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Chapter 14

Penulis: Mary Anthony
last update Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-04-01 19:07:49

As the morning wore on, the kitchen grew busier, with the other servants and cooks arriving to start their day's work. My boss finally left me alone, turning his attention to the day's menu and the preparations for the warriors' meals.

But I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that lingered long after my boss's taunts had stopped. The noise outside my tent, the general's strange behavior and sudden disappearance, and my boss's malice all combined to leave me feeling on edge, wondering what the day would bring.

As I worked, I caught glimpses of the warriors outside, their laughter and shouts carrying on the wind. They seemed carefree, oblivious to the tensions that simmered beneath the surface of our little community.

But I knew better. I knew that the warriors' pleasures were bought at a steep price, one that the servants and entertainers paid in full. And I knew that I was not immune to the dangers that lurked in every corner of our world.

As the day wore on, I found myself grow
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  • The Forbidden Gaze   Chapter 107

    Chapter 67 – Blood and Blessings “You’ve gone too far this time, Kaelen,” Theron growled, his voice carrying above the murmurs of the gathered pack. “First you bring a human into our ranks. Now you expect the spirits to bless her as one of us? This is madness.”Kaelen turned slowly, his posture rigid, eyes narrowing. “Then step forward and make your challenge.”Ava’s breath hitched.The air in the clearing thickened like fog, silence falling over the crowd like a shroud. All eyes shifted from Kaelen to Theron, a respected warrior with loyal followers—and one of the few who could feasibly pose a threat to the General’s command.“I don’t want your title,” Theron snarled, taking another step forward. “But I won’t let you desecrate the rite. The spirits will not forgive us for this.”Kaelen stepped down from the ceremonial stone platform, leaving Ava momentarily alone at its center. The pack parted in stunned silence as he moved closer to Theron. “You speak of spirits,” Kaelen said calml

  • The Forbidden Gaze   Chapter 106

    "Tonight," she began, her voice echoing, "two hearts speak not just of love, but of unity. Of sacrifice. Of transformation."Ava stepped forward, scroll in hand. She opened it slowly, the parchment crackling."Kaelen," she began, her voice steady, "I see you. Not just the leader, or the warrior. I see the man who walks through fire to protect his people. I see the storm in your eyes, and the calm in your embrace. I vow to be your peace, when the world is chaos. Your shield, when you falter."She reached for the chalice, taking a single sip. The glow around her brightened faintly.Kaelen accepted her vow with a slow nod. Then he opened his scroll."Ava, my heart has known battle and blood, but never surrender. And yet, I surrender to you. To your fire. Your defiance. Your strength. I vow to never cage your spirit, but to fly with it. I vow to protect not just your life, but your joy."He drank from the chalice. The light flared between them.Elsha stepped back. "Now comes the ritual of

  • The Forbidden Gaze   Chapter 105

    "Why should I believe you? Why should I risk Ava’s safety on the word of a stranger?" Kaelen asked quietly."Because," Davrek said, voice softening, "if I’m wrong, then I deserve whatever comes next. But if I’m right, then you’ll want to listen before it’s too late."Zylan narrowed his eyes, lips pressed into a thin line. "You’re playing a dangerous game.""So are you," Davrek replied.Kaelen studied him for a long moment, then finally spoke. "You’re not the first ghost to come looking for Ava. Won’t be the last.""I’m not here to haunt," Davrek said quietly. "I’m here to help."Zylan snorted. "Help? You think you’re in a position to help anyone?""Help is all I have left," Davrek said, voice cracking just slightly.Kaelen’s gaze hardened again. "Then you’d better prove it."Davrek nodded slowly. "I will."The guards shifted uneasily, sensing the fragile balance in the room.Kaelen slammed his hand against the bars, startling one of the guards."Lies will not protect you down here. Yo

  • The Forbidden Gaze   Chapter 104

    "There! He just slipped past the stables!""I see him! Don’t let him reach the outer gates!"Boots thundered against the cobbled ground as two of Kaelen’s elite guards tore through the inner courtyard. Their cloaks flared behind them like shadows under torchlight. Above them, the evening had turned to a bruised hue, casting long shadows across the narrow passages. The scent of smoke, sweat, and damp stone lingered in the air.Davrek darted past a wooden cart, toppling it to block their path. He moved fast for someone unarmed, but the guards were faster. They vaulted over the debris, gaining on him with every heartbeat."Corner him! West wall!"Davrek veered into an alleyway, only to find another pair of guards already blocking the other end."It’s over," one of them growled, drawing his blade.Davrek skidded to a halt. He glanced around, searching for another escape route. But there was none. His chest heaved as he raised his hands slowly."I have no weapons. I won't resist.""You alr

