Chapter 6

Ayla Korr

“Are you done?”

“Not yet.”

I tried to go around her again.

“You know what I think is saddest?” she asked.

I kept walking.

“You still believe you can stay.”

I stopped, even though I knew I shouldn’t.

Vesper continued:

“You still walk through these halls as if you own this house.”

I turned slowly.

“I am the Luna.”

“For now.”

My wolf stirred inside me.

“Be careful.”

“Of what?”

She laughed softly.

“You?”

I said nothing.

“Ayla, look at your situation.”

She gestured around us.

“The servants no longer respect you. The Council thinks you’re incapable of fulfilling your role. Your father can barely look at you.”

Every sentence was carefully chosen.

“And Darian...”

She sighed.

“Darian is finally going to get what he wanted.”

“You seem very sure of yourself for someone who needs to steal another man’s wife’s dresses.”

Her face hardened for a second, then she continued.

“I’m not stealing anything. Darian gave it to me.”

“Darian can’t give away something that doesn’t belong to him.”

“Do you really still not understand?”

She came closer.

“Everything here belongs to Darian.”

She looked me up and down.

“Including you.”

My stomach tightened.

I stayed silent. I wasn’t going to keep playing her little game, that was what she wanted.

Maybe a reaction from me.

A scream.

A raised hand.

Something she could use against me.

No.

I had already fallen for that yesterday.

“You’re right,” I said.

She frowned.

“What?”

“I have nothing to say.”

I walked past her.

This time, she let me take two steps.

“When my son is born, there won’t be any reason to keep you here anymore.”

I kept walking.

“Are you listening?”

Of course I was, but I kept walking anyway.

“You should start thinking about where you’re going to go.”

My hands clenched.

I didn’t turn around. I kept walking a few more steps.

“Maybe your father will agree to take you back. Although I doubt it.”

I took a deep breath.

“After all, a daughter who failed at the one agreement capable of saving her own family doesn’t seem very useful.”

My wolf growled.

This time, I felt it.

Strong enough to make me stop.

But I didn’t turn around.

She wanted that.

And I wouldn’t give it to her.

“Darian doesn’t love you,” Vesper continued. “He never did.”

Keep talking to yourself... I thought.

Maybe someone will show up and hear you, and see who you really are.

“You were a debt with legs.”

Keep going...

“I was the one he wanted before you showed up.”

My eyes burned.

Please... someone, show up.

“And now I have his child.”

I took another step.

That was when I heard Vesper move quickly behind me.

I turned on instinct.

She passed me, two steps ahead, standing very close to the stairs.

Too close.

I stared at her.

“What are you doing?”

For a second, she stayed silent. Nothing happened.

Then she smiled again.

But it wasn’t the delicate smile she used before the Council, or the one she wore in front of Darian.

It was a cold smile.

Satisfied.

“Vesper...”

She grabbed my wrist tightly.

“Let go of me.”

I tried to pull my hand away.

She wouldn’t let me.

“Let go.”

“Scream a little louder.”

My blood turned cold.

“What?”

“That’s how it was yesterday, wasn’t it?”

I looked at the stairs.

Then at her.

I understood too late.

“Vesper, don’t do this... you’re pregnant...”

She suddenly released my wrist.

She took a step backward.

Her heel rested on the edge of the first step.

“Don’t be crazy...”

Another step.

“Vesper...”

I looked around desperately, but there was no one there.

She stared at me.

“You wouldn’t do this...”

“You’re right.”

For a moment, I thought I had made her change her mind.

Then she said:

“You would.”

And threw herself backward.

“VESPER!”

I screamed, my body reacting before my mind did.

I reached out.

My fingers touched hers.

I couldn’t hold on.

Vesper fell.

Her body hit the first step.

Then the second.

The third.

The sound echoed through the hall in an agonizing way.

My heart stopped.

“Vesper!”

I ran.

She reached the bottom of the stairs and lay motionless.

For a second, I heard nothing.

Then she groaned.

I rushed down the steps.

“Don’t move.”

When I knelt beside her, I saw the blood.

A small red stain was beginning to appear beneath the white dress.

No...

This couldn’t...

“Vesper...”

Her eyes opened.

For a second, they were perfectly lucid.

When she saw me, I could see that same smile from before.

Only for a second.

Then the smile disappeared.

Vesper sucked in a breath and screamed.

“HELP!”

“SOMEONE! SHE’S TRYING TO KILL ME!”

I froze.

It didn’t take even five seconds before footsteps exploded through the hallways.

Doors opened.

“Vesper!”

“By the Goddess!”

“Quickly, call the healer!”

I stood up.

Servants appeared from every direction.

The same hallways that had been empty seconds earlier were suddenly full.

Mira was the first to reach Vesper.

“What happened?”

Vesper began to cry.

Her face twisted in pain.

Then she lifted her eyes to me.

“She...”

My heart beat once.

“Vesper... no.”

She grabbed Mira’s arm.

“Ayla pushed me.”

Everyone looked at me.

And, for the first time, I understood that Vesper wasn’t trying to take my place.

She was trying to make sure I had no place left at all.