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“Alright, you two. How about some pastries, and maybe lay off the wine?” Elm chuckles, shaking his head. “Sasha, you might need some dance lessons in the near future.”

Sasha swats his arm playfully, grinning as she heads to the table with Lilyana.

“You seem... happy, Reign,” Elm observes, his blue eyes soft in the glow of the fire.

The truth is, in this moment, I am. The problem only comes when I’m alone. I don’t want to burden him, so I respond with, “I am.” I nod. “I really am.”

Grabbing his hand, I pull him to sit on the couch in front of the fire with me, away from the girls. “I made the poison. It is in my armoire,” I whisper.

“Reign, you need to hide it better!” His whisper sounds more like a hiss.

I grab my best friend’s hands, rubbing my thumb across the top of it. “It’s hidden well, Elm. I will be fine. We are going to be fine. We are free now. We’re living… Sort of.”

He chuckles softly at that, pulling me into a tight embrace—a brother’s hug, solid and reassuring.

“Alright, it’s girls’ night! Elm, out,” Lilyana declares with a playful grin. Elm chuckles as he rises, sauntering to the door. Before leaving, he intertwines his fingers, kisses them, and gestures toward me. I return the gesture with a smirk.

Once he’s gone, we settle on our beds. The room grows quiet for a moment until I blurt out, “Do you know what Vanna does with the orphaned children?” My voice is louder than I intended, lacking the subtlety I had hoped for.

“I honestly don’t know,” Lilyana admits, frowning. “I’ve wondered the same. She’s always willing to take the children, but I’ve never seen them leave, nor heard anything about what happens to them after.”

“Don’t you find that odd?” I ask, scrunching my brows together.

“Maybe. But maybe I just don’t pay enough attention.” Her tone shifts, unease creeping into her words. “I do find her relationship with that male blood wielder odd,” Lilyana adds.

“He gives me the creeps,” Sasha says with a shudder. “He seems... too friendly with the children.”

“I don’t mean to be disrespectful, but something feels off about Vanna,” I say cautiously.

Lilyana’s gaze sharpens, and she seems to weigh her words carefully. “I agree. She’s dangerous, Reign. Always be careful around her. If possible, don’t let her touch you—her mind magic is lethal. She can see everything in your mind... even take memories away, or plant new ones.”

A heavy silence falls between us, the air thick with tension. I clear my throat, eager to lighten the mood.

“So... what’s going on with you and Captain Kylo?” I ask, directing the very personal question to Lilyana, whose cheeks bloom a deep red.

“Nothing. Nothing at all,” she protests, though her blush betrays her.

“Liar!” Sasha cackles, nudging her playfully.

Lilyana smiles shyly. “He’s handsome and thoughtful and… I kind of like him. I swear he is my soul tie.”

“That is make believe, Lilyana,” Sasha retorts. “Soul ties aren’t real.”

“No, they are very real,” Lilyana insists. “They are rare but real.”

“What’s a soul tie?” I ask, intrigued.

“It is where the Mother, gods, and goddesses tie your soul to someone else’s. Making two individuals perfect for each other. Soul ties are literally made for each other.” She smiles. “I swear I am soul tied to Kylo. I can’t explain it. I can always sense him when he is around. When he is near… it is like nothing else matters. It’s hard to explain.” She gazes off into the distance, lost in thought, a smile brushing her lips.

Then her eyes flick back to me, and her grin turns mischievous. “What about you and my brother, Miss Reign?”

Now it’s my turn to redden. The blush heats my skin. “Absolutely nothing is going on. Honestly, I’m more likely to stab him than anything else,” I say, laughing to mask the truth—the yearning for him to open up, the memory of his kiss lingering in my mind.

“That doesn’t sound like nothing,” Lilyana says knowingly, and Sasha nods in agreement.

“I can sense it,” Lilyana continues, her voice certain. “There’s a connection between you two. It’s almost tangible. I have never seen my brother this way about… well, anyone.” I shift uncomfortably under her gaze. “My brother can be difficult, I know, but trust that I know what I am talking about. He cares for you.”

Gods and goddesses, I wish that were true. But I’m just a Drifter, a nobody. And once I kill Vanna and finally take my revenge, how will he look at me then?