LOGIN[ RAEGON ]“Aysel.”I call her name the moment as she steps out of the car after me, walking straight toward the packhouse main building with her maid.She slows down and stops but doesn’t turn around. Instead, she whispers something to her maid. The girl nods and continues on her way. Pandora passes by next, patting Aysel’s arm gently and offering her a small smile before she too disappears inside, leaving the two of us alone in the courtyard.I stand a few paces behind her.Aysel exhales deeply, then finally turns to face me. Her expression is calm and soft, the same gentle mask she always wears.Bullshit.Does she really think she can fool me with that pretty face when I spent the entire ride watching her struggle to bury her anger?I walk closer until I’m only a foot away, towering over her. She keeps her eyes downcast, refusing to meet mine.“Are you mad at me?” The words come out softer than I intend. Gods. Since when do I speak to anyone like this? This gentle, careful, alm
[ AYSEL ]“So, what do you say?” Sylas asks, still wearing that arrogant grin as he stares down at me. “Just one word, Aysel. Say yes, and I’ll make you my—”I snatch my wrist from his grip with so much force that he staggers backward.His smile vanishes instantly. He stares at me like I am a stranger.“What the hell?” He spits.“The next time you lay your hands on me,” I hiss, glaring straight into his eyes, “or speak such disgusting words to me again, I swear by the gods, I will make you regret it.”I turn to leave, but he yanks me back violently, fingers digging painfully into my arm. His eyes burn with rage.“How dare you speak to me like that? Who the fuck do you think you are now?”“Let go of me!” I struggle, but his grip only tightens.Behind me, Ria ignores my earlier warning and rushes forward, trying to pull his hand away. Sylas shoves her hard. She crashes into the wall and falls to the ground.I glare at him with pure rage.“You are the same bastard I caught fucking my s
[ AYSEL ]“Who told you that?” Father asks after a long minute of stunned silence. His face is pale as chalk as he stares at me.“I lost my medications, Father.” I watch fear flash across his eyes as I say that. “For the first time in my life, I haven’t been taking them for weeks now.”“Weeks?” His voice shakes. “And you didn’t think to send me a message immediately? I would have sent them right away!”I swallow hard. And I can’t help but wonder: what exactly is he angry about? That I didn’t care enough about my health to replace my medication as soon as I lost it? Or that losing my medication somehow reveals that there’s something else I might not be aware of.I reply him anyway. “The elder royal physician ran every test possible. None of them showed any sign of a congenital heart condition. He is the best in all the packs. That is why I came here myself to ask you.” I hold his gaze. “Father… what is really wrong with me? Is there something you’re not telling me?”Fear fills his ey
[ AYSEL] Just as I brace myself for the splash of water and squeeze my eyes shut, someone pushes me back forcefully. To my shock, the water crashes down but doesn’t touch me.My eyes fly open.Ria stands right in front of me, completely drenched from head to toe in soapy water. She had shoved me aside and taken the hit instead.“Ria.” I gasp and I rush to her, checking her over. She is completely soaked through.My jaw clenches hard. I whip my head toward Valerie, rage burning hot in my veins. For a second, I am tempted to grab the nearest bucket and throw it right back at her so she can feel what it is like.But I stop myself. That is not why I came here. If I want this visit to be quick and clean so I can return to Emberglade immediately, I need to stay in control.Besides, neighbors and passersby have already gathered. They watch the scene with eager eyes, whispering loudly among themselves.“Is that not the cursed witch? Why is she back?” One mutters.Another replies, “Maybe t
[ AYSEL ]It has been two days, and the royal elder physician keeps delivering the same result: I have no heart condition.The medications he gave me ease some of the symptoms, but they do not cure me. At night, my body still burns with unbearable heat. Sharp headaches come and go, and stabbing pain shoots through my lower belly without warningToday, I have made up my mind. Since the royal physician cannot help me, I will go to Lumiville and see my father. At least he can get me the right medications.The idea of returning to Lumiville sits like a stone in my stomach, but I convince myself it will only take a few hours. I will go and come straight back to Emberglade.While Poppy and Ria help me pack a few things for the short trip, I try to find Raegon to tell him I am leaving. Unfortunately, I learn he left the pack early this morning for an important external meeting in another pack.Disappointed, I leave a message with Poppy to give him if he returns before I do. Then I set off
[ AYSEL ] “Is everything okay?” I ask the elder physician, watching him closely.He has been staring at the same five copies of my test results for the past ten minutes, eyes narrowed, brows deeply furrowed, as if the words on the paper are written in a foreign language.It has been over an hour since the results arrived, and he keeps going back and forth— leaving my chamber, returning to his lab, and coming back again. He prints the results repeatedly, like he cannot understand what he is seeing.“Uh…” He finally looks up at me and clears his throat. He straightens his posture, but the confused frown remains on his face. “It’s just that… the test results show no diagnosis of any congenital heart condition.”I stare at him, completely lost.“What are you trying to say?” I ask.He scans the papers one last time, then shakes his head and meets my eyes. “From these results, you have no trace of a heart problem. In fact, your current symptoms are clear signs of an incoming heat.” He pa
[ AYSEL ] Almost an hour later, our car comes to a smooth stop in front of the grand tower standing tall in the middle of the pack square. The moment we step out, my lips part on their own. I stare up. The building rises into the night like something straight out of a dream. Light spills from
[ AYSEL ]As I try to figure out how to replace my medication, time keeps moving, and the Ancestors’ Flame Festival draws closer with each passing day. The entire Emberglade is buzzing with excitement. Everywhere I turn, I see people preparing, whispering, laughing, and planning.Young women flood
[ AYSEL ] “Astrea was the weapon that shattered Raegon and Kaelor’s bond for good.” Pandora says quietly.She breaks eye contact and sits straighter, her gaze fixed ahead as though she’s watching the past unfold on the road before us. “Very few people in this generation know the full story. My fat
[ AYSEL ]Pandora and I do just that.What was supposed to be a simple shopping stop somehow turns into hours of walking around the boutique, debating which dress flatters her shoulders more and which color makes her look less like she’s about to march into battle. We argue about authors and ficti







