The Dare That Changed Everything

Arvanya's POV:

Nico spun the bottle, and my stomach sank. I knew this was the trap they had set for me, a game meant to dig up things I wasn't ready to share. The bottle spun faster than I anticipated, and I immediately knew they would try to use their tricks—Esme, Calen, or maybe even Lucian, who could use his air elemental abilities to stop the bottle in front of me. He didn't seem too eager to play this stupid game, but I knew he could make it happen.

As the bottle spun wildly, I summoned my air dragon. With a small push of air pressure, I guided the bottle just enough to make it feel as if the spin was out of my control. But I could sense someone else was influencing the bottle's direction. Was it Esme, Calen, or Lucian? They were the only ones with the power to stop it.

Suddenly, the bottle slowed, coming to a stop right in front of me. I pushed just a little more to make it seem like it wasn't me, and with a soft twist, it moved, coming to a final halt right in front of Lila.

The group stared at the bottle, puzzled. I kept my face neutral, pretending like I had no idea what had just happened.

"Well, Lila, looks like you're our first target," I said with a grin.

Sofia turned to Lila, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "So, what do you want to choose? Truth or dare?"

Lila's expression remained calm, but there was a slight hesitation in her eyes before she responded. "Truth," she said firmly, a playful yet confident smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "I choose truth."

Sofia raised an eyebrow, her grin widening. "Fine. But you have to tell us the absolute truth, no cheating, okay?"

Lila nodded, her smile never wavering. "Okay, I'm not scared of hiding anything."

The air around us shifted as Ryker leaned forward, his gaze fixed on Lila. There was something playful yet possessive in his tone when he spoke. "I'll ask then. How many boyfriends have you had before?"

Lila met Ryker's gaze, her eyes softening just slightly as she considered the question. After a moment, she replied with a small shrug. "I had one. It didn't last long, more than two months. We weren't in a serious relationship."

Ryker raised an eyebrow at her, and his lips pressed into a thin line. Lila leaned in and placed a soft kiss on his cheek, her voice light but firm. "Don't take it to heart, Ryker. It wasn't serious."

Ryker's face softened, a smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah, yeah. Got it."

Nico, sensing the need to steer the game forward, grabbed the bottle with an exaggerated flourish. “Alright, enough drama. Let’s get this show moving!” he announced, spinning the bottle with such enthusiasm that it nearly toppled over.

Everyone leaned in, eyes glued to the bottle as it spun. I glanced at Calen out of the corner of my eye. His overly focused expression almost made me laugh. He was staring at the bottle like his life depended on it, as though sheer willpower would guide it in front of me.

Oh, he was definitely up to something. Trying so hard to stop the bottle in front of me—it was almost endearing. Almost.

Fine. If they think they can outsmart me with this silly little game and dig out my secrets, let’s play. I straightened myself, a sly smile tugging at my lips. They wanted to play? Then I’d show them exactly how it’s done.

I gave the bottle the tiniest nudge with my elemental power, just enough to shift its direction. It slowed down and, to my immense satisfaction, stopped right in front of Calen. His jaw dropped, and I had to fight the urge to burst out laughing.

"What?!" Calen exclaimed, looking between the bottle and me like it had betrayed him. "No way. How—?"

"Oh, would you look at that!" I said, feigning innocence as I leaned back with a triumphant grin. "The bottle's spoken, Calen. Fate has chosen you."

The others started chuckling, and I could see Calen's brain spinning, trying to figure out what just happened. "This—this doesn't make sense. It's rigged."

"Rigged?" I raised an eyebrow, smirking. "You're not scared of a little truth or dare, are you, Calen?"

He crossed his arms, trying to save face. "Of course not."

I leaned in, resting my chin on my hand, and smirked at Calen. "So, what's it going to be, Calen? Truth or dare?"

He hesitated for a moment, clearly weighing his options. "Dare," he finally said, trying to sound confident but failing to hide the slight quiver in his voice.

Perfect. This was going to be fun. I leaned back and grinned. "Okay, Calen, here's your dare: stand up, do three chicken dances, and end it with your best opera impression."

Hearing my dare, everyone burst into laughter, the room erupting into cheers and jeers.

