<i>Zephyrine </i>


    95


    s


    I woke with a start. Another restless slumber ending in nightmare and forcing me awake.


    I opened my eyes to darkness. Alone in the chamber. My brother, who had rocked me to sleep, was nowhere to be seen. With a soft sigh, I rose carefully to answer nature’s call.


    After relieving myself, I washed my face, then walked back into my chamber. On the table, I noticed a potion waiting for me.


    “Mydy?” The voice of Isolde came from behind. I turned to see her open the door. She walked further in, her head bowed in respect. “You are awake. Lord Varyn said, when you wake, you should take the potion before you eat.”


    My eyes shifted back to the potion. I knew what it was for, but I did not believe I needed it. I was not pregnant with Lycannar’s pup.


    Ignoring it, I pushed through the door into the hall. For days I had been locked inside my chamber. Now I made my way to my brother, to tell him there was no need for me to drink any potion.


    I reached the door of his chamber and sighed softly. The maids and guards nearby stared, their gazes heavy upon me.


    Ignoring them, I knocked. At first there was no answer. I raised my hand to try again, when suddenly the door opened, and it was Dessyn.


    My eyes went wide. Before I could speak, she seized my wrist and pulled me inside, shutting the door quickly behind us.


    Dessyn. My gods. It had only been a few days, but it felt like


    years.


    She turned, and I stared at her, reading her eyes. I had always believed when Varyn returned, Dessyn would be happy, no, happiest. But now I realized how wrong <i>I </i>was.


    “Dessyn…” I began, but <i>before </i>I could finish, she pulled me into a tight hug. “Dessyn.”


    She pulled back, searching my face, and I swallowed hard, wondering what had happened.


    “Dessyn…”


    “Varyn has changed, Zephyr.” She cut me off with the truth. “Vengeance… that’s all he lives for


    <b>9:22 </b>Sun<b>, </b>Sep <b>28 </b>


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    now. And anyone in his way will be crushed in it. He hates Apex more than anyone, and I believe he is nning…”


    Her words died when the door suddenly opened. Varyn stood there in the doorway.


    Dessyn and I froze at once, the air growing chill with his presence. I swallowed, biting my lip. as Dessyn stepped quietly away from me.


    “Uh… Zephyr. Ah. Your brother is here.” She stammered, her voice small.


    I turned to him. Varyn’s gaze was pinned coldly on her. It was as though he scolded her in silence, and I wondered what my presence meant for her now.


    “And I thought I said you were not <i>to </i>speak <i>to </i>anyone but me while you are in my chamber,” Varyn’s voice broke through as he stepped inside, his tone firm, brooking no warmth.


    Dessyn tried to smile through it, taking a small step back.


    “She only just got here, Varyn…” she murmured.


    But he did not believe her. It was clear he had overheard her words to me.


    He reached out for her. She flinched back, shaking her head, pleading softly. And then it dawned on me.


    Perhaps truly, my brother had changed. He was not like this before. He had never been aggressive. He was always tender, warm, gentle.


    But the fear in Dessyn’s eyes told me otherwise.


    “Varyn, please…” she whispered, but he ignored her. He took her wrist anyway, pulling her into


    his arms.


    He kissed her, soft and tender. But when he pulled back, his eyes were so cold that the kiss felt like a price, a promise stolen back by his gaze.


    “You are my woman. You will <i>obey </i>every word I say. Do you understand?” His voice was quiet, but the warning within was sharp.


    Dessyn bit her lip and nodded atst.


    “I understand.” <fnc685> Get full chapters from FindN0vel</fnc685>


    Varyn smiled then, caressing her cheek, smoothing over the tension like a man painting over cracks.


    <b>9:22 </b><b>Sun</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>28 </b>


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    “When all this <b>is </b>over,” he said, ncing at me now with a smile, “we will hold a <b>party </b>here<b>. </b>Just a small one. To make her my wife. My beloved wife.”


    A marriage between him and Dessyn. My throat tightened. I turned to Dessyn, but the spark of excitement I had always seen in her was not there. It unsettled me. Still, I lowered my <b>gaze </b>and swallowed hard.


    Everyone was changing. Even their hearts. Just like me. I had changed too. The strong will I once had, the spirit Lycannar never ceased to say he loved and loved and loved, I was losing <b>it</b>.


    When I looked up again, they were kissing, deeply, affectionately. Quietly, I walked toward the exit to give them privacy. But before I left, I heard the sound of fabric tearing.


    My brother was stripping her. Taking her to bed.


    I closed the door softly behind me, sighing shakily. It seemed to me Dessyn was more prisoner than woman, more captive than beloved.


    And all of this, all of it, was because of that war five years ago. The war that left us brutal, changed us, warped fate, shattered hearts.


    I returned to my chamber andy down upon the bed until My eyes fell upon the white fur cloak Lycannar had given me the <i>day </i>of my ceremonial party.


    The bold crest of the Lycan Kingdom gleamed upon it. My heart clenched, and memory seized me.


    The night he gave it, when we had made love in the garden, when he had handed me letters exposing the council’s lies and Ka’s true nature.


    Slowly my gaze fell to the rings still circling my fingers. My heart ached. Even amidst this storm, I could not bring myself to pull them off.


    Why do I love him this much?


    Why does it have <i>to </i>be him?


    Why…