LOGINManolya`s POV At the palace, everybody was waiting for me outside the golden gate when Aziz appeared with me in his arms. My legs felt weak as he set me down, and I had to steady myself against the iron bars. The golden calligraphy shimmered in the sunlight, and I could hardly breathe. My stomach was still turning from the way he had dragged me through that strange realm. “I think I am going to be sick again” I said, panting and clutching my head. “How can you run that fast?” “You will get used to it,” Aziz answered simply, shrugging his shoulders as if it were nothing at all. Then he turned and walked away, slipping back into the shadows, leaving me to Pelin and Uncle Eren and the twins, Adem and Adlee. Pelin rushed to me and grabbed hold of me so tightly I thought she would never let go. Her warmth calmed my trembling. Uncle Eren’s hand rested lightly on my back, steadying me. I forced myself to whisper, “I am fine,” even though my voice sounded rough, and my throat still b
Aziz`s POV I leaned over Manolya and checked her pulse. Her skin was cool beneath my hand, and every faint beat made my chest tighten. I could still see the shadow of that creature’s hand on her throat, the way its distorted grip had lifted her off the ground. The memory disgusted me, anger simmering hot in my chest. No one had the right to touch her. No one. I pulled the blanket higher, tucking it carefully around her shoulders. It was a thick wool one I had found in the back of Eren’s shop, coarse but warm. Her breathing was shallow, her lips parted just enough to let out a weak sound. She looked fragile, but there was something in her expression, even unconscious, that struck me. A strange stillness. I sat back in the chair beside the chaise, never letting my eyes leave her. I hated that I felt compelled to stay, yet I could not bring myself to move. The spell did not bind me to this seat, and still I lingered. There was something more than duty her
Pelin`s POV We stood before the palace and the air felt different, filled with the smell of olive leaves, pine and mountain flowers. Outside the car a towering stone residence stood, a remnant from the Ottoman era, nestled halfway up the mountain. Though small compared to the grand palaces of Istanbul, it was still impressive. Many curvilinear windows adorned its façade, lending it elegance and grandeur. Decorative carvings and motifs covered the outer walls, enhancing its stately appearance. The stone, a pale royal yellow, gave it a timeless and regal aura. The tall wooden gate was inscribed with verses from the Qur’an, written in golden letters. I kept close to Adlee and Adem, my brothers, and to Uncle Eren. I had no sense of what to expect. Mr. Mehmet moved as if he belonged and led us through a wide hallway that smelled of beeswax and old wood. The light in the corridor came from small mosaic glass lamps that gave everything a honeyed glow. He stopped us in the grand
Pelin’s POV Aziz rifled through drawers and cabinets, scattering their contents with none of his usual feline grace, until he found what he sought. It was a necklace of emeralds, accompanied by chandelier earrings that glimmered faintly in the lamplight. He lifted the necklace as though it were a relic and placed it carefully over Manolya’s bruised throat. At once, the stones shimmered with a green glow, soft and steady, calming the angry swell of her wounds. “Get away from her, you beast!” Eren’s voice cracked as he stormed forward, as he was the one to enter the shop last. His eyes darted to the chaos of the shop, to the mess of overturned drawers. Fear made him reckless. “I will not let you harm her further.” Aziz did not move. His yellow eyes burned, his hands still steady on Manolya. “Stand back,” he warned. Before Eren could lunge, Mehmet raised his hand. “Wait,” he commanded. His voice was surprisingly calm. “Let me see the girl. Do not interfere.” Nobody had bothered wit
Pelin’s POV The drive away from the mill was heavy with silence. My chest still hurt from sobbing, though I tried to steady my breath. Uncle Eren’s hands clutched the wheel so tightly I thought the leather would tear. That weird smell Manolya had mentioned earlier, now I recognized it. All those foul creatures had reeked the same way. So that was what it was. Someone had tried to break in. Something disgusting had tried to sneak inside, and Aziz had just slit its throat without telling anyone. I didn’t know what was worse, that someone had tried to enter, that Aziz was probably smug about it, or that Manolya had been right about the alarm. It hadn’t gone off for nothing, but because of something unspeakable. “Sit here, Pelin,” Uncle Eren said softly, guiding me to the front seat. “Breathe. We will get through this.” I nodded, though my throat felt raw. Behind us, the forest seemed to close its branches like a curtain, hiding the mill and the horror we had just escaped. Uncl
Aziz`s POV The car was silent except for the grinding of the tires. “They have found something by the old mill. I will meet you there.” The call from Emre, Uncle Eren’s brother ended with a sharp beep. Eren struck the wheel with his palm. “Why is he always like this? Never a full sentence, never an explanation.” His knuckles went white. “Damn it, Emre.” Neither girl answered him. Pelin stared out the window. The Akyaka night clung to me, thick with the scent of pine and damp earth, as I lounged in the front seat of Eren’s creaky old Mustang. The sea breeze slipped through the slightly open window. it did nothing to ease the tension coiling in my usless cat form. Manolya and Pelin sat in the back, silent, their faces drawn after the villa’s cursed door. Manolya’s breathing slowed, her head resting against the glass. She was falling asleep. Eren’s knuckles were white on the steering wheel, his frustration clearly visible. I flicked my tail, savoring the quiet chaos of t







