Semua Bab The Heart of the Queen: Legacy of The Moonborn: Bab 121 - Bab 130

《》Selene's POV Dinner was quiet, despite my company. I was savoring the flavor of the roast, but my eyes drifted to Ansel across from me. She barely touched her plate, fingers restless, gaze somewhere else entirely. I set my fork down. “You’re brooding.” Her head jerked up. “I’m not.” “You are.” My tone was sharp, leaving no room for denial. “Is it the twins?” She swallowed, lips tightening. “May I feed them? At least tonight.” I leaned back in my chair, studying her. The request was almost laughable. “Feed them? I’ve already decided those little rats can starve. Less work for us.” Her eyes shone with a faint spark of something she tried to hide. But I caught it. I always did. “You’re not growing… attached, are you?” I asked softly, letting the words twist in the air. “That would be disappointing. Dangerous, even.” “No.” she answered a little too fast. I smirked, picking up my wine glass. “Good. Because if you are, I can only wonder whether you'll still be as efficient as I t

Two days had passed since our return to the Citadel, and I’d barely had time to breathe.Meetings. Reports. Planning. Always something needing my attention, my presence, putting things back in gear. Ronan had been even more restless than usual, sharp with his words and sharper with his silences. I knew why. But neither of us was ready to speak about it.And there were complications.Cael was here.Nothing felt safe anymore. Not even my own mind.So, that morning, I excused myself. No council. No Ronan. No Cael. No anything but fresh air and the orchard where the twins had gone earlier with Ansel. I needed to see their faces. Feel something that didn’t hurt.I took the long path through the courtyard. I was halfway to the orchard when I saw him.Lucien.I stopped short.“You know,” I said flatly, “I really need to speak to the guards about just letting people wander in.”He didn’t move. “I’m not a stranger here, Aria.”I gave him a long, cold look. “You're not exactly welcome either.”

《》Ronan's POV We gathered in the armory, the air thick with the scrape of steel against whetstones and the muted thud of boots on stone. Lucien had already assembled a small unit of his own soldiers and I some of mine, their faces set and grim. We weren't playing games this time. Selene had made several moves. It was now time for us to respond. “I’m not coming back without them,” he said, his voice like tempered iron. “I'll find them before Aria wakes. Whatever it takes.” His words were the same ones running in my own head as I secured my saddle. But hearing them out loud made my chest tighten. Just then, Cael walked past us with that air of confidence, his arms full of scrolls. “You’re not coming with us?” Lucien’s voice cut through the room. Cael didn’t even look up. “No.” Lucien slammed his blade back into its sheath. “Of course you’d say that. What use are all your books if the twins are dead?” Cael finally looked at him, eyes hard. “And what use is dragging them back h

《》Ronan’s POV"What do you mean?” My voice was cold.“I see a light in you,” she said, tilting her head slightly. “And I don’t mean goodness, or some priest’s blessing. I mean actual light. A visible one. Burning underneath your skin.”I frowned. “You’re mad.”She laughed softly, not insulted at all. “Maybe. Or maybe you don’t know what you carry.”“You said you knew something. Speak.” My voice was pressed. She tilted her head slightly, her gaze piercing. “What you seek is not for you. You've come here for a woman, have you not.” That made me freeze a second. She walked closer to me. As if the proximity would help her see better into my soul. Then she straightened her head, her eyes widened. “You love her.” I kept my face straight. “But does she love you?” she broke into a disturbingly wide smile.Her theatrics didn't move me, regardless of how spot on the words she spoke were. I was familiar with fake seers. It was nothing more than a lucky guess. And all they did was feed the fi

"What do you mean?” My voice was cold.“I see a light in you,” she said, tilting her head slightly. “And I don’t mean goodness, or some priest’s blessing. I mean actual light. A visible one. Burning underneath your skin.”I frowned. “You’re mad.”She laughed softly, not insulted at all. “Maybe. Or maybe you don’t know what you carry.”“You said you knew something. Speak.” My voice was pressed. She tilted her head slightly, her gaze piercing. “What you seek is not for you. You've come here for a woman, have you not.” That made me freeze a second. She walked closer to me. As if the proximity would help her see better into my soul. Then she straightened her head, her eyes widened. “You love her.” I kept my face straight. “But does she love you?” she broke into a disturbingly wide smile.Her theatrics didn't move me, regardless of how spot on the words she spoke were. I was familiar with fake seers. It was nothing more than a lucky guess. And all they did was feed the fire slowly burn