All Chapters of THE CHOSEN ONE: Chapter 71 - Chapter 80

AIYANAIcarus fell silent, watching my restless steps.“A witch started all of this,” I went on, my voice tense, almost reverent. “She loved a normal man. And out of love... she condemned him. To give him another chance, a way to defend himself. But without knowing, she gave away half a soul. She created the bond. Joined something that should never have been touched.”I turned, pointing to the book.“It’s about us.”Icarus came closer and held my face with both hands, firm but gentle, trying to anchor me.“Hey. Breathe. Let’s keep reading, alright?”I c

AIYANA"Go!" Vardam shouted, the sound of his voice cutting through the air."Take the book! She needs to read it. She needs to understand what comes next!""I'm not leaving without you!" I shouted back, my heart pounding against my ribs.Vardam huffed, exasperated, but there was an almost… tender? Glint in his eyes."Don’t be foolish, girl. I’m not the main role in this story. You are."Max gripped my hand tightly, his fingers locking with mine. He was about to pull me when a scream tore through the air."HELP!" It was Isabela.Damn it. I had forgo

AIYANAI woke with a strange warmth against my back. A slow breath at the nape of my neck and the weight of an arm across my waist. On the other side, something brushed against my leg a bare leg, I realized later, and the familiar scent of smoke wrapped around me.My eyes opened slowly, still blurred, and for a moment I thought I was dreaming.But it wasn’t a dream. It was the room where I had been staying since we ended up in Vardam’s house. And in the same bed as me… were Icarus and Maxim.Icarus to my left. Maxim to my right.And I, in the middle.Frozen.I had no idea how it had happened

AIYANAThe attic of Vardam’s house was covered in a fine layer of dust. The slanted ceiling filtered the late-afternoon light through cracks in the roof, painting the space with orange hues and long shadows.Icarus walked to the center of the room, nudging a few objects out of the way with his foot. I followed him in silence, watching his precise, almost calculated movements, like he always knew exactly where to step without making a sound, as if the whole world were a minefield and he had memorized the map.It was only when he turned to me, arms crossed, that I noticed.“You’re... wearing gloves?”He glanced down at his gloved hands as if he had forgotten. The gloves were black, thin, looked like lightweight wool, but reached just past his wrists.“Yeah.” His answer was quiet, almost defensive. “Lethal touch, remember? Better not risk it.”My stomach tightened. It hurt, in a strange way. Not out of fear, but for him. For everything he carried and hid behind irony and silence. He spoke

AIYANAI didn’t know what to expect from a father lost and found. Maybe an awkward hug, or a dramatic apology straight out of some cheesy romance Alyssa would try to shove on me. But Vardam gave me none of that.And deep down, I’m grateful for it.He didn’t call me “daughter.” He didn’t try to fill a role that was never his. He just introduced himself as someone who knew more than he was telling, which seems to be the theme with everyone in my life, and offered what he could: answers, guidance, training.Still, when I’m near him, it feels like I’m trying to decipher an ancient riddle. As if he carries every piece of my puzzle and is testing whether I deserve to see them.