로그인“Do you remember what he looked like?”“It’s all a blur. Sorry.”I nodded slowly, looking around again. I spotted Max on the other side of the yard, returning to his work with a group of other males.“What’s the labor for?” I asked. “Are we building something?”“We think it’s for an army. The stone
Natalia’s POVBy the end of the first hour, my shoulders were burning and my palms had gone from sore to numb. The rock I’d been assigned to break with a heavy pickaxe was dense and black, and I was expected to break it into small pieces, then place them on a large wagon. One of those awful gray thi
A pair of figures crossed our path as we walked across the roadway. We fell into step behind them naturally, matching their pace. Neither of them looked back.The water trough was near the center of the settlement. I spotted a short line of people standing in front of it. It wasn’t running water, bu
Natalia’s POVI jerked awake with a gasp.The red sky was the same as it always was. Max was curled on his side a few feet away, still asleep, his chest rising and falling slowly. Nothing had moved. Nothing had changed.I pressed my hand flat against the ground and steadied my breathing.The vision
Natalia’s POVThe report came back the following morning. I’d hardly slept that night, which was strange for me; usually, sleep came quickly and efficiently, serving purely as a means to regain my energy for another day of hard work.But last night, I kept tossing and turning. That pull in my chest
“It’s no use!” I heard her voice call after me. “He’s already gone, you stupid bitch! He’s not who you think he is anymore! You’ll all die here!”Her words struck me somewhere deep and painful, but I kept running. We didn’t stop until the hovel was well out of sight. Only then, once we were certain
NATALIAThe world slowed to a syrupy drag as I stood dripping beside the pool, every eye in the room drawn to me like moths to a flame. My soaked gown clung to my legs, heavy and cold. I could feel the mascara streaking down my cheeks, the foundation long gone, leaving only bare skin and truth.The
But as I reached the corridor that curved toward the front gate, someone stepped into my path.Lilith.Her mask of politeness was gone now. Her lips were curled back, her voice a snarl.“You think you’re clever,” she said. “Pretending to be dead, crawling back in here on Damon’s arm like some tragic
“You’ll always been the Moonshadow Luna to me,” I gave a light laugh. In my mind, Natalia didn’t—never existed. The sooner she was forgotten by everyone—the better.She clipped a dead bloom with practiced precision. “Hmm,” she hummed. “So you’re back,” she said. “In his life.” She didn’t sound enthu
I should have expected this, and inwardly chided myself for not showering before seeing the twins. I had just been so excited to see them that it had slipped my mind.“No, I didn’t see your dad,” I lied, hating how bitter it tasted on my tongue. “But…” I hesitated for a moment, then made a decision.







