LOGINZane was checking my temperature.
![]()
~Lysander~Zane was checking my temperature.Again.For the third time today.I slapped his hand away. "I don't have a fever."
~Valeria~My father walked into the kitchen holding a book that looked older than the house.Not a good sign.Books that old usually meant bad news or complicated magic or both."We need to talk about the ring," he said, setting it
~Valeria~"Excuse me?" Alerion turned slowly to face him."I said security should've been better. How did three men get into the house without anyone noticing?""I had guards posted.""Clearly not enough guards."
~Valeria~The window was open.The curtain billowing in a breeze that shouldn't exist because I knew for a fact I'd closed and locked that window before bed.I stared at it from my bed, my heart already starting to pound.Someone h
~Valeria~This stupid box was staring at me.Okay, boxes don’t stare, but this one was giving straight-up judgmental vibes. Just sitting on my desk where my dad dumped it three days ago with the most useless line ever: “Open this when you’re ready.” Ready for what? Ready to have my whole life flipped upside down? Ready to cry? Ready to scream? What kind of vague-ass nonsense is that?
~Alerion~Caius leaned back, studying me with that look that saw too much. “You’re scared shitless.”“I’m not.”“You are. I see it. You’re terrified that once she gets real power, real options, she’ll realize she doesn’t need you. Doesn’t need any of us. Admit it, bro.”
~Valeria~I never thought watching someone destroy the only photo I had of my dad would be the moment I finally snapped, but here we are.The photo I'd accidentally dropped yesterday when my bag split open in chemistry class was snatched by Lily Blake. The one I'd been frantically searching for all
~Alerion~There are moments when you realize your father sees people as chess pieces instead of human beings, and today was apparently going to be one of those days.The blind date agreement hit the desk with a sound that ruined the study's silence. Everything about it screamed transaction rather t
~Caius~I'd been in this library for two hours, supposedly researching Carson's background, but really just watching her study by the window. She turned that bronze badge over and over in her hands, eyebrows scrunched in concentration as she read through another dusty book.The Carson research had
~Valeria~If my stepfather sets me up on one more blind date, I'm literally going to snap and it's going to be his problem, not mine.Like, I'm talking about a full meltdown in the middle of whatever fancy restaurant he picks. Maybe I'll start crying about my "daddy issues" loud enough for the whol







