<i>Zephyrine </i>


    24%


    29 Finished


    It was a very cold night, the breeze swirling around the corridor as I stood with my arms folded across my chest, staring out at the horizon.


    I had been surprised at how much Moon paid for the room until I saw it had a corridor of its own. My thoughts wandered back to the Mirror Monger, the man who imed to know my brother’s whereabouts. To be honest, I was… nervous.


    I lowered my gaze with a quiet sigh. I was running out of time. I could feel it. The w mark from Lycannar still burned on my skin, a dull, relentless pain. I had believed it would heal soon, but now I wasn’t so sure. Why wouldn’t it fade? Why was Lycannar’s sh so deadly?


    Blinking, I looked out again at the endless night. My thoughts betrayed me. What would he be doing at this very moment? Sitting in his ck tower, perhaps reading, or already in bed, or… My throat tightened when a darker thought settled. What if he was with another woman?


    No. No, he wouldn’t do that to me.


    I was still wrestling with the ache of my own thoughts when I heard soft footsteps. Moon came to stand quietly at my side.


    “You’re sure you won’t take any dinner?” he asked.


    I nodded. I had no appetite anyway.


    Silence stretched between us as we both stared into the night. Then I felt his gaze shift, lingering on me. His sigh was soft, almost lost to the wind.


    “You miss him, don’t you?”


    I turned my head slightly, meeting his searching eyes. I knew exactly who he meant.


    “I have nothing more to do with Nyroth,” I said atst. “We’re more like strangers now.”


    Moon studied me, then asked again, more carefully this time.


    “You must love His Majesty so much, to let him erase even your first love. Is he really that good?”


    A small smile curved my lips despite myself, I turned away, but Moon’s eyes followed me,


    “Tell me, Zephyr,” he pressed softly. “What is he like with you? In public he’s so… strange. He keeps his head down, rarely speaks. I still don’t understand how you fell for him.”


    I breathed out slowly, then gave him a small smile.


    “Lycannar is… romantic, in his own obsessive way. He’s beautiful, powerful… and so….” I broke into another helpless smile. “I don’t even know why I love him so much. All I know is he makes me feel alive. And I get jealous when he so much as mentions another woman.”


    Moon went very quiet. Too quiet. It made me turn fully toward him, reading the pain etched across his face.


    I had said too much.


    *24%


    Finished


    “You’re a woman of power and wealth,” he murmured. “I know you don’t love him for that. It must be… how he treats you.”


    His eyes dropped, a sigh escaping his lips.


    “How I wish I had treated you like that sooner. Maybe then…” He gave a small, sad smile, shrugged, and finished softly, “As long as you’re happy, Zephyr. As long as you’re happy and safe.”


    The conversation had turned heavier than I wanted. I didn’t want to break his heart any more than I already had by ignoring the feelings I knew he carried for me.


    I swallowed and forced a gentle smile.


    “I’ll go to bed. Tomorrow will be a long day.”


    “Yeah,” he said quietly. “I’ll join you soon.”


    I left him there in the corridor. Inside, I found the bed already prepared. For a moment I paused, turning back to look through the doorway. Moon still stood where I had left him, staring into the night. I could almost feel his heart breaking. If only I could ease it. But instead, I turned away, slipped into bed, andy down.


    Time dragged<i>, </i>yet the moment my head touched the pillow, I drifted into a deep sleep. When I woke, it was with a scream and <i>a </i>violent jerk. Moon was beside the bed, worry carved into his face as the morning sunlight poured into the room.


    “Zephyr, are you okay?” he asked urgently. “You’re


    so pale… are you alright?”


    Pale? Weakness clung to me like a fog. My limbs trembled as I rose without answering and hurried into the bath chamber. Shutting the door behind me, I rushed to the mirror, tearing at my dress to reveal my arm.


    My heart plummeted. Instead of healing, the mark had w “ed. The c


    into my skin.


    Lycannar. What had he done to me? He must know the cure. He must<fn6459> ??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? Find★Novel</fn6459>


    “Zephyr?” Moon’s knock rattled the door. His voice wasced with concern. open the door.”


    ckened, spreading deeper


    Phyr, are you alright? Please,


    I stared at the w mark again in the mirror, then forced myself to cover it. I washed my face briskly, trying to steady my breath, my resolve. This was not the time to crumble. I had to find Varyn. I had to see the Mirror Monger today. Moon Goddess, let him bring me good news. After that… I would seek healing.


    I finally opened the door. Moon’s eyes widened at the sight of me.


    “Are you okay?”


    “I am,” I lied smoothly, though his frown told me he didn’t believe me.


    “You were murmuring his name in your sleep,” he said quietly. “The Lycan King’s.”


    My heart lurched, but I forced my face nk, brushing past him before he could see through me.


    “I’m perfectly


    fine.


    Let’s get


    going.”


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