جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 110

Elara's POVKael's jaw was tight, his hands clenched at his sides. I could see the war raging behind his eyes—the desperate need to tear Lyria apart for her words, warring with the cold logic that told him to stay silent in enemy land. "Lady Lyria," he said, his voice carefully controlled. "I think you've had enough entertainment for one night. Perhaps you should return to your chambers before you catch a chill."Lyria's eyes narrowed. "Are you dismissing me? A mere palace attendant? Do you have any idea who you are messing with? Being mushy mushy with Elara won't save you.""I would not dare. A mere Palace attendant like me, how could I? I'm merely suggesting," he said, his voice still calm, "that you might want to think carefully about what you do with the information you think you have. Because if you spread rumors about Lady Elara, you'll find that rumors have a way of turning back on the people who start them."Lyria let out a cold, brittle laugh. "You're threatening me? A serva

Elara's POVThe door clicked shut behind us. I stood frozen just inside the threshold, my hand still tingling where Dustan's fingers had intertwined with mine.Our bedchamber was warm, lit by a dozen candles that flickered in their sconces, casting dancing shadows across the walls.The curtain blew in the night breeze. But Dustan didn't move.He had rolled his chair to the center of the room and simply stopped. His back was to me, his shoulders straight, his hands resting motionless on the wheels. He sat there like a statue carved from marble—utterly silent.The seconds stretched into minutes.I watched him, my mind racing, trying to piece together what he was thinking.I had seen the cold, assessing look he had given Kael, the one that had made even my blood run cold.And now he was sitting here, in our chambers, saying nothing.The silence was unbearable.It pressed in on me from all sides. I could hear my own breathing, too fast, too shallow. I could hear the faint crackle of the

Elara's POV"Yes," I breathed, the word escaping before I could stop it. "Yes, I want to come with you."Dustan's smile widened, a genuine warmth spreading across his features that made my heart flutter despite everything. He squeezed my hand, his thumb doing the honours. "Then it's settled," he said. "We leave at dawn. Pack light—warm clothes, sturdy boots, nothing that will slow us down. The scouts will meet us at the western gate."I nodded, my mind already racing.Blackwater Ridge. Finally! I would finally have answers about what happened to my mother. Won't I? There was a strange dread along with anticipation. Even as excitement bloomed in my chest, a cold thread of guilt wound its way through my thoughts.Kael. I had to tell him. I couldn't just disappear without a word…not after everything that had happened in the garden. He had come all this way…to find me? I didn't know for sure. But he had risked everything to see me. I owed him at least an explanation before disappearin

Kael's POV"What heir?" I demanded, my voice sharper than I intended. "What are you even talking about?"Richard's pale eyes held mine, unblinking. There was something in them, something that made me feel like a child standing before a wise old sage."I speak of a child," he said slowly, as if tasting each word. "A child who was never meant to survive. A child stolen from the cradle in the dead of night, whisked away from a burning legacy before the flames could consume him."I shook my head, frustration building in my chest. "You're speaking in riddles. I asked you a direct question. What heir?"Richard smiled, a patient, knowing smile that made me want to shake him. "I'm telling you a story, dear boy. A story that begins many years ago, in a place you've only heard whispers of. The palace."I crossed my arms, my jaw tight. "I know what is left there at the palace…to know about what… nothing but corrupts ...""Is that what they told you?" Richard asked, his voice soft. "Is that what

 Elara's POV The woman's hand closed around my wrist, her grip surprisingly strong for someone her age. She began to pull me forward, her pale eyes gleaming with something that looked almost like triumph. "Come, Elara," she urged, her voice urgent. "We don't have much time. They'll be coming for you soon—all of them. The ones who killed your mother. The ones who want to silence you before you uncover the truth." I stumbled after her, my mind reeling, my heart pounding. The truth. She was offering me the truth. After all these years of searching, of digging through dusty records and burned documents, I was finally going to know what happened to my mother. But even as she pulled me forward, a voice in the back of my mind screamed at me to stop. To think. To question. Because honestly, it felt very weird.  "Wait," I said, digging my heels into the rocky ground. "Wait