Calen's eyes widened. "You're joking, right?"

I arched an eyebrow. "Does it look like I'm joking? If you're not ready to do it, then what's the point of playing this game?" I made a move to stand up, pretending to call the game off, but before I could, Esme chimed in with a sly grin.

"Come on, Calen. It's not that big of a deal. Just do it already," she said, nudging him with a playful shove.

I knew their plan—they were determined to keep me in this game, hoping to catch me slipping. But fine, if they wanted to play, I'd play.

Calen groaned like the weight of the world was on his shoulders, but he stood up anyway. "Alright, alright, I'll do it. But remember, this is war. I'm coming for all of you."

The circle cheered and clapped as he reluctantly stepped into the middle, the sound of laughter already building.

With a dramatic sigh, he started flapping his arms, squawking in the most exaggerated chicken voice possible. "Bawk-bawk-bawk! Baaawwwwk!" He hopped in place, wiggling his hips awkwardly, then spun in a circle like a chicken that had lost its way.

Sofia, sitting next to Zane, was already clutching her sides with laughter. Zane leaned into her, grinning. "I've seen a lot of things, but this...this is pure gold."

The group was in stitches, but when Calen flailed his arms with extra enthusiasm, lifted one leg, and let out an ear-piercing "BAAAWWWWKKKKK!" like a chicken having an existential crisis, I nearly fell over from laughing.

Dante leaned back, laughing so hard his shoulders shook. "Oh, this is amazing. Please, someone record this."

Kai, barely able to contain his own laughter, wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. "Calen, I didn’t know you had a second calling as a farm entertainer!"

"Alright, now the opera part," I managed to say, my laughter making the words come out uneven and breathless.

Calen groaned again but took a dramatic pose, one hand on his chest and the other raised like he was on a grand stage. "La-la-LAAAA!" he warbled, his voice cracking at the high note.

That was it. I lost it. I was laughing so hard I could barely breathe. It was so bad that Sofia was leaning against Zane for support, her face buried in his shoulder as she tried to muffle her laughs.

Nico's laugh turned into a snort, which only made Lila crack up harder. Ryker was holding his stomach, shaking his head at Calen's tragic attempt at opera. Esme clapped her hands, tears rolling down her face. I leaned back, trying to catch my breath, but the laughter kept bubbling up.

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I was laughing so hard I didn't even notice how close I'd leaned into Lucian. His hand rested casually on my shoulder, his lips curved in a grin as he watched the chaos unfold.

But then his gaze shifted to me, and I felt our mate bond stir. The connection sent a jolt through me, and for a moment, I thought I might lose control of the emotions swirling inside.

Realizing how close I was, I quickly straightened up, my cheeks warming. Thankfully, everyone else was still too distracted by Calen's ridiculous performance to notice. But Lucian wasn't distracted. He wasn't laughing anymore. His gaze lingered on me, intense and unwavering, making my heart race in a way I wasn't ready to admit.

Kai, still chuckling, raised an eyebrow at Calen, who was now attempting to perform some kind of opera as a chicken. "Seriously, man, you're going to summon every chicken in the vicinity with that act," Kai said, wiping away tears of laughter. "You better stop before we all end up in stitches."

Calen, dramatically bowing, stopped mid-flap and plopped down into his seat with a huff. "Fine, I'll save my performance for Broadway," he muttered, crossing his arms like a sulking diva.

Nico, still snickering, looked around the room. "Let's keep it moving before Calen decides to break out into an entire musical number."

As the bottle spun, it slowed dangerously close to me. I didn’t even blink, my attention fully on it. With a subtle focus, I summoned a whisper of my elemental power, gently nudging the bottle with a breeze. It slid past me and stopped perfectly in front of Zane.

I leaned back, an innocent smirk tugging at my lips. "Well, well, Zane. Looks like it’s your turn." I said to him.

“Well, Zane, truth or dare?” Sofia asked, her tone deceptively sweet but her eyes gleaming with mischief.

Zane crossed his arms, clearly weighing his options. “Truth,” he said finally, with an air of confidence.

The room collectively gasped in mock disbelief.

“Truth? Really?” Calen shook his head, laughing. “You’re scared, aren’t you?”

