Chapter 6

On the day my death plan began, I opened my phone for the last time.

The first thing I saw was Lia's newest video. She sat on the plush bed in the master bedroom, dressed in my favorite moon-silver gown and wearing the moonstone necklace I had given her.

Behind her were the moon lamps I had chosen myself, my mother's silver gauze curtains, and the cabinet where I used to keep my jewelry.

Soren was lighting the birthday candles for her. Kaiden stood beside her, lowering his head to straighten the shawl around her shoulders.

The video was short. So was the caption.

[Thank you to the most important people in my life.]

I stared at that line for a long time, and my heart slowly settled.

So my room, my gown, and all the years I had waited had become decorations for her birthday.

I checked the time. The ship at North Harbor would be leaving soon. In the end, I still decided to speak to them one last time.

I called Kaiden.

Lia answered. Her voice was bright, with no trace of illness.

“Freya, are you looking for Kaiden?”

“He and Soren are preparing my birthday ceremony. They're probably too busy to take your call.”

In the background, Soren called, “Lia, come cut the cake.”

Kaiden said something too, his voice carrying that familiar low edge I knew so well.

Lia lowered her voice, unable to hide her satisfaction.

“By the way, Freya, I helped clean up those boxes you left in the master bedroom.”

“Soren said they looked unlucky.”

“Kaiden said keeping an old ring wasn't good either.”

My grip on the phone slowly loosened. So he did not want the moonstone ring either.

I had once thought it was a promise. Now it was nothing more than an eyesore.

Lia was still asking, “Freya, is there anything you want me to tell them?”

All I said was, “No.”

After the call ended, only the wind was left in the old cabin.

I opened my email and attached everything I had gathered: the casualty list from the southern attack, the proof that Lia had stolen real Lia’s name, and the recording of that phone call.

I addressed the email to Kaiden and Soren, then scheduled it to be sent the following day.

Once it was done, I turned off my phone and changed into the black dress I had prepared. Then I picked up the torch and hurled it at the cabin without a trace of regret, watching as the flames roared into the sky.

Goodbye, my love.

Goodbye, my brother.

I looked back one last time, then turned and left.

......

At the same time, in the master bedroom, Kaiden stood by the window with a dull ache spreading through his chest. His wolf paced restlessly inside him, claws scraping at the edge of his mind, as if something important was slipping out of reach.

Lia came over with a slice of cake.

"Kaiden, what are you thinking about?"

Kaiden snapped back to himself, but his gaze moved past her and landed on the wooden box she had tossed onto the floor.

The lid sat half-open. Inside, there was almost nothing left except a scrap of paper with its edges burned black.

He bent down and picked it up. For some reason, Freya's face in the archive hall flashed through his mind.

She had been pale, her lips nearly colorless, yet when she said, "No need," she had sounded almost painfully calm.

She had cared about the Marking Ceremony more than anything. Even after he postponed it seven times, she would still ask with red eyes whether the next time would count.

But this time, when he offered to hold it again, she did not want it.

Soren followed his gaze and saw the wooden box too. His heart sank..

When Freya was little, she loved boxes like that. She would tuck away the moonstones he gave her and the crooked wooden ring Kaiden carved, hiding them one by one.

Now the box was on the floor, discarded by Lia.

And Freya was nowhere to be seen.

The room was warm with birthday candles and soft lamps, but the longer Soren stood there, the more uneasy he became. At last, he picked up his coat.

"I'm going to the old cabin."

Kaiden looked up. Their eyes met, and each saw the same panic in the other.

After a brief silence, Kaiden said, "I'll go with you."

Lia chased them to the door and clung to Soren's sleeve, sounding hurt.

"Soren, where are you going? Today is my birthday."

For the first time, Soren did not comfort her. He pulled his arm back, panic roughening his voice. "I'm going to find Freya."

Lia's face went white for a moment.

"Freya is grown. She should be fine, right?"

Kaiden stopped and looked back at her. That look was cold enough to make Lia bite her lip and fall silent.

When they reached the old cabin behind the northern slope, a heavy rain had just beaten the fire down. Only blackened beams and ruins remained.

Both Kaiden and Soren stood there, unable to take a step forward for a long time.

The fire drew a large crowd, and people began whispering among themselves.

“I heard a woman was living there. After the rain finally put out the fire, all they found were scraps of her clothing. There wasn’t even a body left.”

Kaiden and Soren went pale at the same time.