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| 18 | Shadows on the Path

Author: Laisha Gardner
last update Petsa ng paglalathala: 2026-06-07 00:06:12

The view from the balcony sweeps out before me, autumn sunlight painting the familiar path in shades of gold and amber. I lean against the railing, my eyes tracing the trail I used to walk almost daily. Strange how you don’t realize how much you miss something until it’s taken from you—until the very thought of it fills you with equal parts longing and dread.

I close my eyes, feeling the crisp breeze against my face, but all I can see is Tavin falling, blood blooming across his chest.

He’s aliv
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  • I Am Mustafin   ⊰ 11 ⊱ Hollow Victories

    Rain drums against the windows as we pull up to the mansion, the downpour a fitting backdrop to the tension radiating from Alaki beside me. I study her profile in the dim light of the car’s interior—the rigid set of her shoulders, the careful way she avoids meeting my gaze, the subtle tremble in her fingers as they rest against the door handle.She hasn’t spoken a word since we left Viktor’s ball. Not since I caught her watching me disappear with Tatiana behind those heavy curtains. The silence between us feels charged, like the air before lightning strikes.As Matvey opens the car door, the sound of rain grows louder, fat droplets illuminated in the security lights. I calculate my approach, deciding on casual authority—the same controlled presence that has served me well in far more dangerous situations than a wife’s silence.“Master Efrem,” Matvey says as he holds an umbrella over us, his posture perfect despite the storm.I guide Alaki toward the entrance with my hand at the small

  • I Am Mustafin   ⊰ 10.5 ⊱ Dangerous Affections

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  • I Am Mustafin   ⊰ 9 ⊱ Where Fear Once Lived

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  • I Am Mustafin   | 29 | A Fine Line

    My eyes flutter open as I inhale deeply, the comfort and warmth of the bed still embracing me. I shift to my back, turning to find the other side of the bed empty.He's gone?I sit up, briefly scanning the room before averting my gaze to the bottom of the closed bathroom door. The light is off. I'm

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