Zane rolled his eyes but smirked. “Not scared, just smart. I’ve seen what you guys come up with for dares. No way am I doing a chicken dance or something equally humiliating. I can’t trust any of you.”

“You’ve got a point,” Dante said, grinning. “But picking truth with Sofia asking the question? That’s just as dangerous, man.”

“Yeah, truth might actually be worse,” Nico added, nudging Zane playfully.

Sofia tilted her head, her smile growing. “Alright, Zane. Out of all your past girlfriends, which one was your favorite and why?”

The group roared with laughter and “ooohs,” and Zane groaned, running a hand through his hair.

“Really, Sofia?” Zane shot her a look of mild exasperation. “Couldn’t pick something easier?”

“Nope,” Sofia replied with a grin. “We’re all ears.”

At that moment, I noticed Lucian’s soft chuckle, his arms casually crossed as he observed the chaos around him. There was a faint curve to his lips, and his eyes seemed to glimmer with amusement. When I glanced at him, his gaze shifted briefly to meet mine, and I felt a strange flutter in my chest. His expression was calm but knowing, like he could see right through me.

“What?” he said, his voice low but teasing as he caught me staring.

I quickly shook my head and looked away, focusing back on Zane as he sighed heavily, drawing out the suspense.

“Alright, fine,” Zane finally said. “Honestly, I didn’t have a favorite. Sure, I dated a lot, but none of them were serious. It was just... casual.”

“Casual?” Sofia echoed, her brow arching as she leaned forward. “So, you’re saying not a single one left an impression on you?”

“Exactly,” Zane replied, meeting her gaze steadily. “None of them. That’s the truth.”

Sofia’s lips curved into a sly smile. “Hmm. I guess that makes sense. You were probably waiting for someone who could handle your... complicated self.”

The group burst into laughter again, and Zane groaned, clearly regretting his choice.

“She’s not wrong,” Nico said, smirking. “Complicated is an understatement, Zane.”

“Careful, Nico,” Zane shot back, grinning now. “You’re next if that bottle lands on you.”

Amid the laughter, I glanced back at Lucian. He was still watching, his focus now shifting between the group and me. His amusement lingered, but there was something else in his expression—curiosity, maybe? Or was it something deeper?

I wasn’t sure, but his presence always seemed to pull at me, the mate bond stirring quietly beneath the surface. I quickly looked away again, hoping my face didn’t betray the warmth spreading through me.

Like this, every time the bottle spun, and Nico flicked it with that exaggerated flair, I used my powers subtly to redirect its path. They had clearly set this game up to target me, but now, it had become a hilarious distraction. Everyone seemed to have forgotten their original goal, and I found myself laughing along, forgetting the countless thoughts that had been weighing on my mind.

Nico spun the bottle again, and I did the same thing again, steering it away from myself. It wobbled, slowed, and finally stopped—right in front of Lucian.

My eyes widened as the room collectively reacted, a mix of surprise and curiosity in their expressions. Of all people, the bottle had to land on him. I glanced at Lucian nervously, only to find him already looking at the bottle before his gaze lifted to meet mine. But when I smirked, he raised a brow, almost as if he knew I’d done something.

Zane let out a laugh. “Oh, this just got interesting! Lucian, what’s it gonna be? Truth or dare?”

Ryker joined in, adding mock seriousness, “Careful, Your Highness. Choose wisely, or we’ll make you regret it.”

Lucian leaned back slightly, his posture relaxed, but his gaze locked onto mine. It was like he was daring me without saying a word.

“Truth,” he said, his tone even but with a challenging edge.

The group erupted into laughter and teasing.

“Truth? Really? The great Lucian picking truth?” Calen chuckled, shaking his head. “I didn’t see that coming.”

Dante smirked. “He’s playing it safe. Smart move, honestly. The dares in this group are brutal.”

Lucian didn’t respond to them. His focus was still on me, like he was waiting for my question. And I was ready to rise to the challenge.

I opened my mouth, ready to ask something, but Esme jumped in before I could speak. “Oh, I’ve got one!” She leaned forward with a sly grin. “Were you serious about Celeste?”

The room fell silent. Even Zane and Ryker, who’d been laughing moments ago, went quiet. Everyone’s attention was on Lucian.

