เข้าสู่ระบบChapter 84The next morning, Damon watched Talia move around their room like a ghost. Her movements lacked their usual energy and he didn't like it.She had been like this since last night, moping and lost in her own thoughts.Damon stood up from his bed but she did not even notice.She just kept staring at her uniform in her hands, not actually doing anything with it.Damon walked over and gently took her hand. She flinched, looking up at him with wide eyes."Are you okay?" he asked softly.For a moment, she just stared at him then she sucked in a deep breath and shook her head.“Sage?” He called again and he didn’t miss the way her shoulders trembled, followed by a soft sniffle."What's wrong?" He whispered, leaning down to stare at her.Talia's face crumpled, then a tear rolled down her cheek and another. Damon panicked for half a second but instinct took over.He pulled her into his arms and wrapped them around her small frame, patting the back of her head."Hey, it's okay," he m
Chapter 83Talia stuttered, her mind scrambling for an explanation but she could not come up with any until something finally hit her. "I… I just heard it from one of your maids," she finally managed to say. "During one night when I was escorting you to training. She mentioned it in passing."The lie felt weak even as it left her mouth.Alina's expression showed she did not buy it. Her eyes were narrowed slightly and her lips were pursed as she studied Talia's face.She opened her mouth to speak-"Wait, you're allergic to dark chocolate?" Selene interrupted, turning sharply to face Alina.Alina's attention shifted. "Yes. I've always been."Selene's jaw dropped and she blinked rapidly. "What have you been doing with all the chocolates I've been giving you then?""My maids eat them," Alina said simply, tasting the lie on her lips. She has always ask them to throw it away."What?!" Selene shot to her feet. Her voice rang through the hall. "You've been throwing away my gifts?"Alina arch
Chapter 82Selene watched from across the assembly ground as Talia stood frozen among the other tournament participants. Derek and Alina looked shocked and Damon’s brows were furrowed, he was no doubt confused. A smirk played on Selene's lips.This was perfect .Her mind drifted back to the day before, when Damon had shown up at her door.For a moment she had thought he had finally come to his senses and realized she was the one who deserved his attention.But no… it was about Sage. Again. She almost slammed the door in his face but he pushed into her room, not even caring for courtesy."Give me the letter," Damon had said. "What letter?" she had tried to play innocent."Don't." His eyes had been hard as stone. "I know you took it from Marcus. Give it to me. Now."Selene had felt her anger boiling. But she had also seen something in Damon's expression that warned her not to push. So she had retrieved the letter from her desk drawer and handed it over, forcing herself to smile swe
Chapter 81Talia groaned in frustration and sat up from the bed, running her hands through her short hair."What do I do now?" she yelled at the empty room, lying back down on the bed with a huff.The door opened as if in response and she sighed. She knew it was Damon without looking, his soft footsteps were easily recognizable. His woody scent traveling to her nose. She did not move from her position on the bed, staring at the ceiling with a bleak look. "Hey," he said."Hey," she muttered back yet her voice was flat. He closed the door and walked further into the room. "What's wrong?""Nothing.""Are you sure about that?" He asked. She nodded, still not looking at him. "Yep. Fine. Everything's fine.""So you don't want this?"Something in his tone made her look up. He stood beside her bed, holding a folded piece of paper.Talia's eyes locked onto the paper and her chest tightened.It could not be the same letter… could it?"I got it back from Selene," Damon said simply. He tosse
Chapter 80After the announcement, students filed back toward their classrooms. The courtyard buzzed with excited chatter about the tournament but Talia's mind was racing.She looked back over her shoulder. Damon was not in sight but Selene stood with Bella and Anna, talking animatedly and gesturing with her hands. “… and I think I'll write to my parents tonight," Derek was saying beside her. "It's been a while since I updated them. They'll want to know about the tournament."She turned to him, her brows knitting together. “What?” “I said I’ll write to my parents.” Derek repeated slowly then he laughed. “Where’s your head, Sage?” Alina smiled, bumping her shoulder against her. “You’ve been staring into the space for a while. What are you thinking of?”They were bantering about what she was probably thinking of but Talia could barely breathe. Derek’s words echoed over and over in her head until she stumbled backward."Sage!" Alina grabbed her arm. "Are you okay?"Derek steadied her
Chapter 79Talia felt the air punched out of her lungs and she managed to ask. "Who?" She forced her voice to stay casual. Selene's smirk widened. "Oh, no one. Just someone I've been hearing about. Thought the name might mean something to you.""It doesn't." She said, irritated by the smirk on Selene’s face. Selene shrugged. "Hmm. If you say so." She walked past her into the classroom.Talia stood in the hallway, her heart pounding and her hands shaking. How did she know that name? There was no way that was a coincidence, not with the way she said it. She suddenly felt dizzy, she gripped the wall to steady herself, exhaling and inhaling several times. “Come on, Talia.” She whispered to herself. “Don’t let this one comment throw you off guard.” She nodded with conviction, forcing herself to walk into the classroom and act normal.Derek was sitting in his usual seat. He waved when he saw Talia and she slid into the chair beside him."Hey!" Derek smiled."Hi." She tried to smile ba







