Mag-log inMeanwhile, back in the mansion, Morvienne sat on the edge of her bed, the silence of the room pressing in on her. She remained perfectly still, her ears pricked for the sound of footsteps in the hallway as she waited for him. She expected Kael to burst through the door, demanding answers and grilling her until her facade cracked or maybe just come in and want to talk, but she expected him. "There is no way he wouldn't be a little suspicious," she thought, her mind racing. "But... How was I caught?" she wondered, brow furrowing. "I had been careful, silent. How?" The realization that he had been standing right there, waiting for her, left a bitter taste of uncertainty in her mouth. "Had he finally connected the dots? But he seemed shocked when he saw it was me.""What if he connects the dots?""I wouldn't be surprised. Kael is not to be underestimated.""What do I care? He'll find out soon anyway." Still, the thought that he might already know she was the one behind everything ma
Morvienne didn't linger afterward. Once their discussion was over, she turned and left, vanishing back into the oppressive silence of the woods, her mind already shifting gears from the cold strategist back to the fragile, naive girl the pack and Kael believed her to be. The moment she entered the pack through the secret path, her hood was pulled back before she could even blink. The cool night air hit her face, and she froze. Her eyes widened, her breath hitching in her throat as she looked up.Kael was standing directly in front of her. His expression wasn't one of anger, but of profound, jarring confusion. He looked at her as if she were a stranger, his eyes searching hers."What— it's you?" he breathed, confused. "Morvienne? What— what are you doing here? Why are you using this path in the middle of the night?" For a split second, irritation flashed through her at being caught, but she quickly hid it and slumped her shoulders, her gaze dropping to the forest floor, and her expr
Dinner was a sterile affair. The dining room, which was usually a place of warmth and shared laughter, felt cavernous and cold. The only sounds were the rhythmic clinking of silverware against porcelain, nothing else. Kael watched Morvienne across the table. She was eating, but it seemed mechanical. She was also not sitting close to him like before. Trying to bridge the growing chasm between them, he cleared his throat and attempted a light topic. "How's dinner? Enjoying it?" He looked at her, hoping for a flicker of excitement, a small smile, anything. But she didn't look up from her plate. She chewed slowly and swallowed. "Mm."Kael's smile faltered. "Just... mm? Are you not enjoying it? I can tell them to make something else.""No, no," she quickly said and looked up then, finally meeting his eyes for a brief second before glancing back down. "I am enjoying it." Kael nodded. "That's good," he murmured as the conversation died there. He tried once or twice more to bring up smal
"I can't believe you're leaving already," Morvienne whispered, her voice filled with sadness as she wrapped her arms tightly around Thalira, pulling her into a tight hug. "Me too," Thalira murmured, hugging her back just as tightly. After a long moment, she pulled back slightly, her eyes searching Morvienne's. "Don't worry, we'll definitely see each other again, right?" Morvienne managed a soft smile and nodded. "Definitely."A few days had passed since her emotional collapse. She had made her decision, and today was the day Thalira was leaving.As they made their way through the hallway toward the front door, Kael stepped forward, his expression composed, but his eyes were observant, tracking every micro-expression on Morvienne's face. "My regards to your father," he told Thalira, his voice steady and formal. Thalira looked at him, her expression softening into one of sincere gratitude. "Of course. Thank you again for letting me stay. I really enjoyed my time here," she said seri
"I love him."The thought surfaced, unbidden and terrifying, and it hit her with the force of a physical blow if not worse. She recoiled, her back hitting the door with a dull thud as her heart hammered against her ribs like that of a trapped animal."No. I don't. I can't."She tried to push the feeling back, to shove it into the dark corners of her mind where she kept the screams and the blood, but it was too late. The love was there, a living, breathing thing, entwined with the memory of his laughter, the way he looked at her as if she were the only light in a dark world, and the tenderness of his touch. She could still feel the phantom sensation of his fingers tracing her jaw, the sincerity in his voice when he told her she didn't have to fight alone. And then, the shift happened. The warmth vanished, replaced by a sudden, visceral wave of nausea. The memory of his kiss, which seconds ago had felt like salvation, now felt like a violation. She felt a surge of absolute disgust—not
"First," Kael murmured. "I think we start by ignoring every single email, phone call, and obligation on my calendar for the next twenty-four hours."Morvienne let out a genuine laugh, the sound bright and airy. "I would like to see how that goes, although you can't just vanish.""Watch me," he countered, a playful glint in his eyes as he reached out, his fingers grazing her jawline before sliding back to cup the nape of her neck. He pulled her in slowly, not for a passionate kiss, but for one of those lingering, forehead-to-forehead moments where the only sound was the synchronized rhythm of their breathing.For those few seconds, Morvienne allowed herself to forget. She forgot everything about the hatred and revenge in her heart, the anger, the pain. In this bubble, there was only his scent, his intoxicating grape red wine scent, mixed with the warmth of his skin. She leaned into him, her eyes fluttering shut."I can't do this," she thought, even as she tightened her grip on his shir
Morvienne's back was pressed lightly against the cold wall of the secluded passageway, her heart beating loudly as she tried to calm down and stop panicking, while the person still kept his hand over her mouth to make sure she wouldn't scream."Okay," he said quietly, his voice low. "I will let go
"Can't I visit an old friend?" Sevrin asked with a confident smile as if the tension in the room did not exist."We both know friends are far from what we are," Kael answered. "And your time of visitation is no surprise to me. You always do things the wrong way, and I will let you know that your co
For several days, Morvienne had remained in her room, confined by her Surge. Lina had been the only one to bring her food and tend to her needs, always respectful and always sweet. Morvienne really enjoyed her company, and Kael had not visited, which was very much expected as she also did not want h
After nearly thirty minutes, Morvienne's lashes fluttered and she finally opened her eyes slowly, gazing ahead with a soft, unfocused stare, as though she still had so many thoughts deep inside her mind.She shifted in the bath, letting her body rise slightly as water rippled around her in small wa