My heart thumped at her question. I didn’t know why I wanted to hear his answer so badly, but I did. A part of me feared what he might say. What if his answer hurt me?

Lucian’s jaw tightened slightly, and for a moment, he didn’t respond. The pause stretched on, the tension in the circle palpable.

Finally, he spoke, his voice measured but firm. “No. I wasn’t serious about Celeste.”

The words hit me like a bolt of lightning. I blinked, unable to hide my shock. He wasn’t serious about Celeste?

The circle erupted into murmurs and low laughs, Zane grinning as he leaned back. “Ouch. That’s cold, man. Just casual, then?”

Lucian’s lips curved slightly, almost into a smirk. “Let’s just say it was nothing meaningful.”

Sofia raised an eyebrow, her tone teasing. “Guess even princes have their flings.”

The group chuckled, the tension easing as the teasing began again. But I couldn’t shake my surprise. His words played over in my mind, each one landing harder than I expected.

Unable to resist, I stole a glance at Lucian. My gaze traveled to his face, searching for any hint of regret or hesitation in his expression. But before I could study him further, I froze—he was already looking at me.

His dark eyes locked onto mine, steady and unwavering, as if he had been waiting for me to meet his gaze. There was no trace of humor in his expression now, only a calm intensity that sent a shiver down my spine.

I quickly looked away, my cheeks warming under the weight of his gaze. My heart raced, and I struggled to compose myself, letting out a soft laugh to blend back in with the group. But even as the banter resumed around me, I could still feel his eyes on me, a silent presence that refused to be ignored.

The group’s laughter filled the room, but Lucian’s voice cut through the noise as he leaned back slightly, his expression calm yet commanding. “Alright, Nico. Spin the bottle.”

Nico, still chuckling, reached for the bottle. “Here we go,” he said, spinning it with a flourish. Lucian’s face remained unreadable, his sharp features showing only a faint hint of amusement—a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

I couldn’t resist. As the bottle began to slow, I subtly used my air power to nudge it again, aiming to redirect its course. But this time, something felt... different. I had barely done anything, just a slight indulgence, and yet the bottle spun farther than I expected, completing another round before finally stopping.

It pointed directly at me.

My eyes widened in shock, and before I could say anything, the circle erupted in laughter. Zane and Ryker were practically howling, and Sofia clapped her hands in delight.

“What just happened?” I muttered, looking around, my mind racing. But when I turned to Lucian, I froze.

He was smirking, his gaze locked onto me with a glint of mischief that said everything. He knew. Somehow, he’d manipulated the bottle, turning my trick back on me.

“Looks like it’s your turn, Aria,” Kai said, grinning wickedly. “So, what will it be—truth or dare?”

I glanced at Calen, narrowing my eyes playfully. “I don’t want to do a chicken dance,” I said, deadpan.

The group roared with laughter, Calen included, though he shook his head like he couldn’t believe I’d thrown his performance back at him. Lucian’s smirk widened slightly, his eyes sparkling with a mix of amusement and challenge.

“Well?” Sofia pressed, still grinning. “Truth or dare?”

The laughter around me began to die down as everyone turned their attention to me. I looked at each of them in turn, my heart racing. They were all watching me intently, their eyes filled with anticipation. When my gaze finally landed on Lucian, I found him already looking at me, his expression calm but his smirk still firmly in place.

I knew if I chose truth, they’d jump at the chance to dig into the things I was hiding—things I wasn’t ready to share, not with them. Some things were meant to stay hidden, at least for now.

“Dare,” I said finally, trying to sound confident.

The group exchanged amused glances, their eyes glinting with mischief, and I instantly regretted my choice. Ryker leaned forward with that same wicked grin, clearly enjoying himself. "Alright, Aria, here's your dare: make Lucian laugh. If you can't get him to laugh, you have to kiss him."

The circle fell into complete silence. Everyone froze, their eyes wide with shock, including me. My mouth opened, but no words came out.

Lucian’s gaze shifted to Ryker, his expression unreadable, though the slight tension in his jaw didn’t go unnoticed. I could feel the heat rushing to my cheeks, and the weight of everyone’s stares only made it worse.