로그인By the time the three women stepped into the carriage and shut the door, he was already gone, his presence swallowed entirely by the passage they had emerged from… now sealed behind them. The carriage lurched forward soon after, the wheels rolling over uneven earth as the soft creak of wood and the steady rhythm of movement gradually settled into quiet. Lillia leaned slightly toward the window, her gaze tracing the passing trees as light and shadow flickered across her face in slow intervals, her senses stretching outward instinctively as she took in the scent of the forest. It truly was refreshing. She remembered the days when she would venture into the forest to read her books, write, or simply to be alone when things got suffocating. Back then, her father had always found her secret spots, no matter how carefully she hid them, and even now, she still could not understand how he always managed it, even when she took great measures to mask her scent. A sad smile traced her lip
“I have to find a way.” Lillia’s smile remained true, almost apologetic as she continued. “Also, someone has to distract Caelum and Bastian. Caelum is still recovering; I cannot afford to place you all in danger.” Lillia paused with the smile still on her face, but her expression was serious, and her words were firm. “That is why I will be going alone.”“What—no.” Maera’s reply was immediate. So quick it almost overlapped Lillia’s last words. Her face tightened with disbelief as she stepped forward. “No.” She repeated, this time firmer. “Absolutely not.”Lillia opened her mouth to speak but Selene was quicker. She held Maera back and reached out to also hold Lillia. “Maera is right.” For the first time, Selene looked crossly at Lillia. Her gaze had sharpened with all traces of softness gone from her expression. “You just woke up today, and have barely recovered. We do not know what lies ahead, and after what just happened with Amelia…” Her voice faltered briefly before hardening
Lillia picked up the pendant as a low growl vibrated through her chest. She, however, did not let go. Something within her stirred in a whirlwind of pain, sadness and immense guilt as she stared at it, and still, instead of putting it away, her fingers tightened around it. “This pendant belongs to my family. That mark was seared into my mother’s body when we found her.” Seth broke the silence soon enough, but even as Lillia listened to him, his voice only sounded more distant as her entire attention was fully engrossed on the pendant and the mark.On the smooth polished black stone was a downward-facing crescent, wider and more open, almost like a cradle, and resting within it was a small spiral, delicate and tightly wound. Fine, almost invisible lines extended from the spiral’s edges toward the crescent, like threads connecting them, as though the spiral was being held, restrained from unleashing and expanding. A crescent moon… and spirals. Lillia thought deeply as Seth’s voice be
“Your Majesty, there is something you need to know about Amelia. Please follow me.”Seth did not wait for a response. He had already turned on his measured steps, but there was a stiffness to his shoulders, like a man bracing himself for something he could not avoid.Lillia followed Seth quietly out of Amelia’s bedroom. Her gaze lingered briefly on Amelia before she turned, her fingers curling slightly at her sides as though she was reluctant to leave. When they stepped out of the double doors, Seth led the way through a quieter wing of the manor with heavy silence pressing in as Lillia wondered what it was he had to say that required this much distance, and the further they walked, the quieter it became, until even their footsteps felt too loud, echoing faintly against the walls. Lillia’s brows drew slightly together, her gaze narrowing at Seth’s back, but she did not stop following him.Soon, Seth stopped before another set of double doors. “Come.” His hand hovered on the handle fo
Memories surged through her mind as a sudden tightening gripped her throat and Lillia touched her neck. She could still vividly remember Amelia’s blood shot eyes that watched her with pure animosity. She remembered the unnatural voice that echoed from her lips, the words she hated to think about, but she couldn’t stop the invasion. Lillia stilled for a moment watching the peacefully sleeping figure on the bed and a cold shudder ran down her spine, the tightening at her throat hardened.But in that same light, Lillia lowered her gaze and forced the images and thoughts to the back of her mind. She drew in a deep breath and when she was ready, she looked at Amelia again. Her chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm. There was no tension in her body, no crease upon her brow, no sign of the struggle. It seemed so natural that it felt wrong. “The healers said she’s alright. They say there’s nothing wrong with her body,” Nefertiti sat on the bed and took Amelia’s hand in hers, and this tim
Regaleon is not another Pete. He will not let such happen. Fenris rose, her presence enveloping the coldness within Lillia’s chest in a warm embrace. Besides, having seen the kind of person he is, if he wanted to dispose of you, he wouldn't buy us an extra seven days without a plan.Fenris continued firmly, every word lifting Lillia’s spirit.Why buy us time if he doesn't want anything to do with us? Why buy us time if he doesn't trust in our abilities. He wouldn’t even bother to drop information of Damiel's ploy. Have you forgotten that we were the ones that told him to sit back and watch while we prove ourselves? He is waiting for us.How could I forget? Lillia gritted her teeth as she endured the suffocating pain swelling within her heart. Strength is not forged in comfort. It is shaped in difficulty. Especially when failure is apparent. That’s what he had said. Lillia thought back quickly, realisation slamming into her mind with painful clarity.It almost felt as though he knew.
A striking pair of silver fluttered open, the moment the first ray of sunlight touched her face. And a loud rumble followed immediately from her belly. Lillia sighed, staring into space for a moment as the unfortunate ordeal of yesternight slowly sank into her consciousness. “Thank you for inviti
While the palace slumbered beneath the pale glow of the half-moon, beyond its towering gates villages lay scattered across the lowlands, their roofs dark and hearth fires dimmed. While families curled into rest after a long day of labour, night insects filled the air with a steady hum, and somewher
And then he looked away. Just like that. Regaleon’s gaze moved past her easily; as though he hadn’t just seen anything worth his attention. As though it were merely one of his attendants who had entered.Shame slapped Lillia hard, it stole her breath, and the connection she had felt snapped so ab
By the time the maidens stepped back, pride gleamed in their expressions like artists surveying a finished masterpiece, and Lillia could barely recognise herself. Her silver hair had been swept up into an elegant coil at the nape of her neck, smooth and luminous, threaded with fine strands that gli







