Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 41 - Chapitre 49

MENODORA'S POV The silence that follows after I take that single step towards Orvax feels even louder than any argument that has ensued here today. It wasn't something I had planned to do beforehand, but somehow watching Orvax stand there, subdued by the words of his father, I found myself standing closer to him than before.And it isn't just standing close to him, it's about standing closer to his storm, lending him my strength like he did for me when I had no one to lend me strength. And judging by the subtle change in his father's expression, it seems he understood that clearly. He no longer looks at me with mere curiosity, now it is a full on assessment. Eyes staring daggers at me, observing me like a guinea pig stuck under the lens of a microscope.If it had been a game of chess, I could have sworn he is looking at me like another piece in the game board, trying to decide his next game play. This only made me want to defy him even more.Standing by my side, Orvax's posture is so

ORVAX'S POV“No…” the words do not form in my vocal cords nor does it leave my lips…at least not yet. But I feel it echo through my skull, pressing against the walls of my medulla like a life threatening tumour. The moment my father touches upon the mere idea of Menodora’s father, a fear so visceral and ancient rises within me…stirring like a storm on the sea.Somehow, I recognised that name…without even meaning to, he somehow managed to confirm what I suspected from the very moment I laid my eyes on her. Turning to her, Menodora stands frozen. I can see it in her eyes, willing her feet to move…to retreat from the can of worms my father has left open in the room…but her ankles refuse to obey. She stands there locked in place as if anchored to the earth by heavy leaden weights.I watch as her eyes dart across the room, from one face to another, the world she thought she was familiar with suddenly rearranging itself into an illegible puzzle she is yet to solve. Her pupils are wide, desp

ORVAX'S POV The moment is shattered, instantly lost when my father lets out a low chuckle.“That's quite amazing, isn't it?" I turn to look at him, the look in my eyes is so dangerous, enough to bend iron effortlessly. His expression only grows taut, his mouth curling into a razor-thin crescent. His smile did not bring me any form of comfort, only sharpening the air in the room instead."You know, there was once a time when you would give anything if it meant upholding your principles,” he pauses for dramatic effects or whatever mind games he's playing. "And now?”I can feel the entire room hold its breath in anticipation of his next words.My father's attention turns towards Menodora and back at me. He smiles then, the same smile that reminds me of a hunter who has finally caught his prey.“Now, I am led to believe that there is one thing that you truly cannot stand to lose." I hear Kova curse under his breath. Menodora's eyes widen slightly, like little saucers on her face and th

MENODORA'S POV“Tell my daughter...I have finally found her,” I hear Kova say and it feels like a boulder has been physically slammed into me. None of us speak, unsure of what to say to break the silence. The silver pendant still rests in my palm, the weight of it heavier now with the message behind it. The moonlight catches against the polished metal and the crescent gleams softly, like a silent answer to the moon from which it is born.I stare at the wolf if it is curled around, protecting it…or maybe it is trapping the wolf. I couldn't decide which of the interpretations to accept. A restless vibration hums deep in my bones, travelling from my arms down until it reaches my fingertips. They flutter like little birds caught in a trap, unable to stay still for even a second.Silently, I close trembling fingers around the pendant. It feels cold to touch, like a captured shard of winter, its porous surface stealing the warmth from my palm.“Menodora?" I look up to see Kova staring down

MENODORA’S POVThat night, sleep decides to play a cruel game of hide and seek with me. I spend most of the night tossing from one side of the makeshift sleeping bed to another. My mind keeps playing everything, but most especially the pouch, the letter and the pendant. Orvax had said the stitchings weren't just ordinary ones, but a map and they apparently led to someone.“Who could that be?" This question keeps me up till the early hours of the morning and I only start to drift into an uneasy sleep when the orange rays of the sun start to peek out from the clouds, staining the dawn with a beautiful mix of light pink and blue. Being able to drift off like that, however uneasy, is an achievement for me considering how I hardly ever sleep in the first place.Everytime I try to close my eyes, willing for sleep to steal me away into its abyss of oblivion, I see something different. The first time I close my eyes, I see my mother, but she doesn't seem to notice me there, no matter how hard