Chapter 36 - Astraia

Without thinking, I slipped away from the main hall, past the gardens where couples strolled in the moonlight, beyond the formal pathways until I found myself on a familiar winding route.

The garden maze welcomed me like an old friend, its twisting paths somehow easier to navigate than my own feelings. My feet carried me automatically, turning at remembered junctions until I emerged at Shadowlight Lake.

In the equinox moonlight, the lake was even more magical than before, its surface reflecting the stars with such perfect clarity it was hard to tell where water ended and sky began. The small gazebo at the end of the dock glowed softly with twinkling lights someone had strung along its railings.

I moved to the gazebo, sitting on the cushioned bench and gazing out at the water. The quiet helped calm the storm inside me. Why was I so affected by Carson? We'd barely spent any time together, had barely talked beyond territory matters and pack business. Yet those two