All I ever do is for your own good

I stiffened, clutching the bronze bowl as my pulse rattled in my ears. Kellan’s eyes narrowed, scanning the yard, scanning me. He was about to say something when I cut him off

“I… I couldn’t sleep,” I said nervously forcing the words out, my voice shaking. “I wanted to… see the old shrine. T- t- to think.”

His gaze sharpened. “To think, he saids with a little smile in his face almost like he can see throw my lieing soul "At this hour?” His voice was quiet, “Alone?.”

I swallowed, forcing myself to meet his eyes. “I needed… air Reflection. Nothing more.”

Kellan’s lips pressed into a thin line. He didn’t say anything more, just stared, there in silence. For a heartbeat, I thought he might see through me

"Are you done thinking?"

"Yes" I replied immediately" I would like to go back to my room now, I'm tired" I faked a yawn stretching my hands and managing to collect the dust from the table.

Kellan eyes flicked towards my hands but said nothing. He gestured towards the door and I moved slowly towards him, then the entrance. I was about exiting the room when Kellan slowly closed the door, my heart skipped a beat, he looked straight in my eyes and said “All I ever do is for your own good, Ivy, you do know that right” he said finally, his voice smooth but final, I nodded. I felt my wolf nodded as well, because his possession over me is beginning to feel strange.

With a single step, he gestured toward the palace. “Return to your chambers.”

I nodded quickly, trying to steady my shaking hands. “Yes… of course.”

Once he disappeared back toward the palace corridors, I exhaled, a shiver running through me. The dust was mine. Rowan’s trust, the key to the blue scrap, was now in my possession. My stomach twisted in excitement and fear, as the cool midnight breeze cooled my body but not my mind-every step back there to Rowan felt like I was going back to into the danger zone

The moon hung low, casting elongated shadows across the palace grounds. I moved silently, the fountains’ echoes masking my soft footfalls. Each breath I drew tasted of anticipation, of stakes higher than any I had faced before.

The bag containing the dust torn a little bit and some fell on my cloth, it had a shinny glowing purple color. The dust fall on my cloth I try to get it off but then I noticed something mysterious, it was glowing, actually glowing in the midnight darkness, even in the dimmed moonlight I saw it clearly, I try to use my hands to cover that part of my cloth because if not the light would give away my location - Rowan care towards getting the dust off

By the time I reached the hidden corridor where Lyrien awaited, the bowl pressed securely against my chest, relief washed over me, He gave a sharp, approving nod. “You did it. Careful, clever, and silent. That dust is not meant for anyone’s hands but ours.”

I forced a shaky laugh. “Careful, clever, and… terrified.”

“Good. Rowan will know what to do with it, and it will give us the advantage we need. But remember—if Kellan discovers this before we act…” He let the thought hang in the air, unspoken but terrifyingly clear.

I nodded, my fingers tightening around the pouch. Rowan had risked everything to trust me with this. I would not fail him now.

We moved swiftly through the shadowed hallways, careful to avoid the patrols and sleeping servants. The blue scrap pressed against my chest, the grey dust hidden in my cloak. Rowan waited just beyond the next corridor, chains clinking faintly, the soft scent of him pulling me forward.

“Are you ready?” Lyrien whispered.

I took a deep breath. “I’ve never been more ready.”

We went to Rowan cell, he was just there sitting and observing, trying his best not to fall asleep, I could smell his would from a mile away. He spotted us,we went closer

"Did you find it?" He asked desperately

"Yes"

" The scrap?"

I brought out both the scrap and the dust and place them on the cell floors "what is it Rowan?" I asked

He adjusted the scrap and straightened it flat on the floor,it tends to be enlargening as he sprinkled the shinny pupple dust on the list cloth "The Truth" was his reply as it began representing drawings and writing

"It's a map" Lyrien pointed out

Rowan smiled at Lyrien, "it's our way home"

"Okay so now we've gotten the map, let's go now" Lyrien demanded

" ok" Rowan responded.

Before we left Rowan called out to me, he looked me deep in my eyes "Thank you" He says scrapping off a little dust on my face gently with his index finger, "anytime" I replied, there was this silence after that, almost like the world paused, neither of us broke the stare, he was moving closer and so was I, he placed his left palm on my cheek while robbing gently, our faces were only millimeters apart from each other, we were so close to something happening. That was until Lyrien broke the moment

"THE COAST IS CLEAR" He says "WE CAN MOVE NOW!"

" Right" He said, trying to get up,his injuries delayed his movement so I help him up, and we fled away as quickly as lightening

We had successfully escaped every guard who's supposed to be watching, it was remaining the palace high fence

"This is it Rowan, we'll finally get out of this place and this would be long past tense

"Yea" Rowan replied and signed " Ivy Let's go-"

His words was cut off by an external voice from the darkness, I see shadow figures from the distance, and then I hear his voice

"All I EVER DO IS FOR YOUR OWN GOOD IVY"