LOGIN~Valeria~ Alerion looked ready to kill him. “You are doing no such thing.”“The hell I’m not. I swore to protect her, remember? Or does that oath only matter when you’re the one talking?”Lysander snorted. “Honestly, I’d pay to watch the two of you get locked in separate rooms before this turns into a full mating season disaster.&rd
~Valeria~ “The man spent years making himself everybody’s problem. I’m not exactly crying over his turn.”I stared at all three of them in disgust. “So this is it? You hear your father is being tortured and all you have are smug little comments?”Alerion’s eyes met mine at last. “Do not make the mistake of calling him that like the
~Valeria~ Moments after the meeting ended, we were outside ready to head home when a figure suddenly flew over the outer wall and hit the ground hard.My heart dropped so fast it scared me.Who the hell was that? Was he dead? &ldqu
~Valeria~Connor folded his arms and glanced between me and Dad with open disappointment. “First, you defend them. Then you let them turn a preparation meeting into a public circus. Forgive us if we question whether either of you understands what this ceremony demands.”Zane took a step forward. “Show them respect, old man or I’ll teach you the right way to speak.”
~Valeria~ “I do not care what title or identity you think I lack,” Alerion said. “None of that changes the fact that I will protect Valeria. Your approval means nothing to me. If she wants me beside her, that is where I’ll stay.”Silence followed.
~Valeria~Dad gathered the royal old troops for a preparation meeting for my restoration ceremony, and one scornful look thrown at the guys told me they were not welcome here.“What exactly are Cassian’s sons doing here?” one of the troops demanded. “Guards, send them out.”Zane let out a hum
~Zane~The rooftop looked perfect, sunflowers everywhere because Valeria had mentioned once that they reminded her of summer days when she was little. String lights I'd hung myself because I'm not paying some decorator to half-ass something this important. And the strawberry cake from that bakery d
~Valeria~Getting called to my mom's room at ten PM usually meant one of two things: either I was in trouble, or she was about to give me another lecture about "being grateful" for everything Cassian had done for us.Tonight felt different though. When I knocked and she told me to come in, her voic
~Valeria~The photo felt like it was burning a hole in my backpack as I walked back to the library the next day.I'd spent the entire night staring at it, trying to convince myself I was imagining things. But every time I looked at that little girl's posture, the way she leaned into the man's prote
~Caius~I'd seen enough interrogations to recognize when someone was fishing for information, and Michael was practically casting a net every time he talked to Valeria.The kid was good though. Had that perfect balance of casual interest and helpful concern that made people want to spill their secr







