bChapter /bb38 /b

Nyssa bpov /b

I hadn’t bslept /bba /bwink all night.

The king’s words kept reying in my mind like a haunting echo, keeping bme /bwide awake. Now, with the sun risen and bmy /bbeyes /bstaring nkly at the ceiling, I bheard /bhis bvoice /bbfor /bwhat felt like the hundredth time.

b“/bbTwo /bchoices. The pain of rejection bis /bbsevere/bb, /band you will lose your blife /bto it- just from the pain alone. So you can either be rejected when the three bdays /bare up… or let me end you the beasier /bway. bIt /bwould be quick and painlessb.” /b

I frowned, my beyes /bnarrowing at the ceiling bas /bbI /brepeated his words under my breath.

b“/bA potion that would make me bsleep /band bnever /bwake up.”

I sighed, running a hand through my hair in frustration.

What the hell bwas /bgoing through that man’s mind to suggest something like that? Either way, death bwas /bcertainb, /bbut he had the nerve to call it a choice.

Clicking my tongue, I sat up in bed, my messy hair falling bacross /bmy face. Brushing the strands away from my neck, I reached out and gently touched the spot where his teeth had almost sunk in yesterday.

My face flushed a deep shade of red as bI /brecalled our close proximityst night- how he had almost marked me. But that wasn’t what I should be thinking about right now.

After the king said those things, I’d asked him for time to think. I could still picture the casual nod he gave before walking away, not even sparing me a final nce. That had stung more than I cared to admit.

I shook my head, stretchedzily, and yawned, reaching to toss the nket off. But a knock on the door froze me mid- motion. My gaze shifted to the door.

“Come in,” I called, already knowing it was Serene.

The door creaked open and Serene entered, carrying a tray of orange juice. She shut the door behind her and walked closer, her expression grim. I immediately knew she’d heard the news about Kieran and Aria. By now, perhaps everyone had.

“Good morning, Serene,” I greeted her cheerfully, offering a smile as she ced the tray gently on the bed in front of me.

I picked up the ss of juice and noticed the way her frown deepened at my cheerful tone, but she said nothing. She simply stood bthere /band watched bas /bI drank. When I was done, I let out a satisfied hum, wiping my lips with the sleeve of my dressb. /b

Then bI /blooked up at her again, this time with excitement.

“Happy birthdayb, /bSerene. I ordered something for you- it’s from another pack, so it hasn’t arrived yet. But it’ll be here by afternoon, don’t worry.”

Her frown deepened, and she opened her mouth like she wanted to speak, but instead, she just sighed and lowered her head brespectfully/b.

“Miss, bI /bbsaw /bSir Cassian this morning. He asked me to give you a message. Would you like to hear it?”

I braised /bba /bbrow at thatb, /bcurious. Remembering the look on his bface /byesterday, the urgency in his eyes- I gave her a small

nod.

b1/3 /b

bSerene /blifted bher /bbhead/bb. /bb“/bbSir /bbCassian /bbsaid/b… bwhatever /bbthe /bking did yesterdayb, /bbyou /bshould forgive him. bHe /bbwas /bdrunk, and he bdoesn’t /bact like himself when bhe’s /bbeen drinking.”

I bblinked/bb, /bstunned. But then, bas /bbI /brecalled Darius’s strange behavior, her words bbegan /bto make sense.

“bHow /bmuch did he drink to bact /blike that?” I muttered, frowning.

Serene’s expression bshifted /bat my confusionb. /bbShe /bblinked, then leaned bin /bslightly, her voice tinged with surprise.

“Oh… you don’t know, missb?/bb” /b

I furrowed my browsb. /b“Know what?”

She nced around and lowered her bvoice/bb, /bas though sharing a bsecret/b.

“The king can do almost anything but liquor bis /bthe one thing he can’t handle. Everyone in the world knows this. He’s powerful, but when ites to drinking… he bis /bbarely himself”

I tilted my head at her words and slowly began nodding. Well, that exined why he did all that yesterday, I guess.

“I see… Anyway, what’s for breakfast? Is Father around? I’d like to eat with him today and you should join usb,/bb” /bbI /bsaid bas /bI tossed the nket off and stood up, stretching through a tired yawn, trying to shake off the stiffness from tossing and turning all night.

Serene didn’t speak at first, but I caught the disappointed glint in her eyes, the same look she’d been giving metely, for reasons bI /bstill couldn’t quite figure out. Still, she answered in her usualposed tone.

“The Alpha is downstairs. He’s waiting for you, Missb.” /b

I nodded and stepped closer to her, reaching up to gently cup her cheeks, lifting her face so she had no choice but to look atollime./li/ol

Her

eyes

widened, caught off guard, and I grinned before pinching both cheeks yfully, making her blink in surprise.

“M–Miss, what are you doing?” she asked, clearly flustered.

Without replying, I released her cheeks and leaned in to wrap her in a hug. She stiffened under my touch.

“You really need to stop looking at me like that, Serene,” I murmured. “I promise you, I’m fine. So don’t worry about me, okay?”

“I–I wasn’t looking at you-”

Before she could finish, I leaned back with a gentle smile and cut her off.

“So, how about you go put on one of those pretty dresses we bought yesterday, and let’s eat breakfast together? I’ll bathe and bdress /bmyself.”

She opened her mouth to argue, but I pressed a finger to my lips, giving her a firm, pointed look.

“That’s an orderb, /bSereneb. /bGo get dressed- you’re having breakfast with us.” bI /bpaused, briefly recalling the dresses we bought byesterday/bb. /b“Wear the pink one. It brings out your eyes.b” /b

She stared at me for a moment, bthen /bexhaled and shook her head. Still, a hint of a smile yed on her lips bas /bbshe /bbowed slightly.

b2/3 /b

bChapter /bb38 /b

bI /bunderstand, Miss. Please bcall /bbme /bbif /byou bneed /banythingb./bb” /bShe hesitated, then offered a bshy/bb, /bradiant smileb. /bb“/bbAnd /bbthank /byou bfor /bbyesterday/b. bI /bbreally /benjoyed myself. I loved bspending /btime bwith /bbyou/b. I’m saving bup/bb, /bso bnext /bbtime /bwe go bout/bb, /bbI’ll /bbe able to buy something bfor /bbyou/bb.” /b

bHer /bwords bpierced /bthrough meb, /bband /bthough I smiled, it bwas /bstiff and hollow.

b‘/bNext timeb./bb‘ /b

There wouldn’t be a next time, Sereneb. /b

Eventually, Serene left the roomb, /band I took ba /bbdeep /bbbreath /bbefore walking over to the drawer. My fingers trembled slightly as I opened it and pulled out bthe /bbdagger/b, staring bat /bthe de with a deepening frown.

Tomorrow morning, before the rejection ceremony… I would die.

Not by rejection.

Not by poison.

But by my own hand by driving this de into myself.