afraid.

Selene's fingers trembled around the dagger's hilt, its eerie hum still vibrating through her bones. The hunger she had felt—the dark pull of the blade—hadn't faded.

If anything, it lingered, whispering at the edges of her mind, tempting her to use it again.

She sucked in a breath, forcing herself to release the weapon, but the moment she did, an unbearable coldness swept through her, as if she had just let go of something vital.

The realization made her heart pound faster. Had she bonded with it? Or worse… had it bonded with her?

Rylen was watching her carefully, his usual unreadable expression tinged with something else—distrust. He hadn't spoken a word since the battle ended, but his silence was louder than any accusation.

When he finally broke it, his voice was measured, but sharp. "That dagger… it's not normal, Selene." His golden eyes flickered toward the weapon lying at her side, before locking onto hers.

"What exactly happened in that cavern?" She opened her mouth, ready to explain, but hesitated.

How could she? How could she tell him that the blade spoke to her? That it felt alive, as if it had a will of its own?

Before she could answer, a rustling sound from the trees made both of them snap to attention. Rylen moved first, his sword drawn in an instant.

Selene followed, forcing herself to push the dagger's influence aside as she reached for her normal blade instead.

The air felt heavier now, charged with an energy that made the hairs on her arms rise. Then, from the darkness, a figure emerged.

Cloaked in deep crimson, their face was hidden beneath a hood, but Selene didn't need to see their features to know one thing—this person wasn't a friend.

A low chuckle echoed from beneath the hood. "I see it has begun," the stranger said, their voice smooth, almost amused.

"The dagger has chosen." They took a step forward, completely unfazed by the fact that both Rylen and Selene had their weapons drawn.

Tell me, girl… how does it feel to wield something that does not belong in this world?" Their words sent a chill through Selene, but she stood her ground.

"Who are you?" she demanded. "And what do you know about this dagger?" The stranger tilted their head slightly. "More than you do.

And if you wish to survive what's coming… you'll listen carefully."

Selene's grip tightened on her sword. There was something in the way they spoke, something that made her uneasy—as if they already knew her fate. Rylen stepped closer to her side, his muscles tense, ready to strike at a moment's notice.

But Selene hesitated. A part of her wanted to hear what this stranger had to say. Because deep down, she knew—this was only the beginning.

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