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I couldn’t afford another opposing force in this unknown world, especially not one who knew me so well. He used to be my second lifeline, even with his surface level fatherhood. I clung to him in childhood; like air slipping from a pair of lungs beginning to drown by a river of water. Even if I felt like he didn’t know all of me he knew enough of me.

Even through his delusions of these past days, he still loved me. I knew he had to love me; he even said he did this for me. So somewhere in that twisted thinking there must have been a shred of affection. But this love felt like it was haunting me. Mark wasn’t just a loose thread. He was an anomaly. Something that could expose me. Expose the people working behind the scenes to prepare me for what’s coming. My mind swam thinking of the possibility of Valentina being caught up in his scheming any more than it has.

That alone… was inexcusable.

I searched for a soft thought, any flicker of sympathy. There was none.

My eyes drifted over the aftermath just beyond Arianna’s dome, from the bodies to the thick plumes of auburn smoke rising into the sky, to the blood drying across my chest, and all I saw was rage. It seeped through my bones with unyielding precedence. The mark beneath my shirt tightened. It threatened to burst the energy within it out. I had to do everything in my power forcing myself back into control of my own feelings.

If I could have it my way, I would’ve played this differently, but he forced my hand. The weight of him leaving the group again sat heavier than before. I couldn’t shake this awful feeling in my gut, like something was brewing that I wouldn’t be able to bear. The energy around it... it scared me.

I had to be bigger than that. Bigger than my own body. I had to turn the mirrors in my mind around, so I couldn’t judge what might come next. I had to be in control.

Taking a deep breath, I let the sickly-sweet scent of death coat my lungs. I wanted to capture this moment, ingrain it in memory, to remember how violent this world could be. Not could... would. I couldn’t allow myself to forget the lives that would be lost in the rise to power. Even if they stood as my enemies, they were still someone’s children. Elguto or pureblood. It didn’t matter. Those who burned in the ash behind me would be honored in thought if nothing else.

The red plumes of smoke curling into the sky, the ruby stains soaking through the fresh snow... they’d become a part of me. A new mental scar.

Letting out a long sigh, I turned away from the scene. My boots crunched softly over the snow as I stepped back toward the open cottage door. Inside, Valentina stood at the far end of the room speaking with her father, while my mother sat curled in Kleitos’ arms, still trembling. The way they enveloped my mother was as tender as that of lovers. He held her in his lap, his arms wrapped securely around her waist, pulling her deeper into him. His head was nuzzled gently against her neck, and she returned the embrace, arms draped over his shoulders, instinctively drawing him closer. His fingers traced long, slow circles over her back, gradually tugging the fabric of her dress upward with each motion.

My heart jumped at the image of them. It reminded me of when I was younger, back when my parents were affectionate. But this… this felt more intimate than anything I remembered between her and Mark. Still, I knew better than to assume. Nothing was brewing between them. Kleitos was just comforting a frightened woman. That seemed entirely in character for him.

Kleitos looked up at me, a faint smile on his lips, and I took the seat beside the two of them. “Are you alright?” he asked, his voice threaded with concern.

“I’m shaken,” I admitted quietly. “I’ll be okay. Just surprised, is all.” My voice dropped to a near whisper. “Is she alright?” I asked, nodding to the back of my mother’s head. She’d stopped trembling in his arms, her breathing had evened out, and her shoulders no longer rose with frantic rhythm. I reached out and gently patted her back.

“She should be,” he murmured, glancing toward her face. “I think she fell asleep.” He turned back to me. “But are you sure you’re alright? This was a lot to experience. You haven’t been a full vampire for long… I imagine this could’ve overwhelmed your senses.”

Thinking over the night, I had to admit he was right. My senses had been kicked around like a ball tossed between children. Still, I smiled at him, wondering if this was what understanding felt like. “If I’m being honest, I want to say yes. But from what Lord Draco,” I said, glancing toward him. He met my gaze with a small nod. “From what he says, this is only the beginning. A war is coming. I need to expect worse than today. I need to train.”

“We can train,” Kleitos agreed, nodding firmly. Then he tilted his head slightly, his expression curious, thoughtful. “I do have a question for you.” There was something so genuine in his voice, even as his smile revealed sharp fangs glinting in the firelight.

I smiled back, he was too open, too sincere, to resist. “Of course. Ask me anything.”

“When we were outside,” he said carefully, “your chest started glowing. Has that ever happened before?” His tone had shifted, gentle but serious. Still, his eyes held that warm gleam, the kind that told me I could trust him with the pieces of myself I kept hidden.

The way my heart settled around him was unearthly. It was like... like he was always meant to be my center. My anchor. The one I could call home, where I could lay down every fear, every victory, every ache. Opening up to him felt like breathing. Natural. Effortless. I nodded. “That was actually the first time. It felt strange, like it was burning under the surface.”

He smiled again, something thoughtful stirring behind his eyes. Then, slowly, the hand nearest to me reached out and gripped my shoulder in a tender squeeze. Without looking away, he called over his shoulder, “Don’t you have soldiers to meet, Draco?”

And just like that, the moment was his.

My eyes shifted toward Valentina and Lord Draco. She finally met my gaze, offering a sheepish smile, nervous about the conversation we were about to have. Lord Draco, however, turned his attention fully toward my father, his expression unreadable.

“That’s what I was just discussing with my daughter,” he said evenly. “I’ll return now to my estate to meet with Vaelric. I’ll need to fabricate a reason for why Valentina was in Ameega last night, something that keeps suspicion away from our family. We don’t know how much Mark may have told them about Alexander, and I need to assess the situation firsthand. Valentina says she isn’t sure how many survived… and they already knew she was my daughter. I have much to manage.” His voice was as smooth as velvet, never wavering, even when addressing the delicate parts of the situation. I couldn’t help but admire how strategic his mind remained under pressure.

“Well,” Kleitos added, flashing a small smile toward both Valentina and me, “I’ll be returning to your estate with the children. We’ll be back before noon; I have a few things I want to discuss. If it comes down to us needing to go into the city to find Mark, then I want Alex prepared.”

The mention of me and the city immediately caught my attention. Since arriving in Eari, I’d imagined what it might look like. Was it bustling with life? Were there shops like the ones in the human realm? How old was the youngest person I’d see walking around? My mind spun with a million questions.

“If Vaelric intends to come again,” Lord Draco continued, thinking aloud, “then I’ll veer him off and meet him at the palace the following day.” He turned back toward Kleitos. “And Martha stays here.”

“Of course,” Kleitos agreed without hesitation, glancing down at her again. His thumb continued to brush softly along her back.

“I’ll be back,” Lord Draco said calmly. He took Valentina’s hand and pressed a soft kiss to her palm before giving him a slight bow. Then he turned and stepped out the door. A cold gust of wind swept in behind him, chilling the room briefly before fading.

Arianna was still outside, disposing of the Elguto bodies in front of her estate. Bomani was helping her. Neither had returned to the cottage yet, but after everything that had happened, she deserved some time to herself. After last night, and today, she had to be exhausted.

It made perfect sense why my mother was softly snoring in Kleitos’ arms.