  • The Forbidden Gaze   Chapter 103

    “So this isn’t about me,” she murmured. “Not really. It’s about Kaelen. About me choosing Kaelen. About me choosing to live again.”Her hand balled into a fist.“That’s why he waited until now. Until the wedding.”Zylan nodded grimly. “And why he destroyed the gown.”Ava’s mind flashed back to the vicious slashes across the silk. The raw, jagged claw marks. There had been rage in those tears. A personal fury.“He wanted to make it feel like I was being punished,” she whispered. “Like this happiness—this chance to move forward—was something I had no right to.”Her eyes shimmered, but she blinked the tears back, refusing to let them fall.“Well,” she said, her voice hardening, “he’s wrong. Because I do have the right. To rebuild. To feel. To love.”A moment passed before she added quietly, “Even if it scares me.”Zylan’s gaze softened, but he didn’t speak. He knew better than to offer comfort too soon. She wasn’t ready for it. Not yet.Instead, Ava inhaled deeply, then looked back at he

  • The Forbidden Gaze   Chapter 102:A Dress of Thorns

    "Zylan, did you see this? Tell me you see it too," Ava's voice cracked with disbelief as she held up what remained of her wedding gown.Zylan stepped into the room, his eyes scanning the delicate silk and lace that had once flowed like water. Now, the fabric hung in shreds, deep claw marks torn through the bodice and skirt like a beast had mauled it. He approached silently, his gaze hardening."This wasn't an accident," he muttered, running his fingers over one of the jagged slashes. "These marks... they were made with intention. Someone did this on purpose."Ava's hands trembled as she laid the ruined dress down on the bed. "It was supposed to be ready for the final fitting in three days. It took weeks to design. And now..."Zylan placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I'll find out who did this. I promise."She looked up at him, eyes burning with a mix of grief and fury. "Do you think this has to do with the note? The one left at my door?"He nodded slowly. "It could be. Someone

  • The Forbidden Gaze   Chapter 101: Secrets of the Past

    “Kaelen, what is this?” Ava’s voice trembled slightly as she held up a worn, yellowed parchment, its edges brittle with age and stained by time.He glanced over her shoulder, his eyes narrowing as they landed on the old Zolano seal pressed into the corner of the document. A pang of unease flickered across his expression. “Where did you find that?”“In the archives,” Ava answered softly, her fingers running carefully over the faded ink. “It was hidden beneath a stack of other papers—like someone didn’t want it to be discovered.” She hesitated, then looked up at him with a mix of curiosity and concern. “It’s a pact, Kaelen. You promised to marry a noble’s daughter from the Zolano clan.”Kaelen’s jaw clenched tightly. “That was many years ago... and it was made under duress.”“Duress?” Ava echoed quietly, leaning closer. “What happened? Why didn’t you tell me about this before?”Kaelen’s breath hitched as he exhaled deeply, the weight of old memories pressing down on his shoulders. His v

  • The Forbidden Gaze   Chapter 100

    "You're quieter than usual," Kaelen remarked, watching Ava from across the room.She looked up from the scroll in her lap, the one she had been using to note down her ideas for the wedding ceremony. "I'm thinking.""About the dress? Or about the eyes watching you?" His tone was low, sharper than usual.Ava hesitated, then folded the scroll. "Both. I feel them everywhere, Kaelen. The looks. The silence that follows when I enter a room. It's not just disapproval. It's... hatred."Kaelen strode toward her, his boots thudding heavily against the stone floor. "Let them glare. They'll learn to live with it. Or leave."She met his gaze. "That's easy for you to say. You don't have to eat with them, walk the corridors alone, feel the air grow colder whenever you pass."His jaw clenched. "Then I won't let you walk alone.""That's not the point," Ava said softly. "They won’t stop because you protect me. They’ll just hide it better."There was a knock at the door.Zylan stepped in, his expression

  • The Forbidden Gaze   Chapter 99: The Announcement

    “You’re serious?” Ava’s voice trembled slightly, though she tried to steady it. “You’re going to tell them—just like that?”Kaelen stood before the tall ceremonial mirror in the war hall, adjusting the collar of his dark cloak. “Yes,” he said plainly, meeting her reflection with calm certainty. “I’m not hiding this, Ava. Not you.”“But the elders—” she began.“Will listen,” he interrupted. “Or they’ll learn to.”Ava folded her arms across her chest, pacing a few steps behind him. “You’re the General, Kaelen, not the King.”“Exactly,” he said, turning now to face her. “But no one commands more respect in the field or among the ranks. I’ve led them through wars. It’s time I lead them through change.”Her eyes narrowed. “And you think marrying a human servant is the kind of change they’ll follow?”“I think they’ll resist,” Kaelen admitted without hesitation. “But I also think they’ll have no choice.”Ava’s breath hitched as she met his unwavering gaze. “What if they turn on you for this?

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